Portsmouth Trojans 2011-2012

[trojandave]

Portsmouth returns 13 of 15 players from the 2010-2011 season, which culminated in a 58-47 loss in the D3 state semifinal to Cleveland Central Catholic. The Trojans will have to replace Andrew Bendolph and Tre Underwood, but do return 3 starters (Wayne Evans, Dion McKinley, and Zaide Whitley) in addition to everyone on the bench. The primary need for PHS this coming season is another ballhandler to assist Wayne Evans, who will take over at PG. McKinley will most likely improve on his 17 PPG, 11 RPG numbers, while Whitely figures to play a more prominent role in scoring to add to his already outstanding defense. Evans led the Trojans with a 20.3 PPG average last season, and should approach that number again.

Mason Jordan, Seth Bratchett, Lenny Collins, L.J. Adams, Duke Edwards, and Jalen Carter are the frontrunners for the open two starting slots.

PHS should be a serious contender for the SEOAL title, which would be their first entering their 6th year of league play. Their 10-2 mark of a year ago was good for 2nd place, which was the Trojans' best finish so far in 5 campaigns. Portsmouth swept Logan, Marietta, Gallia Academy, and Jackson the past 2 years for a perfect 16-0 mark vs. those schools. Marietta is no longer a member of the SEOAL, so the league schedule will have only 10 games in 2011-2012.

Coach Eugene Collins has posted a very good 33-12 record in his first 2 years as PHS head coach, including a Final 4 appearance this past season. The coaching staff looks as if it will be the same as last year, with Jim Arnzen, Randy Nelson as varsity assistants, while Shane Rhea will serve as varsity assistant and JV head coach.

The 2011-2012 varsity schedule is listed on another thread on this forum.......there are still 2 games left to be scheduled.

The summer schedule has not been determined yet, and open gyms have not started........when I find out this info, I will post it.

GO TROJANS!!!

[Moses Guthrie]

I look for Duke Edwards to fill one starting spot and play a major role..

[LetsGoPSU]

thx for keeping the basketball fever alive TD! Looking forward to another fun season this fall and winter. Great job Coach Collins and staff, and the young men as well. Keep playing this summer and shoot for one more!

[trojandave]

Moses Guthrie: I agree wholeheartedly about Duke........he can play several positions, can score, play tough D, and will attack the glass for rebounds.........he is very athletic at 6-2 and about 205 pounds........I have seen Duke playing quite a bit on the playgrounds, and have seen him working out in a weight jacket.......I have talked to him, and he knows that he can fill one of those two slots.

Let'sGoPSU: Hope to see you at the Trojan Coliseum this year, and I will try my best to keep the info coming on Trojan hoops.

[LetsGoPSU]

Im sure Ill be home for at least one football game....depends on if Ill need a loan to play for the fuel, its getting expensive to fuel up the jet...I may have to drive

[trojandave]

Although it is tough to repeat as regional champions, the Trojans have a very good chance to do so in 2011-2012.........in looking at the D3 field for next season, I believe 3 teams........Portsmouth, Ironton, and Chesapeake will be the 3 frontrunners for that Final 4 berth from Athens. Last season, Piketon, Wheelersburg, and Peebles were all strong contenders, but all were hit heavily by graduation. Eastern Brown has most of their team back, so they should put together a good season and could make a strong postseason push.

Portsmouth has made 10 Final 4 appearances but none have gone back to back.......overall PHS has made the state tourney 14 times total.

The East District representative from last year, Sugarcreek Garaway, lost star player 6-8 Paul Honingford, while district runnerup St. Clairsville returns their top scorer who averaged 21 PPG last season. They may be the team that will advance to the regional. Don't know if the OHSAA will send a Central District team to the regional as they have many times.

There may a few surprises as the season goes, but I look for SE D3 to have a subpar year in terms of overall strength.

Defending D3 state champion Cincinnati Taft is D2 in 2011-2012, so there will be a new champion crowned next season.

[trojandave]

Tobias: I think that 3 kids on last year's 8th grade team will play on the JV........TayTay Martin, Alex Dickerson, and Sky Oliver........they most likely will also play on the freshmen team as well........could be a chance that one or two could dress varsity, which will depend on how they play.

[trojandave]

With June just around the corner, I haven't heard anything yet about the Trojans's schedule for shootouts or a summer league. Talked to Coach Collins about 10 days ago. I would assume that something is in the mix, though, so when I find out any info, I will post it. Last summer Portsmouth hosted a summer league which included Russell, Boyd County, Fairland, and Lewis County.

Portsmouth's 33-12 record over the last 2 seasons is 1 loss less than Coach Jim Rhea's 2000 and 2001 teams' combined record of 33-13. The Trojans' 21 year wait for a state appearance (1990--2011) is the longest in school history. The longest previous period between state appearances was from 1941 to 1961, although the 1941 appearance was not a Final 4 appearance but was an official state appearance as recognized by the OHSAA. 6 of Portsmouth's 14 state tournament appearances have occurred after the OHSAA started a regional format of play in 1943. All 6 have been Final 4 appearances. PHS's record in those 6 Final 4 appearances is an outstanding 8-3. Portsmouth' record all-time in Final 4 games is 11-6.

[trojandave]

Here is the Trojans' summer schedule for 2011:

Friday, June 10: at Waverly Shootout.......starts at 9 AM.........Trojans will play 3 games and then a short tournament will follow

Friday, June 17: at Rio Grande........starting time not determined.........Trojans have played in this for several years and based on previous participation should be playing at least 4 games........there will be varsity and JV teams playing

Thursday, June 23 and Friday, June 24........at Ironton Shootout........there will be a couple of Columbus schools scheduled to participate.......starting time not determined

These shootouts could be added to the schedule: Saturday, June 18 at Ohio State and Saturday, June 25 at Shawnee State

PHS will also play in a summer league involving local teams........starting date to be determined but most likely will be after the Waverly shootout.........this year's league will feature rotating home courts among the participating teams.

Open gym is also scheduled to start this week at PHS.......twice a week, probably on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

As far as the 19th and 20th games on the 2011-2012 schedule to be filled, Russell, KY will play at Portsmouth in December, while the 20th game most likely will be the Cincinnati school that the Trojans will be playing in football but it has not been finalized as of yet.

[trojandave]

Portsmouth's summer league play is to start next Tuesday at 6 PM at Clay High School......opponent TBD.

[trojandave]

I am putting the finishing touches on the updated version of the 2004 book that I published entitled "The Portsmouth Trojans--A Century of Basketball Excellence". There is a copy of this book in the Local History Section of the Portsmouth Public Library. The updated version is to include the records through the 2011 season and will feature box scores from the 2011 state tournament in which the Trojans participated. The original book was 82 pages long, while the updated version should be around 25 pages, but will include much of what was contained in the first book.

When the updated version is finished, a copy will be submitted to the Local History Section.

[OZZIEOHIO]

Dave i didnt know you had a book out there.

[trojandave]

Ozzie: Check with biggdowgg about the 2004 book.......I believe I gave him a copy but I can't exactly remember if I did.

[biggdowgg]

Ozzie: Check with biggdowgg about the 2004 book.......I believe I gave him a copy but I can't exactly remember if I did.

yes you did, Dave...it is on my dresser.....

[trojandave]

This was the first week of summer play for the Trojans, and even without leading scorer Wayne Evans they went 5-1, beating Clay, Valley, Huntington Ross, Vinton County, Manchester, and losing by 2 to Waverly at the Waverly Shootout. Mason Jordan missed all but the Waverly game.

Coming up is an add-on to the schedule.........tomorrow PHS will play in the Rio Grande Shootout which starts approximately at noon.........schedule TBD, but in years past there has been some good competition at this shootout, which includes varsity and JV teams. Wayne Evans could be returning for this shootout. Rio also conducts a shootout next Friday, and the Trojans are still scheduled to participate in that one as well.

So far, it looks as if the Trojans will be a much deeper team in 2011-2012, as Coach Collins has been able to rotate about 10-12 players that have been giving good minutes.......newcomers to the program this year include 6-3 J.W.Horsley and 6-5 Kyle Ratliff.

[trojandave]

It was my first time in the new Waverly High School Gym.......it has a lot of seats and is a very nice facility........still like the "old" gym, though.

[independent2012]

Summer ball is a great barometer for what is to come in the winter,some may not think so especially if the school you support is getting hammered.Of course there will be some improvements and gelling to take place but the good teams in the summer will be the good teams in the winter.Good to hear the Trojans went 5-1 yesterday without their leading scorer Wayne Evans. GO TROJANS

[trojandave]

Portsmouth went 3-1 at Rio Grande yesterday, playing without Wayne Evans, Jayllen Carter, and Jacob Cook.......the Trojans beat West Union, North Adams, and Point Pleasant(WV), while losing to Spring Valley(WV) by only 2 points on a buzzer beater.

Even without Evans, Carter, and Cook, the Trojans looked like a pretty solid club........Dion McKinley was virtually unstoppable, there were a number of excellent fast break conversions, and some excellent half court defense, especially in the last 4 minutes of the Spring Valley game, where PHS forced a number of turnovers to get back in the game and tie it with just seconds to go. Credit to Spring Valley for making the game winning shot at the buzzer.

The Trojans' only 2 losses this summer (8-2 overall) have been by 2 points and both have been without Wayne Evans. The bench has been impressive thus far.

In most games, the starting 5 without Evans has been Dion McKinley, Zaide Whitely, Lenny Collins, Seth Bratchett, and Duke Edwards.......Mason Jordan has started some also.

Portsmouth will play at Valley tomorrow at 6PM, then will play again at Rio Grande on Friday with play beginning at 9AM. I believe there will also be junior varsity play.

[trojandave]

Just found out on another thread that St.Clairsville will be D2 (by 1 boy) in 2011-2012. They were probably tagged as the preseason favorite as the East District D3 champion, but obviously it will be someone else now. They lost to Sugarcreek Garaway in the East District final last year 42-33, and have leading scorer Daniel Montessaro back (21 PPG). St.Clairsville could still make a run to the regionals in D2.

Looking at D3 through the regional, it doesn't look like a deep field of teams as it has in years' past. The Southeast District once again has an excellent chance to represent at the state, and I still think it will come down to Portsmouth, Ironton, or Chesapeake.

[trojandave]

Wayne Evans returned last night to play in the summer league, and the Trojans convincingly won over Valley........on Friday, Portsmouth will play Huntington High(WV) in the first game of the Rio Grande Shootout at 9AM........and will play 3 more varsity games........the JV squad will see action also, with JV and varsity alternating games.

Portsmouth will then go to Columbus to play in the Ohio State Shootout on Saturday.......opponents TBD, but there are approximately 32 teams playing and no doubt some of the top teams in the state. Play will begin approximately at 11AM, with 4 games being played. Games will be played at both the Schottenstein Center and St.John Arena.

I plan on being at Rio for the first 2 games on Friday, but will be unable to attend the Ohio State Shootout........but will post results when they are available.