SEOAL 2008-2009

[trojandave]

Karma: I haven't heard anything about one of our guards transferring to East. I will talk to Coach Shoemaker to find out if it is true.

Hitchbone64: Athens is officially gone now.....Portsmouth has replaced them on the schedule with Greenfield McClain....they will play the Tigers in the Power Shootout in Chillicothe the first game of the year. Zanesville will leave after this coming year, so that will leave another opening in 2009-2010.

Chillicothe may have opted to keep Athens as a non-conference game this coming year, but if they didn't, the Cavaliers will have a new opponent in 2008-2009. I would say the chances are good that even after Zanesville leaves the SEOAL, CHS and ZHS will still want to play each other, since the competition is good and the travel time is not that bad.

[trojandave]

From what I saw of Logan on the Day of Champions vs. Ironton, I think the Chieftains will be as good or better than last season. They will have good guards out front, and if they can find some kids who can play in the post, LHS will be a contender for the league crown.

I also think Ironton will be competitive again. For the last 5-6 years, IHS has put a good team on the floor, and I don't think that will change in 2008-09. The Tigers most likely will have a deep rotation, as Coach Lafon likes to employ, and their freshmen team was probably the best in the SEOAL, so I look for some of those kids to contribute to the varsity.

[trojandave]

I really do believe that the 2008-09 season will be really exciting in the SEOAL, because there should be a lot of parity among 5-6 teams. Chillicothe and Zanesville will find the road quite a bit more bumpy than the last 2 years, but both schools have PROGRAMS and not just TEAMS. At Portsmouth, we are striving to get back to the PROGRAM level as we once were...........this year will tell if we are heading in that direction. All signs point toward it, but the proof will be on the court.

It would not surprise me at all to see the SEOAL championship trophy heading to somewhere other than Chillcothe or Zanesville.

[tropicalbreeze]

ZBD, glad to here the kids are already going at it. I would imagine that with the disappointing tourney run, they will have a chip on their shoulders heading into next season. I would love to see Pratti grow another couple of inches and get stronger and alittle quicker. (Wow, he would be a force). The Harris boy could grow also as did Andre, I know as reserves, this last senior class was small until some growing spurts. I think Z-ville will be pretty solid again next year with maybe a little more dept. Don't we have a real good Soph to be coming up?

[Tartanblue]

If this is true than East just got alot more dangerous in the SOC and even deeper for next year.

even deeper next year?

didnt you lose a boat load this year?

Lost a total of 5

[trojandave]

I talked to Coach Shoemaker today about the rumor of someone going to East, and he told me that no one that he knows of is heading that way. He talks to the kids almost daily, and knows the news of his basketball program.

Of course things can change, but as of right now things are status quo at Portsmouth High School.

Also, Nate Cadogen, Andrew Bendolph, Anthony Williams, and incoming freshman Dion McKinley are scheduled to play AAU basketball this summer. Forrest Johnson is showing interest in playing as well. Open gym starts in April.

[Army]

trojandave,

How is the league handling the departure of Athens. I thought they were gone after this year. IMO the Day of Champions should have been buried when it started. Great idea but no substance around it.

As for the league next year, it will definitely be more balanced, but I think the winning programs keep winning (just maybe not as often). Portsmouth is the wildcard as they will be explosive on offense. trojandave, is correct in that P-town has to buy into the defensive theory. D does win championships (as proved by the Cavs this year at the State).

As for Chilly, the comment about Mike Turner at guard is probably off base. No one is going to replace a Anthony Hitchens, but we have a potential All-Ohio guard in Caleb Knights. Mike Turner played excellent defense and did exactly what Coach K. wanted done with the ball. The key is the committment over the spring and summer. He comes from good stock. He is Humpty's first cousin and he is a very good athlete. He just needs to learn to be a basketball player. He will be just a junior and by mid-season I expect him to be playing well. He has the confidence, he just needs the minutes. I can see him setting up Dawes, Knights and Benson all day long.

GO CAVS!!! 2008 STATE CHAMPS!!!

Hitchbone64,

I agree. I think Mike has the potential to make some big things happen next season for the CAVS. Setting up Dawes, Smith, Benson, Knights and London. It should be as you say, a more balanced league next year. I also agree with Trojan Dave, the Trojans will be awesome on Offense. They just have to get better on Defense. Which I believe will happen. My top 5 SEOAL Picks for next Basketball season is:

Chillicothe D2
Zanesville D1
Portsmouth D3
Vincent Warren Local D2
Ironton D3

The second tier headed up by:

Logan D1
Marietta D2
Gallipolis (Gallia Academy) D3
Jackson D2

But who knows what will really happen until the actual season starts. Right? Good Luck to all the respected SEOAL Teams next season.

Japan is going well, looking forward to getting back somewhere in late April. Grandpa is taking our son to the CAV celebration on Saturday.

GO CAVS

2008 D II State Champions

GO SEOAL

Army

[biggdowgg]

If this is true than East just got alot more dangerous in the SOC and even deeper for next year.

even deeper next year?

didnt you lose a boat load this year?

Lost a total of 5

how many starters?

[Tartanblue]

3 to 4 depending on the team they were playing. But also kids on the bench that were not seniors got alot of PT

[warrnwarriorfan]

The SEOAL is going to be a dog-fight next year. I don't see anyone running away with the league. There are a few teams that will struggle, but the top 6-7 teams should have hard fought games week after week. It should be a fun year.

[3morethan2]

Next year will be entertaining with chilli and zville not being totally dominant like the last two years.....but they'll still be good...i can see maybe 3 or 4 other teams contending....logan,portsmouth,ironton and warren...along with zville and chilli...oo yea and i forgot to say congrats to chilli for winning state...woulda been sweet if zville won it so there coulda been two league teams winning state

[91blue14]

it must feel great being state champion

[baller3]

It does, thanks.

2008 State Champs! Go Cavs!!!

[ZvilleBlueDevil]

Zanesville replaces Athen's with Warren Harding and Cambridge .Drop's Col-East pick's up Worthington Christian and has Massilion and defending State Champ's Chillicothe and Newark and throw in Play by Play classic make's for a great scheldule....Have a good summer Blue Devil's!!!!!!

[Hitchbone64]

Zanesville replaces Athen's with Warren Harding and Cambridge .Drop's Col-East pick's up Worthington Christian and has Massilion and defending State Champ's Chillicothe and Newark and throw in Play by Play classic make's for a great scheldule....Have a good summer Blue Devil's!!!!!!

ZBD,

The Blue Devils are not backing down at all. Rematch with Harding and then the rest of that makes for a tough non-conference. They say great programs don't rebuild, they just reload. You know I expect big things from Mr. Pratti this year. With that very good JV squad, this team will be very good. Just like Chilly, I am not sure they will be as athletic, but they will be very good.

GO CAVS!!! 2008 STATE CHAMPS!!!

[ZvilleBlueDevil]

Hitchbone:

Zville and Chilly were both blessed with athlete's like Hitchen's , Chamber's , Aronhalt , Harris and more and i'm glad i was able too watch them play and i thank them.. You won't see these type of player's too often but with the program's in place at these school's and the coaches they have they can make a average player a good one and a good one better.

The boy's from CBIZ came back week from Italy they finished at 3-2 and two loses were under 10 point's so they fared well.Aronhalt lit em up for 29 a game avg Ced Harris avg 14 and Prati had 12 in 1st game and turned ankle in 2nd game and was done he will miss about 3 week's aau ball .

So it's off too the weight room for the boy's team next year and there summer shootout's won't be far off which are very important for the coaches too evaluate there team and i'm sure u can bet the Cav's and Devil's are doing there work.

GO BLUE DEVIL"S !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Army]

Zanesville replaces Athen's with Warren Harding and Cambridge .Drop's Col-East pick's up Worthington Christian and has Massilion and defending State Champ's Chillicothe and Newark and throw in Play by Play classic make's for a great scheldule....Have a good summer Blue Devil's!!!!!!

ZBD,

The Blue Devils are not backing down at all. Rematch with Harding and then the rest of that makes for a tough non-conference. They say great programs don't rebuild, they just reload. You know I expect big things from Mr. Pratti this year. With that very good JV squad, this team will be very good. Just like Chilly, I am not sure they will be as athletic, but they will be very good.

GO CAVS!!! 2008 STATE CHAMPS!!!

hitchbone64,

Do you know what our schedule looks like next year? I wonder who we will replace Athens with? Are we keeping Wheelersburg and Waverly on the schedule too?

Last year our non-league was Columbus Brookhaven, Wheelersburg, Cincinnati North College Hill, Dayton Dunbar, Newark and Waverly. Hopefully we'll have another great schedule for next season.

Take Care

Army

[86cavs]

What about Donta Thompson,Eric Young??? There was a kid that got hurt during football season that sat out the basketball season do to and ankle injury.The youngman average around 20 ppg as a freshman his name is Shay Netter 6'1" 212 pounds drives well to the basket and has a good outside shot can play defense and not afraid to tangle with the big boys.This kid will be a junior this up coming school year.

[beezee420]

What about Donta Thompson,Eric Young??? There was a kid that got hurt during football season that sat out the basketball season do to and ankle injury.The youngman average around 20 ppg as a freshman his name is Shay Netter 6'1" 212 pounds drives well to the basket and has a good outside shot can play defense and not afraid to tangle with the big boys.This kid will be a junior this up coming school year.

from what i've heard about young and thompson is they can't keep the grades. i've been told that thompson is the BEST ATHLETE in the school this year, he just didn't make the grades to show us.

shay would be a nice addition back to the team, and i talked to drew basil a few days ago and he said that he was thinking about playing basketball again. and what about scott north, he should've been playing this year but decided not to. add all 3 of them to the current crop of players and chilli will be looking good next year.

and as for the mike turner comment.................. caleb will be playing the point next year anyway, like he did most of this year, and turner will play one of the wing positions, similar to the way hitchens was used at times this year. hopefully some of the jv players get after it this summer and put some pressure on the returning varsity players for playing time.

should be an exciting season in the SEOAL next year, thats for sure.

[Dshanton3]

beezee...you are completely right my man. Dante and Scott North could make this team a whole lot better if we can get them both on the court.