Piketon 08-09

[JIMMY THE GREEK]

Piketon Redstreaks will be returning four starters and 8 out of their top 10 players from a 15-8 District Semi-Finalist team next season. Led by 6'2 Cody Smith (HM All-Ohio) and 6'3 Jordan Brabson (All-District), follow them up with 6'1 point guard Evan Legg (recently named to Jerry Watson's All-Ohio AAU Team) and 6'5 Caleb Southworth, 6'6 Keenan Brush and other returning underclassmen who played major minutes such as 6'2 Kenny Helton, 6'1 Jordan Miller, will be a nice mix with a Reserve Team that finished 14-3 and won the SVC.
After playing the most challenging schedule in school history, the Streaks again will be challenged in 2008-09 opening the season with Cincinnati Clark Montessori, going to Columbus Mifflin, and hosting Ironton and a possible matchup with one of the top schools in Kentucky prior to the Pike County Holiday Classic.
I spoke with Coach Lisath last night and he said the Summer schedule is filling up with shootouts and Scrimmages vs. Division I & II opponents. Should be a fun team to watch...

[JIMMY THE GREEK]

I failed to mention Eddie Robbins another returning two year letterman. I'm guessing playing time could possible ruin this team, if the kids can't accept their roles and parents don't mettle. I have yet to see Lisath buckle under parental pressure, however the heat will be turned up in the "oven".

[Sports 101]

Jimmy, I know Coach L will have this kids mentally and physically prepared before the season starts. I expect big things out of this team!!

[O.R.prep]

To be honest. Legg and Brush are the two most talented b-ball prospects that area has seen since Doug Williams. But I don't think they were used like they should have been. it would be better fit for them to transfer to a school that would use these talented player's like they should. It's just my opinion.

[kobe01]

Most talented? not so sure about that , and why would they transfer they have a great coach and most likely the best team in the svc next year?

[danicalifornia]

OR- So Legg(a PG) shouldn't have been running the point?
Also, Brush(who wasn't ready fully) should've been thrown into the fire early and possibly turned into a washout(like what Unioto had a couple of years back)?

Both were brought along very nicely last year and Brush got very valuable minutes in the JV games and was able to make a defensive impact in the varsity games. Legg, ran the show very well and played very good defense as well. Not sure any other way to use those two players.

[JIMMY THE GREEK]

To be honest. Legg and Brush are the two most talented b-ball prospects that area has seen since Doug Williams. But I don't think they were used like they should have been. it would be better fit for them to transfer to a school that would use these talented player's like they should. It's just my opinion.

I disagree, I watched this program over the past ten years and I feel these kids are in a great position. Legg started the entire season and earned HM All-SVC. I've never seen Lisath hold any kid back from developing into a good player. Brush played both Varsity and Reserve, in my opinion he wasn't mature enough to handle strickly varsity play. Actually, Brush is only 14 years old and could've been held back in Junior High last year.

[Sports 101]

To be honest. Legg and Brush are the two most talented b-ball prospects that area has seen since Doug Williams. But I don't think they were used like they should have been. it would be better fit for them to transfer to a school that would use these talented player's like they should. It's just my opinion.

I disagree, I watched this program over the past ten years and I feel these kids are in a great position. Legg started the entire season and earned HM All-SVC. I've never seen Lisath hold any kid back from developing into a good player. Brush played both Varsity and Reserve, in my opinion he wasn't mature enough to handle strickly varsity play. Actually, Brush is only 14 years old and could've been held back in Junior High last year.

I agree with jimmy on this one. Coach Lisath put these kids in position were they would become better basketball players. And witch they did, over the course of the season both Evan and Brush grew up, this was a great learning year for them.

[91Grad]

Coach Lisath is a great Coach and person, Good luck next year .. He does a great job on putting the best 5 on the floor at all times even though some fans or parents don't think so ...

[Flashing Cursor]

Go Streaks!!!

I don't care who plays as long as we win 17+games, SVC title, and district championship.
Who starts/finishes/quits/transfers out/transfers in, it's all irrelevant. Just WIN baby!!!!!

BTW:: I too thought Coach Lisath and the whole crew did a great job with all these boys.
Most parents just suck...

Evan Legg is a 130lb stud point guard.

[Sports 101]

Piketon does have the talent to win 20+ games...Really excited for next year!!! GO STREAKS!!!

[JIMMY THE GREEK]

I hear open gyms and weight room is being well attended and the streaks got a couple of move ins from Dayton. Can anyone confirm the move ins? I'm told a freshmen and a sophomore.

[Sports 101]

This is news to me!!

[Out of Bounds]

I'm glad to see everyone on Lisath's band wagon. He had the most talented team in the league. Huntington had the best player and Zane Trace was very athletic, but PHS had the best team and deepest bench in the league! No debate there. I truly believe they under achieved last year, and I won't be surprised if they do next year. Although I hope I'm wrong.

[mikepike]

I would disagree about Piketon being the best team in the league last year. They had 1 Senior starter and 1 Senior off the bench, 2 Junior starters and 2 off the bench, 1 Soph. starter and 1 off the bench, and 1 Fresh. starter and 2 off the bench. While the talent was definitely there, melding it together and making it work is another thing altogether. There were times the Streaks played very well, and times they didn't. I think the upcoming year holds more promise, and with expectations sure to be high, the possibility of a letdown exists. If each player accepts his role, and plays it as well as he can, good things are very possible. If there is any bickering about who should do what, it could be a long season. We, the fans, and the parents need to support them all season long, not nit-pick about playing time, scoring, and the such.

[JIMMY THE GREEK]

I'm glad to see everyone on Lisath's band wagon. He had the most talented team in the league. Huntington had the best player and Zane Trace was very athletic, but PHS had the best team and deepest bench in the league! No debate there. I truly believe they under achieved last year, and I won't be surprised if they do next year. Although I hope I'm wrong.

Not really on his band wagon, there's only two games that I thought the Streaks should've won last season and didn't....at Adena (lost by 2 in OT) and at ZT (lost by 3 in the closing seconds)...both games he had two freshmen and a soph on the floor during crunch time and I thought they folded a little under pressure. Other than that, I think this young team overachieved....just think...win those two games and you're 17-6 with a bunch of underclassmen.
Piketon had a deep bench, because Lisath is one of a few coaches that has a reputation of going 9 or 10 deep. I don't think we as fans will ever agree on everything a coach does, nor will we understand the decisions that are made, I'm sure there's always behind the scenes stuff we don't know about. I see this program doing great things over the next five years under Lisath's guidance....I guess we will soon see....the schedule looks tough.....but youth will no longer be an excuse.
After talking to some kids on the AAU circuit, Piketon is one a few schools having spring open gym, and has kids playing in AAU tournaments....so at least the man is still trying to build a program.
out of bounds....you seem to be a big critic....go help the guy out ...instead of throwing stones.....you're always entitled to your own opinion though.

[trojandave]

Based on what the Redstreaks have coming back, I would think that Piketon would improve on last year's record and challenge for the SVC title. I know that Coach Lisath wants to play the best competition possible........PHS probably plays the best non-conference schedule of anybody in the SVC.

I want to wish the best for Coach Lisath......from one Trojan to another!!

[Sports 101]

THE STREAKS ARE GETTING A LOT OF KIDS IN THE GYM!!! THE UPPER CLASSMEN ARE READY TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS, THEY KNOW THE MORE THE PLAY THE BETTER THEY GET!! AND AFTER THE STREAKS GOT PUSHED AROUND AGAINST THE BURG THEY ARE DETERMINED TO GET STRONGER BY WORKING OUT BEFORE EVERY OPEN GYM. THE LEADERSHIP BY THE UPPER CLASSMEN THIS YEAR IS KEY!!!!!

[Out of Bounds]

mikepike, you don't include a loss to the Panthers who was down last year as a game they should've won? I know you can't win them all, and 17-6 would have been a great year. But they weren't. I was also very dissappointed in the Wheelersburg loss. Burg is very good. Piketon didn't even compete. Some of the stuff he let go, (actions on the court) was uncalled for. I thought that would have been a great time to set an example for next year. The game was out of reach and players were embarrassing themselves. IMO.

A great coach once told me, people don't want to see how you handle winning, they watch and notice how you handle losing. They didn't handle it too well. And by letting it go is a reflection on the head coach.

[AndyDufresne]

I wouldn't get too worked up over what Out of Bounds has to say. Most of his posts on here criticize coaches in one form or another.