Belpre Eagles 2008-2009

[belpreboy92]

Tate is an excellent guard he has size and talent. For the eagles to do any good this year he will have to lead them.

[Catch One]

Agree with WWFAN, Not from Belpre, but know Tate very well for a long time. He is a player and a good one.

[fighting_falcon]

You just don't fear him like you did Thronhill or others. He is not going to explode for a big game like they could. He is not a consistent enough shooter, at least if he is he has never displayed it in the big game.

[Eagles20]

You just don't fear him like you did Thronhill or others. He is not going to explode for a big game like they could. He is not a consistent enough shooter, at least if he is he has never displayed it in the big game.

In our "Big Games" last season against Warren Markie led the "Golden Eagles" with an 18 ppg average. Last season as the point guard it wasn't his job to score. Although not a point guard, he did as the coaching staff ask him to do, which was run the offense. You're never gonna see him take shot after shot. He will get the ball to the open man. Besides he is just a junior.

We will have a great year this year. Great group of kids that want to win and are willing to put in the needed work to get it done.

With all the issues that the team waded thru this past year, they still won 13 ballgames after starting the season 2-5. With only one senior seeing playing time, everyone is back bigger, stronger, and hungier.

GO EAGLES

[fighting_falcon]

And is 18ppg did nothing against Warren, which is exactly my point.

Players like Thornhill could shoot lights out and yet penetrate and make plays for the big boys. You had to stop him or else. Tate get 18ppg average and Belpre loses both games and the one at Warren by 50.

While he is a nice player, nothing so far makes you spend extra time preparing just for him.

[g w mclintock]

Tate is indeed a nice player but he is no Jordan Thornhill. Thornhill could take over a game at any time. I'm sure Thornhill was the name circled on most team's scouting reports...

[Eagles20]

Tate is indeed a nice player but he is no Jordan Thornhill. Thornhill could take over a game at any time. I'm sure Thornhill was the name circled on most team's scouting reports...

I agree Markie is no Thornhill but then Jordan is the most prolific scorer in school history. You could go thru 60 years of Belpre Basketball and not find "another Thornhill". However that being said there are different ways to be sucessful and comparing Thornhill and Tate is like comparing apples and oranges. Both kids have a different approach to the game. Thornhill had an awesome shot and many plays were designed to get him that shot. As should have been. The bottom line is wins and championships, thats the true measure. Hopefully the best is yet to come for Markie.

GO EAGLES

[g w mclintock]

Eagles20-
I agree. It's like apples and oranges. Two different styles.

[Prodigy]

I have been around Markie for a long time and he sometimes gets negative towards his own teammates. But he also gets down on himself a lot, the majority of the time he is mad, he is mad at himself, because he knows he can do better...and i would watch out this year, markies outside shot is becoming more prolific.

[popcorn phil]

I think many of you need to understand that Markie is still just beginning his junior year. Most kids get the opportunity to mature and make mistakes at the freshman and JV level without all the pressure and scrutiny that comes at the varsity level. Kids all mature mentally and physically at different times. I agree that he has had some frustration problems but hopefully now that he has matured he will put that behind him. Also, this kid has been un fairly touted as the "next great thing" since he was in the fourth grade. All things considered, I think he has turned out to be a pretty darned good player. I wish him lots of luck in the future.

[justlookin]

Belpre just needs to play to their strengths. That whole lot of juniors have had a ton of pressure put on them. When you win and play like they have together over the years expectations are extremely high, not just by the fans but the players themselves. Their is nobody who wants to win more than Tate. Some of you unjustly are taking pot shots at the kid. I have watched him do whatever it takes to win games, scoring when needed, defense when needed, ball control when needed. Juniors Tate, Slattery, Parsons, Leasure, Williams know what it takes to win. With senoirs Loyland and Azar, sophmores Wadeker and Watkins it will be exciting to watch. Attitude, hustle ,desire will be this teams strength. You've got to hate to lose more than you want to win.

[Prodigy]

I agree, that group of juniors has a load of talent, but people have been saying they are going to go to state in high school since they were in the 4th grade, that puts a ton of pressure on a kid, because they remember people telling them that when they were little and they don't want to disappoiont anyone. The loss of sims isnt gonna hurt belpre as much as you think it will, he brought a negative attitude on the floor everytime he was on there, he always fights with teammates, and he gets down too much. But, the kid can play, but with him gone, it will help Coach Plummer teach his family system (which i have yet to see work) better because reggie was a negative attitude towards the "family". All in all, belpre will compete for the TVC-Ohio title in 08/09. Keep up the good work Eagles and keep working hard.

[tvcfan1]

Rashawn Miller will do good coming off the bench for eagles

[belpreboy92]

Belpre will be very athletic this year. Watkins, Tate, Waderker, and maybe Loyland all lettered their freshman year. Towards the end of the season Belpre was starting TWO FRESHMEN(Watkins,Waderker) TWO SOPHMORES(Sims,Tate) Loyland(junior)
Lynch(senior). They were young last year. Look for them to have a breakout season.
With the addition of Azar they will be quick and strong.

[Prodigy]

tell me how the addition of Azar will make belpre quick? If they want to have a quick lineup, they can, they can go with Waderker, Tate, Parsons, Loyland and Eaton. If you want a strong lineup, you could have Tate, Loyland, Watkins, Eaton, Azar....but all in all i think belpre will have a great team this year, there will be some games where they miss Lynch, he was almost unstoppable some games, but some games where they dont miss him, he forced shots when he wasnt hitting and was non-existent some games, i can name a few where he was unstoppable, alexander, eastern, nelsonville all at home, you could not play zone against belpre simply because of him, but i can also think of games where he was non-existent, warren, VC, wellston all on the road but parsons is a great outside shooter and tates outside shot is improving. Heres the projected list of varsity players and a few notes:

*Erik Waderker, 5-9 sophomore, guard...very good on the ball defender, is little but strong, makes good decisions, very quick, needs to improve shooting touch.

*Markie Tate, 6-2 junior, guard...very gifted physically, can take you to the hole or pull up for the jumper, 3 ball is improving, plays very good on the ball D, not too many flaws in his game itself, but needs to not get down on himself, be confident. He will be the leader of this team.

*Scott Loyland, 6-4, senior forward...plays physical, not afraid to do the dirty work, will probably be the leading rebounder on the team, rebounds, gets on the floor, blocks shot, every team needs a player like scott..he will get his points also. Needs to improve ballhandling.

*Tyler Watkins 6'1 sophomore, forward...very well at finishing around the basket, lacks the size of a big man, but is strong and physical, will box out, and has a very nice jumper.

*Jared Azar, 6'3 senior, center...very good kid, will do whatever asked to do, plays with a lot of emotion, not very athletic but makes up for it with hustle and boxing out. Needs to get a little quicker and faster.

Kelvin Eaton 6'5, senior, forward/center...great jumper, long arms, should be a very good rebounder for this team, will provide solid minutes
Channing Parsons 5'7 junior, guard...good shooter and quick, plays hard..needs to get stronger, this years shooter
Pat Slattery 5-11 junior, guard...plays hard, can take the ball to the hole and dish off, dominated JV games last year...needs to play smarter...should provide solid minutes off the bench
Jordan Williams 6'0 junior, guard...needs to improve outside shot if he is going to shoot it, needs to get smarter, but works hard and very gifted athletically.
Tyler Leasure 6'3 junior, forward/center...very good rebounder, needs to finish around the basket and play smarter, works hard and is a very good kid.
Rashawn Miller 5'11 sophomore, guard/forward...i sat and watched this kid absolutely dominate every single freshman game he played in (40 points in one, 35 in another), he has improved over the summer and is a very good outside shooter, sees the floor well, good passer, needs to get quicker and faster.
Clay Ullman 6'0 sophomore, guard...quick, needs to play smarter, very good off the ball defender

starters have * besides them
returning letterman: Tate, Waderker, Watkins, Azar, Loyland

[gotgame]

Josh Campbell Jr/F and Drew Nestor Fresh/G might see varsity. Campbell can jump out of the gym an is also very very strong around the basket. Nestor has a nice game but probably not strong enough to contribute much on the varsity this season.

[Prodigy]

I did forget about Josh Campbell, he could see varsity over Clay Ullman, but Ullman will play varsity before Drew Nestor. Belpre should also have a solid JV team, made up of mostly freshman. And Clay will probably go both ways. And maybe, maybe one junior may go both go ways.

[gotgame]

Hopefully our point guard situation will be much more set than last season. Between Waderker, Parsons, and Slattery there is tons of talent. Waderker will be as quick as anybody in the TVC and one of the best "on the ball" defenders in the league. Parsons though streaky at times can shoot the 3 ball and is also a very good defender. Slattery has more size than the other two, shoots the 3 ball well but doesn't play at the same level on the defensive end of the floor.

Between Loyland, Azar, Watkins, Eaton and Campbell, Belpre should fare well in the paint. Agressive board play should be no problem with this group

[justlookin]

Campbell is a great athlete and a better person but he disappears on the defensive end. As usual for Belpre it appears as early results indicate that grades may predict who will play and who won't. This years team is a great foundation builder for Coach Plummer and his staff. It may be time to roll the ball out on the hardwood and tell them to go get it. As for the guards shooting the "3" they need to learn to give to the post and not fire up a "3" when they feel like it. Shooting 18% beyond the arc isn't really feeling it up. This team needs to run , run, run and then run some more. They don't have to run set plays for certain players or make sure one gets more touches than the other. The bigs should dominate the boards, they need to get meaner and tougher, our guards need not to be stat players and play confident without telegraphing everything they do. This team can play and doesn't need to be over coached. Coach Plummer and staff have a great chance to get to district. "Join the union, the Plummers Union, Draining the "3" and taking no crap."

[gotgame]

Campbell is a great athlete and a better person but he disappears on the defensive end. As usual for Belpre it appears as early results indicate that grades may predict who will play and who won't. This years team is a great foundation builder for Coach Plummer and his staff. It may be time to roll the ball out on the hardwood and tell them to go get it. As for the guards shooting the "3" they need to learn to give to the post and not fire up a "3" when they feel like it. Shooting 18% beyond the arc isn't really feeling it up. This team needs to run , run, run and then run some more. They don't have to run set plays for certain players or make sure one gets more touches than the other. The bigs should dominate the boards, they need to get meaner and tougher, our guards need not to be stat players and play confident without telegraphing everything they do. This team can play and doesn't need to be over coached. Coach Plummer and staff have a great chance to get to district. "Join the union, the Plummers Union, Draining the "3" and taking no crap."

Well said