Thoughts?
… 2 of the BEST coaches ANYWHERE Coach Persin (Oak Hill) 730 wins & Coach Barrick (Eastern Pike) 419 wins … 1149 wins between these 2 outstanding courtside generals ! that’s why I laugh when folks question ANYTHING these 2 men do - they are coaches & teachers of the game … WITH THESE NAPKIN STATS ALONE & without even looking at the “pieces” this chess match will be a good one ! … the Oaks were a handful for Gallia Academy in their foundation game last week with (if reports were accurate) Mason Darby running the show for the Oaks ( Gallia ended up winning by 10 but OHHS led most of the way) … not much varsity experience with the rest of the Oaks team … a lot of on the job training … the Oaks will work to control the tempo … Coach Barrick’s troops have last years starters back - start with the big man in the middle Michael Miller (outstanding) & one of the best PGs in SEOhio in Evan Leist (quick, quicker, quickest he is) , Hunter Cochenour (can kill you from the perimeter), Drake Myers ( varsity experience), Cody Weaver ( another big body in the paint) … neither team is “deep” - the Oaks less so than the Eagles of Coach Barrick … on paper this one belongs to the Eagles of Eastern Pike BUT the outcome is always in doubt with Coach Persin courtside … imo the Eagles have too much varsity experience, Miller will keep Darby occupied inside … Leist/Cochenour/Weaver will be the difference in this one as at this point in the season the Oaks don’t have the experienced players to deal with this trio of Eagles AND M&M …
Darby goes for 34 and Oak Hill wins by 4
Eastern by 9
Oaks by 3
Great way to open the season for both, I expect a very competitive game. Eastern still has a bad taste from District Final game,I think Eagles win by 4
If Oak Hill keeps the score in the 40s it will be close but if the Eagles can speed the game up and put some points up on the board I’ll take the Eagles by double digits.
… he who controls the tempo controls the game outcome … AND the tempo control has to be the entire 4 qtrs …
This is an interesting match-up, Oak Hill is better than what people think. Hammond will be able to defend inside along with Darby, the question will be can they slow down Eastern’s PG. Ill take Eastern by 8
I think this will end up being a slow game that we see Eastern take advantage of. It will end up being a game that is close till the end of the third where we will see them dominate to close the game. Eastern wins by 12.
This should be a great game. Darby is going to be a match up nightmare for a lot of teams, especially if he is running the point. Foul trouble and fatigue could both be major factors in this game. Both of those things favor Eastern I would think.
I do think people are overhyping the Oaks this year. Yes, Darby is a GREAT player with help from hammond, but the oaks will not have the guards to win them close games. Not quite sure there guards can hang with Easterns guards for one half, let alone the whole game. Last year the oaks had so many weapons in the Carrolls, Long, and Hale. I see the Oaks on the losing side of this one by 10.
Oak Hill 17
Eastern 12
Halftime
Sounds like Norm is slowing it down…
Oak Hill up 34-24 after 3rd qtr
Both teams doubled their first half score in the 3rd, interesting.
39-37 Oaks up. 2 min left