All Decade State Tournament Team (2000's)

[JokersWild24]

You have to pick a roster of 9 players, all who played in the State Tournament from 2000-2009, to play in a top national AAU tournament. Who do you take and why?

 

If you want, assume you are in a time machine and have to take the player as they were then.

[Walter]

Give me:

 

5'10 Elijah Justice (Shelby Valley)

6'0 Anthony Hickey (Christian Co)

6'0 Dominique Hawkins (Madison Central)

6'1 Arrez Henderson (Holmes)

6'2 Chris Lofton (Mason Co)

6'5 Ricardo Johnson (Holmes)

6'8 Darius Miller (Mason Co)

6'9 Elijah Pittman (Holmes)

6'9 Justin Doellman (Ryle)

[JokersWild24]

PG - Chris Lofton, Mason County (2004)

SG – Scotty Hopson, UHA (2008)

SF - Donta Smith, Oldham County (2001)

PF - Michael Bush, Male (2002) – Jr.

C - Tony Key, Russellville (2000) – Jr.

 

6 - Darius Miller, Mason County (2008)

7 - Bud Mackey, Scott County (2007) – Jr.

8 – Antwain Barbour, Elizabethtown (2000)

9 – Jajuan Spillman, PRP (2005)

 

 

My Thinking:

 

I know Lofton isn’t a pure point, but on a team full of athletic wings, I’ll take my chances with him running the show in an AAU setting. If things get bad, Jajuan Spillman is an insurance policy. Spillman would have been able to play D1 basketball at a few places if he weren’t such a football prospect.

 

Tony Key was as physically dominating a player as you could have picked for the team even though he was only a junior. Michael Bush is in that same mold, and I’d take him as a Chuck Hayes type 4.

 

With Donta Smith, you have a guy who made some NBA starts at the wing. He and Scotty Hopson are quite an athletic pair. At the high-AAU level, you’ll need plenty of elite athletes like those two, Mackey, Barbour, and Miller if you want to have a chance at beating most teams.

[JokersWild24]

Toughest Exclusions:

 

Ross Neltner, Highlands (2001):

Not a flashy name, but he had a solid career between LSU and Vanderbilt and was a Kentucky Mr. Basketball. He fills a position of need at the 4, especially when we’re talking about the defensive side of the ball. His bulk will give him the edge here over a more versatile and offensively capable junior Justin Doellman.

 

Larry O'Bannon, Male (2001):

Starter on a Final Four team at Louisville, but the team is loaded at the wings with Barbour, Miller, Smith, Mackey, and Hopson. Of those, only Mackey and Barbour didn’t play at least some in the NBA, however they were rated higher as recruits, so I’ll give them the nod.

 

Maurice Hampton, Russellville (2001) – Jr.:

Not tons of depth at guard, and he may be a better pick than Spillman or others. Quietly had a great high school career, including 3 trips to Rupp), and went on to play at Austin-Peay.

 

Preston Knowles, George Rogers Clark (2007):

Not tons of depth at guard and he earned his way at Louisville. Maybe he would be a better answer if you look for help at the point.

[JokersWild24]

Honorable Mention:

 

 

2000:

 

Chris Gaither (Jr.) - Grayson County, Temple

Scott Hundley - Scott County, Vanderbilt

Patrick Sparks (Jr.) - Muhlenburg North, WKU

Jarius Sykes - Louisville, North Hardin

Ben Wilson - Lexington Catholic, New Orleans

Tyler Zornes - Boyd County, Florida Atlantic

 

 

2001:

 

Ben Bowling (Jr.) - Perry Co. Central, Tulane (UK recruit at one time)

Michael Bush (Jr.) - Male, Louisville Football, Oakland Raiders

Lavar Carter - Male, Marshall

Justin Doellman (Jr.) - Ryle, Xavier

Demetrius Green (So.) - Lexington Catholic, Middle Tenn. St.

Orlandus Hill - Paducah Tilghman, Georgetown College(???)

Johnny Mathies - Male, Creighton

Quinton Smith - North Hardin, Morehead State

Mark Surgalski - Ashland Blazer, Wright State

 

 

 

2003:

 

Marques Dawson - Rose Hill, Wabash Valley CC, MTSU

OJ Mayo (8th) - Rose Hill, USC, Memphis Grizzlies

Andre Woodson - North Hardin, UK Football, NY Giants

 

 

2004:

 

Lonnell Dewalt - Warren Central, UK Football

Darnell Dialls - Lafayette, Eastern Kentucky

Terrance Farley - PRP, Louisville

Matt Maresca - Warren Central, Western Kentucky

Boris Siakiam - Caverna, Western Kentucky

 

 

2005:

 

Keaton Belcher - Pendleton County, Belmont

Ra’ Von Lee - Ballard, ???

 

 

2006:

 

Rashad Basey - Jeffersontown, Moberly JuCo

Tyler Brown - Apollo, Illinois State

AJ Slaughter - Shelby County, Western Kentucky

Maze Stallworth - John Hardin, Morehead State

 

 

2007:

 

Twanny Beckham - Ballard, Mississippi State

Ty Proffitt - South Laurel, Notre Dame

 

 

2008:

 

TyShawn Edmonson - UHA, St. John's

 

 

2009:

 

Ricardo Johnson (Jr.) - Holmes, Ohio

CJ Penny - Anderson County, Asbury (Conference POY)

Elijah Pittman - Holmes, Chipola CC

Vee Sanford - Lexington Catholic, Georgetown (Hoyas)

 

 

2010:

 

Elisha Justice - Shelby Valley, Louisville

Jarrod Polson (Jr.) - West Jessamine, Kentucky

Edited July 22, 2014 by JokersWild24

[JokersWild24]

***

 

I tried to list any name that I thought either:

 

1.) played D1,

 

2.) had some D1 type offers that were based on legitimate interest, as well as a solid career at a smaller school that proved they could have been D1,

 

and/or

 

3.) were guys like Andre Woodson or Lonell Dewalt who were amazing athletes that were obviously more suited for another sport at the next level, yet still could have played D1 basketball if they'd wanted.

 

 

 

 

Just missing the "toughest exclusions list": Hundley, Doellman, and Maresca, as all were in a close race with Neltner for being the guy who could help out at the 4.

 

Gaither may be the most underrated guy on the list considering it's been awhile since he played and lots of people don't realize how good he was (signed with Temple).

 

 

Sorry if I left any players out. I'm thinking there's a Holmes kid or two I've omitted, but I can't remember who and what year.

[Big Slick]

OJ Mayo has to be on the team, IMO!

[JokersWild24]

OJ Mayo has to be on the team, IMO!

 

Mayo was great, but we're also talking about an 8th grade Mayo. Holdback or not, he'd have been playing up quite a few levels.

 

See where you are coming from though and still agree that on talent, he could have been there, especially considering that the team isn't really deep at his natural point position. Even as an 8th grader, I think there's a very good argument he could/should be included.

 

I guess whether or not he'd be a can't miss guy on there would be a question of how much better he really got during his high school days. Even as an 8th grader, he did seem really developed. Even if he were only at 80 or so percent of his physical development, I still think he's able to hang offensively, I just don't know whether or not you can say the same for the defensive end.

[Sun Tzu]

Robbie Stenzel - GRC - EKU

 

Five-year starter at Clark County High … ended his career as Clark County’s all-time leading scorer with more than 2,000 points … helped the Cards win the region title and advance to the ‘Sweet Sixteen’ in 2007 and 2011 … averaged 13 points, four rebounds and a team-high three assists per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor as a senior … in 2010-11, Clark County finished 30-6 overall and advanced to the quarterfinals of the state tourney … averaged 17 points, five rebounds and four assists per game as a junior.

 

Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

[Sun Tzu]

Timmy Knipp - Elliott County - EKU

 

Gatorade’s Player of the Year in Kentucky as a senior … four-year starter for Elliott County … scored 13 points in the Ohio-Kentucky all-star game in April 2011 … averaged 26.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 5.7 blocks per game as a senior … made 62 three-pointers as a senior … led the state of Kentucky in scoring as a junior with 30.8 ppg … helped Elliott County reach three state tournaments, including the 2008-09 season when Elliott County made a run to the semifinals of the KHSAA Sweet 16.

 

Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

[JokersWild24]

To be fair, Stenzel was an 8th grader at the cutoff, though he'd become a good player later. Knipp would have been a Junior, but I think there's a solid case you can make for him.

[Plato]

A few more to consider

Matt Walls - Scott Co, Marshall/Gtown

Richie Phares - Scott Co, Louisville/Bellarmine

Casey Alsop - Scott Co, Gtown

Rodney Haddix - Scott Co, Miami of Ohio/Gtown

G'laun Gwynn - Scott Co, Cincinnati

Jared Carter - Scott Co, UK

Tyler Hicks - Scott Co, (a community college in a Florida)

Chad Jackson - Scott Co, NKU

 

The 2000's were good years for the Cards.

[King of the Bluegrass]

Patrick Sparks - Mullenburg North

Chris Lofton - Mason Co.

Michael Bush - Male

Larry O'Bannon - Male

Coric Riggs - Fairdale

Elisa Justice - Shelby Valley

O. J. Mayo - Rose Hill

A. J. Slaugter - Shelby Co.

Darius Miller - Mason Co.

[CKSportsFan]

What's the criteria/criterion?

 

A) How good the player was in the Sweet 16?

 

B) How good the player went on to be?

 

If it is "A", then Antwain Barbour's 2000 Sweet 16 EASILY gets him on the 2000s team. As good as Tony Key was, Barbour was better.

 

If it is "B", then Mayo is a 2000s team LOCK. He's in the NBA. And if Billy/Bill Walker was on the roster of the Rose Hill team which went to State, then Walker gets on the team, too.

[JokersWild24]

A few more to consider

Matt Walls - Scott Co, Marshall/Gtown

Richie Phares - Scott Co, Louisville/Bellarmine

Casey Alsop - Scott Co, Gtown

Rodney Haddix - Scott Co, Miami of Ohio/Gtown

G'laun Gwynn - Scott Co, Cincinnati

Jared Carter - Scott Co, UK

Tyler Hicks - Scott Co, (a community college in a Florida)

Chad Jackson - Scott Co, NKU

 

The 2000's were good years for the Cards.

 

 

Some of those Scott County kids miss the 2009 or before cutoff though.