Bluegrasspreps Boys Rankings 1-4-16

[PurplePride92]

1. Dunbar

2. Trinity

3. Christian County

4. Bullitt East

5. Mercer County

6. Bowling Green

7. Lafayette

8. Owen County

9. Henry Clay

10. Covington Catholic

11. Cooper

12. Southwestern

13. Oldham County

14. Scott County

15. Male

16. Clay County

17. North Hardin

18. Central

19. Fern Creek

20. South Laurel

[PurplePride92]

Agree? Disagree? Thoughts on this week's rankings now that the dust has settled from the Christmas tournaments.

[westernky]

I think Hopkinsville is a top 20 team but I understand why they're not right now after their losses at in the PRP tournament.

[PurplePride92]

I think Hopkinsville is a top 20 team but I understand why they're not right now after their losses at in the PRP tournament.

 

I think they will rebound and be back in the top 20 shortly. The Christmas tournaments made teams harder to rank and I really feel like there aren't any truly dominant/elite teams this year and that parity is higher than it has ever been before. I don't feel like there is a lot of separation between #5 and #20.

[PurplePride92]

Hopkinsville, Doss, Lawrence County, Paducah Tilghman and South Oldham are all teams waiting in the wings and right on the cusp of being ranked.

[Clyde]

As someone not overly familiar with Mercer County and their opponents, sell me on why they are Top 20 much less Top 5.

[Danny]

As someone not overly familiar with Mercer County and their opponents, sell me on why they are Top 20 much less Top 5.

Not sure about top 5, but top 10 to 15, Yes. Go watch them.....

[Clyde]

Not sure about top 5, but top 10 to 15, Yes. Go watch them.....

 

I obviously haven't watched them. I probably will not be able to make it out to see them. So, I'm asking.

[PurplePride92]

As someone not overly familiar with Mercer County and their opponents, sell me on why they are Top 20 much less Top 5.

 

Mercer County has one of the top 10 seniors in the state running the point for them in Will Hager(headed to D2 Colorado School of Mines) , they have arguably the best sophomore in the state on their team in Trevon Faulkner, they have former Ballard player Malik Dow(member of the runner up Ballard team that lost to Madison Central) on their team, they added sharpshooting sniper Dylan James on their team this season and he is averaging 3.1 three pointers a game. They also returned starters Alijah Mink and Drew Davis from a 12th Region runner up team from last season.

 

In summer ball before they added Dylan James to their team they defeated Owen County with ease and won the KBA state tourney by defeating Lafayette and Henry Clay in the semifinals and finals. For reference of how tough the semifinals were Henry Clay defeated #1 Dunbar in the semifinals. They had 2 battles with Bullitt East in the summer as well. Both games without Dylan James.

 

In the preseason they traveled to Trinity and from what I was told they were 10-12 points better than Trinity when both teams played their primary players.

 

They lead the state in scoring margin at 25.8 points a game. They hold teams to 51.1 points a game but as referenced yesterday what you hold teams to scoring per game no longer matters. FG% is now the only way to measure how good a team is defensively.

 

I'll be the first one to tell you their schedule is less than impressive to date and that they should be undefeated. At the same time I have seen a majority of these top 20 teams play and to date Mercer County has been one of the most impressive teams I have seen along with Dunbar, Trinity and CovCath. I have yet to see Christian County.

 

Mercer County plays as a team and offensively they have four legitimate weapons they can use for scoring. Will Hager is a beast scoring in the lane and driving to the basket. He can score with ease but is also a serious threat to make the correct pass for more efficient scoring if he can't score. He's unselfish and has a high basketball IQ and at 6'4" is an instant mismatch at the PG position for pretty much everyone in the state.

 

Trevon Faulkner is a long, athletic 2 guard who is around 6'3"ish who also has improved his jumper so much that he is virtually unguardable. I can go on and on about him and my advice to everyone is to go watch this kid play this year. You will not be disappointed. If there is a better sophomore in the state I want to see him.

 

Dylan James puts this team in the top 5 discussion. He has in the gym range and Hager commands so much attention when he penetrates that James is wide open to knock down his 3.1 three pointers a game when the defense collapses on Hager. James is also a averaging around 7 rebounds per game.

 

And oh yeah, Malik Dow just so happens to control the paint for them down low. Yeah, the same Malik Dow who averaged double figures for Ballard as a freshman playing with Quentin Snider, Kelan Martin, Jalen Perry, Corey Douglas and Brandon Berry.

 

As a team they shoot 53.3% from the field, they shoot 72.6% from the line, they lead the state in scoring margin at 25.8 points, they hold teams to 51.1 points a game, they are third in the state in scoring with 76.9 points a game, they shoot 40.2% from three and they are amongst the leaders in the state in pulling down 37.1 rebounds per game.

 

 

 

I've said it a ton of times already. If they can survive the 12th Region tournament they shouldn't have any problems making it to the Sweet 16 semifinals. They are a complete team in every way.

[Clyde]

Thanks, PP. I'm looking strictly at what they've done and against whom. As you mentioned that doesn't help their cause. So you have the advantage of having actually watched them. I don't put anything into summer ball or pre-season for that matter.

 

I'd like to see them against some top teams in order to get a better read.

 

I get that a team can not play a top schedule yet still be a top team.

[PurplePride92]

Thanks, PP. I'm looking strictly at what they've done and against whom. As you mentioned that doesn't help their cause. So you have the advantage of having actually watched them. I don't put anything into summer ball or pre-season for that matter.

 

I'd like to see them against some top teams in order to get a better read.

 

I get that a team can not play a top schedule yet still be a top team.

 

I put zero stock into summer ball as well but I wanted to leave no stone unturned when trying to sell you on them. I was able to watch the semifinals at KBA and I was impressed by how hard all four teams played. It is still summer ball though. Means nothing but there were four high quality teams in the semis.

 

I put some stock into preseason play. Not a lot but some stock only because most teams usually play starters against starters and subs against subs for rotation familiarity.

[HoopJunkie]

Christian County lost their last 2 games by 23 and 13.

[gchs_uk9]

IThe Christmas tournaments made teams harder to rank...

 

This has to be true. With so many games in so many days, I'm sure kids wear down and coaches can't really game plan like you would a regular game. You sometimes see some odd losses over Christmas that might not happen on a normal Friday night.

[First]

Thanks, PP. I'm looking strictly at what they've done and against whom. As you mentioned that doesn't help their cause. So you have the advantage of having actually watched them. I don't put anything into summer ball or pre-season for that matter.

 

I'd like to see them against some top teams in order to get a better read.

 

I get that a team can not play a top schedule yet still be a top team.

 

To your comment about only looking at what they've done, they've beaten three regional favorites in South Laurel in Laurel County; Meade at Mercer; and Montgomery at their place. While SL was by 1 point, that was largely without Hager (due to illness). The other 2 were by 17 and 15, respectively. Another example was an 88-44 win over their district rival and the 5th or 6th ranked team in the 12th.

 

Litkenhous and Cantrall rating systems haven't seen them either, using just results to date. They have them rated 1st and 4th, respectively. And BGP has them ranked 5th.

 

All it takes is a bad night to lose. They could do that at any time, and will I'm sure. Same for any of the other top teams. But they do belong in the top 5.

[Danny]

Mercer County has one of the top 10 seniors in the state running the point for them in Will Hager(headed to D2 Colorado School of Mines) , they have arguably the best sophomore in the state on their team in Trevon Faulkner, they have former Ballard player Malik Dow(member of the runner up Ballard team that lost to Madison Central) on their team, they added sharpshooting sniper Dylan James on their team this season and he is averaging 3.1 three pointers a game. They also returned starters Alijah Mink and Drew Davis from a 12th Region runner up team from last season.

 

In summer ball before they added Dylan James to their team they defeated Owen County with ease and won the KBA state tourney by defeating Lafayette and Henry Clay in the semifinals and finals. For reference of how tough the semifinals were Henry Clay defeated #1 Dunbar in the semifinals. They had 2 battles with Bullitt East in the summer as well. Both games without Dylan James.

 

In the preseason they traveled to Trinity and from what I was told they were 10-12 points better than Trinity when both teams played their primary players.

 

They lead the state in scoring margin at 25.8 points a game. They hold teams to 51.1 points a game but as referenced yesterday what you hold teams to scoring per game no longer matters. FG% is now the only way to measure how good a team is defensively.

 

I'll be the first one to tell you their schedule is less than impressive to date and that they should be undefeated. At the same time I have seen a majority of these top 20 teams play and to date Mercer County has been one of the most impressive teams I have seen along with Dunbar, Trinity and CovCath. I have yet to see Christian County.

 

Mercer County plays as a team and offensively they have four legitimate weapons they can use for scoring. Will Hager is a beast scoring in the lane and driving to the basket. He can score with ease but is also a serious threat to make the correct pass for more efficient scoring if he can't score. He's unselfish and has a high basketball IQ and at 6'4" is an instant mismatch at the PG position for pretty much everyone in the state.

 

Trevon Faulkner is a long, athletic 2 guard who is around 6'3"ish who also has improved his jumper so much that he is virtually unguardable. I can go on and on about him and my advice to everyone is to go watch this kid play this year. You will not be disappointed. If there is a better sophomore in the state I want to see him.

 

Dylan James puts this team in the top 5 discussion. He has in the gym range and Hager commands so much attention when he penetrates that James is wide open to knock down his 3.1 three pointers a game when the defense collapses on Hager. James is also a averaging around 7 rebounds per game.

 

And oh yeah, Malik Dow just so happens to control the paint for them down low. Yeah, the same Malik Dow who averaged double figures for Ballard as a freshman playing with Quentin Snider, Kelan Martin, Jalen Perry, Corey Douglas and Brandon Berry.

 

As a team they shoot 53.3% from the field, they shoot 72.6% from the line, they lead the state in scoring margin at 25.8 points, they hold teams to 51.1 points a game, they are third in the state in scoring with 76.9 points a game, they shoot 40.2% from three and they are amongst the leaders in the state in pulling down 37.1 rebounds per game.

 

 

 

I've said it a ton of times already. If they can survive the 12th Region tournament they shouldn't have any problems making it to the Sweet 16 semifinals. They are a complete team in every way.

Wow, after reading this you should have put them at #1.