EJ Walker (Lloyd '25) Recruiting

[Hoops Junkie]

IMO, Lloyd lost some really good senior leadership from last year's team, and will struggle to replace them early.  I do think they have to be considered in the top 2 or 3 though.  CovCath has McGillis and Hussey coming back with Ipsaro.  Probably have to include Johnson, Detzel, and Jones as the next in line as well.  It seems to me that all of the teams mentioned have a big 2 or big 3 to rely on.  I will take whomever's role players are playing the best towards the end of the year as the one coming out of the 9th.

CovCath - Ipsaro, McGillis, Hussey

Lloyd - Israel, Walker

Cooper - Brooks, Lutz, Rondon

Conner - Hamilton, Lohr, Campbell

Highlands - Herald, Ryan, Benke

Holy Cross - Ward, Gibson

Newport - Miller, Kinney, Turner

 

CovCath most likely has the best player.  Lloyd most likely has the best athlete in Israel.  Cooper has all the pieces to make a run.  Conner has a great core and always play well together.  Highlands has the best shooter.  Holy Cross has the best big and an explosive scoring guard.  Newport is talented and capable but young.

[The Double Deuce]

2 minutes ago, Hoops Junkie said:

Holy Cross has the best big

Based on what?  Not stats.  Not offers.  I suppose you could make a case that he will get more touches this year (versus nearly zero touches last year), so he will show us all (or just me, whatever), but until that happens (more touches) and he does something with them, it is all just speculation.  I would take Brayden Fedders over him and not even hesitate, for starters.

[Hoops Junkie]

You have the right to your opinion for sure DD, nothing but respect.  I don't think I will get a chance to see HC play until late December, but let's revisit it then.  From what I have heard, and certainly the word on the street doesn't have to be correct, Gibson is going to be a handful.

[5-oh]

Anyone know the "role players" Lloyd will feature with Israel and Walker?

[Hoops Junkie]

Lloyd loses Davis, Monroe, Neale, and Vogelpohl from last year's team.  All significant contributors in their own way.  Davis great shooter and leader.  Monroe defense and toughness.  Neale did everything and tough.  Vogelpohl was a 4 and a good rebounder.

Not sure if they picked anybody else from somewhere, but minus Israel and Walker they return less than 5 points per game.  My knowledge doesn't quite run that deep to know the players.  I think they may return Cooley who was out last year with an injury, but I am not sure if he was a senior last year or he reclassed and using his Covid Year.

[GoBucks97]

Until someone Dethrones CCH they are the favorites. Coaching staff, skill, system; it’s a multitude of things that have made them what they are during this run. Not just strictly player talent, they will play the hardest, be the best coached, take care of the ball and have the best player on the court. When they play Lloyd and some of these other teams last year it wasn’t even the big men they lost that did much. It was superior guard play, taking care of the ball and great shooting. Plus they have some young size to make up for what they lost, scoring wise I think they are better than last year. Need to make up some defense and rebounding, but in all honestly people are basing the gap closing off losing a couple kids. That’s not reality at all from what I’m hearing.

[4 Quarters]

2 hours ago, GoBucks97 said:

Until someone Dethrones CCH they are the favorites. Coaching staff, skill, system; it’s a multitude of things that have made them what they are during this run. Not just strictly player talent, they will play the hardest, be the best coached, take care of the ball and have the best player on the court. When they play Lloyd and some of these other teams last year it wasn’t even the big men they lost that did much. It was superior guard play, taking care of the ball and great shooting. Plus they have some young size to make up for what they lost, scoring wise I think they are better than last year. Need to make up some defense and rebounding, but in all honestly people are basing the gap closing off losing a couple kids. That’s not reality at all from what I’m hearing.

Yep, at this time of the year everything is total guess work.

[throwback32]

5 hours ago, GoBucks97 said:

Until someone Dethrones CCH they are the favorites. Coaching staff, skill, system; it’s a multitude of things that have made them what they are during this run. Not just strictly player talent, they will play the hardest, be the best coached, take care of the ball and have the best player on the court. When they play Lloyd and some of these other teams last year it wasn’t even the big men they lost that did much. It was superior guard play, taking care of the ball and great shooting. Plus they have some young size to make up for what they lost, scoring wise I think they are better than last year. Need to make up some defense and rebounding, but in all honestly people are basing the gap closing off losing a couple kids. That’s not reality at all from what I’m hearing.

I believe with nearly everything you said except the “superior talent.”  I believe during their run they have had superior talent to nearly everyone in the 9th.

I think this will be the first year in awhile where they do not.  If they get out of the 9th, then maybe I’ll jump on board with your analysis about talent.

Everything  else is pretty accurate.

 

[Hoopoop]

6 hours ago, GoBucks97 said:

Until someone Dethrones CCH they are the favorites. Coaching staff, skill, system; it’s a multitude of things that have made them what they are during this run. Not just strictly player talent, they will play the hardest, be the best coached, take care of the ball and have the best player on the court. When they play Lloyd and some of these other teams last year it wasn’t even the big men they lost that did much. It was superior guard play, taking care of the ball and great shooting. Plus they have some young size to make up for what they lost, scoring wise I think they are better than last year. Need to make up some defense and rebounding, but in all honestly people are basing the gap closing off losing a couple kids. That’s not reality at all from what I’m hearing.

To downplay the loss of Starks and Rylee is crazy.  They were hugely impactful to how teams had to play against CCH.  They were the top two rebounders, nobody else averaged even 3 rpg. They were also the 2nd and 3rd leading scorers on the team.  In total they averaged ~26 ppg and ~17 rpg and clogged the lane like nobody else in the state was capable of doing.  They were probably the best big man combo in the state as well.  Not to mention they brought toughness, especially Starks.  I loved to watch that kid play even though he was a "rival."

Most everything else you mention is pretty subjective; hardest playing, best coached, etc.  Talent level is more even this year than it has been in a while, I guess we'll see how much the superior talent has been masking. 

[Hoops Junkie]

Well if what I heard this morning at my sons youth football game is true.  @The Double Deuce will have to update his top 10 rankings.  Probably needs it's own thread, but wow what a gamechanger!

[The Double Deuce]

1 hour ago, Hoops Junkie said:

Well if what I heard this morning at my sons youth football game is true.  @The Double Deuce will have to update his top 10 rankings.  Probably needs it's own thread, but wow what a gamechanger!

The Jake Meyer is coming home rumor has been out for a while.  I will believe it when I see it, but I hope he does, would be great for NKY Hoops.