OJ May, or is he too far east of Lexington for you? :lol::lol:

He only played two years in Kentucky, and those were his 7th and 8th grade years. I don't know that Mayo as an 8th grader was any better than the guys on my list, and if we're listing guys based on their high school accomplishments in this state, Mayo is a borderline pick.

 

As far as "east of Lexington" is concerned, J.R. Vanhoose would have been high on the list, but he graduated in 1998.

10b. Marquis Estill... Big-time as a senior

Estill graduated in 1999, so he didn't play high school ball in the last 10 seasons. If he had, he would've been on my list.

Walls led his team to a state title. Pettigrew got beat out in the district. Walls played against the best competition in the country and averaged like 23 points a game or something like that. Its hard to argue what he accomplished. He was a great shooter and also an all around player. Pettigrew has been a great college player thus far and is definitly a borderline top 10 player.

Again, the team accomplishments are largely irrelevant when discussing the two as individual players, given the disparity in their supporting casts. Walls was a nice player but, in my opinion, wasn't even the best player on his team.

I am surprised you have O'Bannon. I thought he improved tremendously after high school, but wasn't all that great before he got to UL. I never saw Doellman in high school. I can't comment on him. I disagree with several on your list, but O'Bannon really jumps out at me.

I thought O'Bannon was the best player in the state in 2001, and he would have had my Mr. Basketball vote. That was a pretty good senior class that also included Carlos Hurt, Brandon Bender, Adam Chiles, Patrick Sparks, Ronny Dawn, Josh Carrier and Brian Thornton.

 

O'Bannon did a lot of little things that helped his team win ... he rebounded, played defense and unselfishly created scoring opportunities for his teammates. I wasn't at all surprised to see him become a contributor at Louisville.

I never saw Shelvin Mack play in person, but he may be someone I overlooked. He may very well be a top-15 guy. Josh Mack of University Heights was a good player, too, and in all honesty, accomplished much more as a high school player than Scotty Hopson.

Lofton needs to be at the top of everyones list. I'll never forget the Mason county Lex Catholic game his senior year @ Catholic. The gym was packed and i was right down on the floor when he pulled up about 5 feet behind half court with 2 hands in his face to force the game to over time and pull out a win in OT. Best high school game and best Kentucky high school basketball player I've ever seen HANDS DOWN!!. Big ups to Chris Lofton. I dont know what he'd doing now but hopefully he's over seas somewhere.

 

He is playing pro ball in Turkey and doing rather well.:thumb:

I thought O'Bannon was the best player in the state in 2001, and he would have had my Mr. Basketball vote. That was a pretty good senior class that also included Carlos Hurt, Brandon Bender, Adam Chiles, Patrick Sparks, Ronny Dawn, Josh Carrier and Brian Thornton.

 

O'Bannon did a lot of little things that helped his team win ... he rebounded, played defense and unselfishly created scoring opportunities for his teammates. I wasn't at all surprised to see him become a contributor at Louisville.

 

Fair enough, he just never jumped at me in high school.

I am surprised you have O'Bannon. I thought he improved tremendously after high school, but wasn't all that great before he got to UL. I never saw Doellman in high school. I can't comment on him. I disagree with several on your list, but O'Bannon really jumps out at me.

 

JD wasn't even the best player in nky his senior year, let alone one of the best 10 players in the past 10 years. Mike Brock of SK was hands down the best big man in nky Doellman's senior year...that also included Mr. Basketball winner Ross Neltner of Highlands as well. 6'8 Brock dominated both Nelter and Doellman in the times they met up that season.

 

If not for running in to a loaded St. Henry team (only lost by 2 to eventual state champ Mason Co) in the region championship that year, the whole state would have realized what I'm talking about with Brock.

JD wasn't even the best player in nky his senior year, let alone one of the best 10 players in the past 10 years. Mike Brock of SK was hands down the best big man in nky Doellman's senior year...that also included Mr. Basketball winner Ross Neltner of Highlands as well. 6'8 Brock dominated both Nelter and Doellman in the times they met up that season.

 

If not for running in to a loaded St. Henry team (only lost by 2 to eventual state champ Mason Co) in the region championship that year, the whole state would have realized what I'm talking about with Brock.

I saw all three of those guys play in high school, although I'm sure I didn't see them as often as you did. I had them rated (as high school players) Doellman, Brock and Neltner. All three of them were quality players.

 

I loved Brock and how hard he played, but he wasn't 6-8 and he had the least productive college career of the three, although he was a solid role player at Eastern Kentucky.

Would we consider Rondo's ky high school career incomplete as well?

I saw all three of those guys play in high school, although I'm sure I didn't see them as often as you did. I had them rated (as high school players) Doellman, Brock and Neltner. All three of them were quality players.

 

I loved Brock and how hard he played, but he wasn't 6-8 and he had the least productive college career of the three, although he was a solid role player at Eastern Kentucky.

 

Fair enough. I agree he had the least productive college career but he was a very good high school player. I watched him many times just dominate and take over games all by himself. That SK team was pretty good though with Brock, Kannady, and Stowers. All three went on to play college ball.

Again, the team accomplishments are largely irrelevant when discussing the two as individual players, given the disparity in their supporting casts. Walls was a nice player but, in my opinion, wasn't even the best player on his team.

 

I would rather have a player lead his team to wins and score 20 a game than to lose most games and score 30 a game. Which I have always stood by that approach. As for Walls not being the best player on the team, I thought him and Mackey both were excellent and very unselfish considering both scored over 20 points a game and both could have scored a lot more. Besides Mr. Basketball is for the best senior in the state, not player. I will say this though, Walls, Knowles, and Pettigrew all had excellent years.

Would we consider Rondo's ky high school career incomplete as well?

He played three really good years at Eastern, and as far as I was concerned he was the best player in the state when he left for Oak Hill Academy.

I would rather have a player lead his team to wins and score 20 a game than to lose most games and score 30 a game.

That's fine ... if the supporting casts are roughly equal. In the case of Walls and Pettigrew, they clearly weren't.

That's fine ... if the supporting casts are roughly equal. In the case of Walls and Pettigrew, they clearly weren't.

 

Neither was the competition the 2 players played against. Walls played against OJ Mayo, Patrick Patterson, Luke Babbit, etc. And led his team to victories against those guys. Also Scott Co. played against every really good team in the state that year just about it. Pettigrew was playing against teams like Bardstown, Washington Co, etc.