My updated rankings, I knew I would miss some:

 

17u Teams

1. Shining Star Sports-McFarland

2. Central Kentucky Storm

3. Derek Smith

4. Kentucky Players

5. Kentucky Gators

 

16u Teams

1. Derek Smith

2. Shining Star Sports-Pittman

3. Charlotte Court

4. Lexington Ice

5. Western Kentucky Elite

 

15u Teams

1. Derek Smith

2. Hoop Dreams

3. Truth

4. Shining Star Sports-Pittman

5. Charlotte Court

 

I respect your opinion, but what is your reasoning for the NKY Bulldogs not being in your top 5 in the 16U? None of the teams 3 through 5 in your listing have done anymore than them.

I respect your opinion, but what is your reasoning for the NKY Bulldogs not being in your top 5 in the 16U? None of the teams 3 through 5 in your listing have done anymore than them.

 

I think that the Bulldogs are a good AAU team but not in the top 5 but probably in the top 10.

 

The teams listed 3 through 5 all have an elite player that makes them special.

 

Lexington Ice have Ryan Fucci.

Charlotte Court has Marcellus Barksdale.

Western Kentucky Elite has Josh Stroud.

 

I like what the Bulldogs have done but I think they lack a difference maker that the rest of the teams on this list have. They have good players but don't have a stud that puts them in the elite.

 

While I do believe that they are a very good team I think that the one signature win is not as good as it may appear. They beat a Derek Smith team that was very short handed, very tired and not prepared to play because of long travel. In normal circumstances I believe that if Derek Smith and the Bulldogs played 10 times that Derek Smith wins all 10. But that is the case with most teams that would play the current Derek Smith team. They are loaded.

 

That does not take away from what they have accomplished. They have had a very successful summer and have played some very good basketball. I really like some of the players on their roster and wish them the best.

 

But in my opinion they are not in the upper tier of teams in the state of Kentucky.

I respect your opinion, but what is your reasoning for the NKY Bulldogs not being in your top 5 in the 16U? None of the teams 3 through 5 in your listing have done anymore than them.

 

I also believe that teams 3 (Charlotte Court) and 5 (Western Kentucky Elite) beat them in head to head match ups. Close games but both losses.

A couple of notes:

 

WKY Elite has Josh Forrest. (Not Josh Stroud) Easy mistake to make.

The Buldlogs do have a stud in Bobby Stauffer. This kid has D1 potential.

I don't feel that you can discredit the Buldlogs win over DSAS at all. I will agree that they were probably tired and missing a player, but they won state missing Stenzel in the finals. That is what good teams do. I emphasized teams because I know that there are teams in every tournament that are not at full potential. Most of the early losses the Bulldogs suffered were without Travis Montgomery who has become a difference maker on that team. The Bulldogs have beaten The DSAS (your #1) lost to your number 2, and played the WKY Elite twice and Charlotte Court once. The losses to Court and WKY Elite combined for a total of 6 points with one of them coming in overtime. All of these games were without Montgomery. Not to take anything from the Ice, but I believe the Bulldogs have played head to head with more of the KY teams and proven that they are capable of beating all of them. I would not put the Bulldogs ahead of the Ice, but in the same plane with them.

My U16 top 5

 

DSAS

Shining Stars - Pittman

WKY Elite

Charlotte Court

KY Ice/ NKY Bulldogs

A couple of notes:

 

WKY Elite has Josh Forrest. (Not Josh Stroud) Easy mistake to make.

The Buldlogs do have a stud in Bobby Stauffer. This kid has D1 potential.

I don't feel that you can discredit the Buldlogs win over DSAS at all. I will agree that they were probably tired and missing a player, but they won state missing Stenzel in the finals. That is what good teams do. I emphasized teams because I know that there are teams in every tournament that are not at full potential. Most of the early losses the Bulldogs suffered were without Travis Montgomery who has become a difference maker on that team. The Bulldogs have beaten The DSAS (your #1) lost to your number 2, and played the WKY Elite twice and Charlotte Court once. The losses to Court and WKY Elite combined for a total of 6 points with one of them coming in overtime. All of these games were without Montgomery. Not to take anything from the Ice, but I believe the Bulldogs have played head to head with more of the KY teams and proven that they are capable of beating all of them. I would not put the Bulldogs ahead of the Ice, but in the same plane with them.

 

Don't think the Bulldogs match up well with ICE. Other than a disappointing state tourney ICE have played at a higher level than Bulldogs.

 

I think Bulldogs are a solid team and would probably rank them #6 bit do not believe that even with Montgomery that they would be elevated into top 5. As you mentioned every team on the list plays tournaments with players missing, playing injured, etc...That is the nature of summer basketball.

 

I don't discount their win over DSAS. I think it was a quality win but if they played 9 more times I will take DSAS the other 9 times.

We've left the path. If you want to discuss the merits of he AAU teams around the state, feel free to start another thread.