I'm curious, who would you put in the "mention" category instead of Avery and O'Conner? I also feel that Flannery and Popp would be slightly ahead of those two, as well as others in the list, such as Reiger, Shelton, and Stepp. All are good players, however. I also think Whitaker is not a top 20 player, but that is just my opinion based on the one time I saw him play.

 

These rankings are fun but not always accurate. No one person, including Mr. Demling, has seen all of the players or enough of the them to make a completely informed and unbiased decision. Perhaps, waiting to see who gets offers to play in college might be the best and most objective way to determine the top players in the end. Will at least 65 players from Kentucky in this class get offers to play college ball? I would be surprised. For those who do play in college, which level will they end up at?

 

Popp ahead of Avery? There's no way. Popp didn't really see that much minutes last year at the varsity level. Avery was one of Connor's best players.

Popp ahead of Avery? There's no way. Popp didn't really see that much minutes last year at the varsity level. Avery was one of Connor's best players.

 

I do not know the situation exactly, but it seems that some players play a lot in AAU and do well, but it does not always carry over to high school basketball in Ky. The coaching and defense is so much better that it makes being successful in high school a lot tougher than being successful in AAU with very little defense being played. That being said, I have not seen Popp or Avery play. Thats just a thought I have about some kids that are not overly successful playing high school ball, but are in AAU.

Popp ahead of Avery? There's no way. Popp didn't really see that much minutes last year at the varsity level. Avery was one of Connor's best players.

 

I believe you are misinformed. Popp didn't see a lot of action the last 1/3 of last year, but he started 2/3 of the year and much of his sophomore year, and he will be a key part of Boone this year. There was no comparison between Boone and Conner last year. Conner didn't make it out of the district, and Boone was the regional runner up. Boone was a much deeper team.

Edited September 14, 200917 yr by wildcatfan

Popp started 2/3 of the year and much of his sophomore year, and he will be a key part of Boone this year.

 

I think Popp and Gabbard will be one of the better guard combo's in Northern Kentucky. Popp could start at the point for a lot of teams in N Ky. Just happens to be playing on the same team with what I think is the best PG in N Ky.

I do not know the situation exactly, but it seems that some players play a lot in AAU and do well, but it does not always carry over to high school basketball in Ky. The coaching and defense is so much better that it makes being successful in high school a lot tougher than being successful in AAU with very little defense being played. That being said, I have not seen Popp or Avery play. Thats just a thought I have about some kids that are not overly successful playing high school ball, but are in AAU.

 

I wouldn't agree that AAU defense is necessarily worse. I've seen a lot of good defense at national AAU tournaments.

 

There are good and bad coaches in both AAU and high school. Most college coaches identify their recruits and scholarship recipients through AAU ball--not high school. There are ex-college players and coaches in AAU ball and in high school ball. I also believe that statistics (percentages) don't lie.

 

The players who are recruited by colleges and get scholarships are mostly the better players. The college coaches know who the good players are.

I think Popp and Gabbard will be one of the better guard combo's in Northern Kentucky. Popp could start at the point for a lot of teams in N Ky. Just happens to be playing on the same team with what I think is the best PG in N Ky.

 

I agree. Popp is more of a small 2 guard because of his slashing and scoring tendency. Gabbard is a true point guard with his passing and dribbling skills. Boone has one of the better teams in NKY and has a lot of talent compared to most other teams except maybe Holmes and Highlands. It's easier for a kid to stand out on other teams because he is the only or one of the top options. I would not be surprised to see Boone's Gabbard, Popp, and Earls go on to play in college if they get it done in the classroom. I hear all three have been recruited by several D2, NAIA, and D3 schools.

 

Flannery from Scott county is another example of a player who is on a team that is loaded with talent and, therefore, did not get as much attention or PT last year as he would at many other schools. He is perhaps the top 3 point shooter in the state or in the top 2 or 3 at least. He will also end up playing college ball IMO.

I wouldn't agree that AAU defense is necessarily worse. I've seen a lot of good defense at national AAU tournaments.

 

There are good and bad coaches in both AAU and high school. Most college coaches identify their recruits and scholarship recipients through AAU ball--not high school. There are ex-college players and coaches in AAU ball and in high school ball. I also believe that statistics (percentages) lie.

 

The players who are recruited by colleges and get scholarships are mostly the better players. The college coaches know who the good players are.

 

Coaches like Calipari are very critical of the AAU process. I have been to several AAU events and its like an allstar game. Everything is 1 on 1. Teams stand around and the defense is poor. How can defense be good with very little practicing.

Coaches like Calipari are very critical of the AAU process. I have been to several AAU events and its like an allstar game. Everything is 1 on 1. Teams stand around and the defense is poor. How can defense be good with very little practicing.

 

At the top level, I think it is good only because of the superior talent level and size in many of the athletes. Maybe not on a state level, but at big national AAU tournaments, I think many players are playing their hardest on both ends of the floor. The offense gets noticed more only because you have so many offensive stars on good AAU teams.

 

My question is why do the college coaches identify who they want to recruit by attending the big AAU tournaments? Very little recruiting goes on at the high school games unless it is a player who they have already identified via AAU and deemed to be on the fence.

 

There are plenty of well coached AAU teams whose coaches teach good defense. I know of several experienced high school coaches who coach AAU teams.

Elisha is a great player and if he is healthy then he will contend for Mr. Basketball. He should go D1 because he has all of the ability to do so. Ability and skill top height everytime.

I'm curious, who would you put in the "mention" category instead of Avery and O'Conner? I also feel that Flannery and Popp would be slightly ahead of those two, as well as others in the list, such as Reiger, Shelton, and Stepp. All are good players, however. I also think Whitaker is not a top 20 player, but that is just my opinion based on the one time I saw him play.

 

These rankings are fun but not always accurate. No one person, including Mr. Demling, has seen all of the players or enough of the them to make a completely informed and unbiased decision. Perhaps, waiting to see who gets offers to play in college might be the best and most objective way to determine the top players in the end. Will at least 65 players from Kentucky in this class get offers to play college ball? I would be surprised. For those who do play in college, which level will they end up at?

 

The thing people forget is that some kids keep improving from the previous year, so you can't base your judgement on what you see when a kid is a Junior because he may not have even come close to his potential. If he works hard and improves over the summer, he may move ahead of kids that were the studs as Juniors.

 

The Samsel kid from Manual is a good example of what I am talking about. He wasn't even listed as one of the top 100 players in the 2010 class last year. This summer he has taken his game to the next level and people started talking about him in the coaching circles. He might even good enough to play at the low to mid D1 level, but chose to play for Findlay at the D2 level after they offered him a full scholly. Now he shows up on the list to watch. It's really all subjective and the only thing that matters is

what the college coaches think of a kids potential. That is who they are going to recruite if they fit into their system.

 

As far as who is in the top 25 or top 50, it really doesn't matter does it. It's only what the college coaches think that is important. Another great example of this is the kid from Elizabethtown, Curtis Washington. Who even heard of this kid last year as a junior? Now he has a full ride to USC.

Samsel started turning some heads last year during the regular season

Elisha is a great player and if he is healthy then he will contend for Mr. Basketball. He should go D1 because he has all of the ability to do so. Ability and skill top height everytime.

 

I was amazed at how quick he was, and how hard he played. I only got to see him against Elliot Co., and he may have been super-amped, but that kid left it all out on the floor.

The thing people forget is that some kids keep improving from the previous year, so you can't base your judgement on what you see when a kid is a Junior because he may not have even come close to his potential. If he works hard and improves over the summer, he may move ahead of kids that were the studs as Juniors.

 

The Samsel kid from Manual is a good example of what I am talking about. He wasn't even listed as one of the top 100 players in the 2010 class last year. This summer he has taken his game to the next level and people started talking about him in the coaching circles. He might even good enough to play at the low to mid D1 level, but chose to play for Findlay at the D2 level after they offered him a full scholly. Now he shows up on the list to watch. It's really all subjective and the only thing that matters is

what the college coaches think of a kids potential. That is who they are going to recruite if they fit into their system.

 

As far as who is in the top 25 or top 50, it really doesn't matter does it. It's only what the college coaches think that is important. Another great example of this is the kid from Elizabethtown, Curtis Washington. Who even heard of this kid last year as a junior? Now he has a full ride to USC.

 

Well said. That's the main point I was trying to make - that the college coaches are the best judge of who is good and who has potential. Lots of rankings are based on only a few people's opinions and perceptions who are in the media or who speak the loudest/most often. Perceptions are hard to change once formed unless a player just has a huge scoring year. Many teams and systems are balanced and don't allow/need eye-popping statistics by any one individual. Yet, somehow, many great players who don't get the notice/hype always win a majority of their games from year to year, no matter what team they are on.

 

Some college coaches like the attacking/scoring/fast pace of AAU ball and players who fit in that system. I've talked to college coaches who have said that before. Other coaches are looking for role players, team players, great defenders, etc. Often, the ones in these latter categories get overlooked, even though they are very good players and are capable of scoring lots of points. Unfortunately, scoring is the most noticeable statistic to many people.

Which kids on the list have committed (D1 down to NAIA)? How many more will follow?

 

Guyn - D1

Sewell - D1

Samsel - D2

Washington - D1

R. Johnson -D1

 

Others?

 

How many with offers?

 

Justice - D1

Euton - D1

Jackson - D1

I was amazed at how quick he was, and how hard he played. I only got to see him against Elliot Co., and he may have been super-amped, but that kid left it all out on the floor.

 

Plays like that every game.