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

 

Daniel O'Conner received an offer from Tusculum College.

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.

 

I don't completely agree with that. I have seen a lof college coaches at Kentucky high school games. I saw Rick Pitino at a Scott Co. game last year. I saw John Thompson III and Bobby Lutes at a LexCath game also. I saw college coaches all over the place this past season really. UK's old staff was at several different games.

 

But as for your point about AAU it is set up well for college coaches to come. The events are held where there are several gyms and its a luxury for the coach to see that many players play in 1 day or weekend. But with a lot of coaches, like Calipari, its more about showing up and waving and just letting recruits know you are there rather than using AAU as the best way to evaluate talent. Also, its summertime when the coaches can't be with their own players.

There is a difference between college potential and a good high school player!! There are a lot of great high school players who because of size or quickness do not pan out as college prospects. Are these the top 20 high school players, or are they the top 20 college prospects??

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?

 

I offered that I would consider Hatfield in that group....my point is that a 'Mention" group could get very long. For example, just from the Shining Stars (Bundy) team, I would state that Watson could be considered ahead of Reiger and Jolly? Perhaps the best guard in Boone Co. aside from Gabbard would be McLiesh; not Popp.....Grubbs outplayed O'Conner in every meeting they have ever had, AAU & HS ? Stepp has a nice rep & shot but.......? I agree that this thing can be fun but it comes down to Demlings opinion, it's really not anything more/less than that.....everyone is entitled to have one :lol: The good news is there are a lot of talented hoopsters to talk about !

Edited September 15, 200917 yr by remmac

I don't completely agree with that. I have seen a lof college coaches at Kentucky high school games. I saw Rick Pitino at a Scott Co. game last year. I saw John Thompson III and Bobby Lutes at a LexCath game also. I saw college coaches all over the place this past season really. UK's old staff was at several different games.

 

But as for your point about AAU it is set up well for college coaches to come. The events are held where there are several gyms and its a luxury for the coach to see that many players play in 1 day or weekend. But with a lot of coaches, like Calipari, its more about showing up and waving and just letting recruits know you are there rather than using AAU as the best way to evaluate talent. Also, its summertime when the coaches can't be with their own players.

 

If those coaches were at a high school game, it was because they had a player on their radar already from AAU ball.

 

Most decent AAU teams will beat even good high school teams.

 

Calipari may be an exception. Most college coaches I've talked to when asked how they learned of a certain player said we saw them in an AAU tournament over the summer.

 

There are a few high school tournaments like Marshall Hoopfest that draw about 30-40 college coaches. Big AAU tournaments draw as many as 250 coaches.

I offered that I would consider Hatfield in that group....my point is that a 'Mention" group could get very long. For example, just from the Shining Stars (Bundy) team, I would state that Watson could be considered ahead of Reiger and Jolly? Perhaps the best guard in Boone Co. aside from Gabbard would be McLiesh; not Popp.....Grubbs outplayed O'Conner in every meeting they have ever had, AAU & HS ? Stepp has a nice rep & shot but.......? I agree that this thing can be fun but it comes down to Demlings opinion, it's really not anything more/less than that.....everyone is entitled to have one :lol: The good news is there are a lot of talented hoopsters to talk about !

 

I'm also a big proponent of statistics. Statistics don't lie. Not just looking at quantities but efficiency and percentages. For example, if a player scores 20+ a game but only shoots 35% from the field, does that make him a better player than someone who goes 5 for 8 every game?

 

Like I said earlier, the college coaches generally know or figure out who all of the best players are, and except for a few tall players who are recruited solely on height, the best players will generally end up getting the college offers i the end (if their grades are OK).

 

I'd also put Watson ahead of those two based on watching him play this summer. McLeish is also a good guard and kid. He is strong and plays good defense. Popp is probably quicker. They both played AAU together a couple of years ago, and Popp started PG and McLeish at the 2. I also think McLeish would be in the watch list. He is Ryle's best player right now IMO.

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

 

Gabbard received an offer from Ashland University (D2).

Gabbard received an offer from Ashland University (D2).

 

Gabbard is an excellent player. I put him right there with Samsel from Manual. He has the same limitation as Samsel.....he's only 6' tall. If he wants to get a lot of time on the court, I hope he considers Ashland.

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.

 

So are you saying Avery wouldn't start for Boone?

Austin Flannery was omitted as well.

 

I think Austin has to prove himself this season. I think he certainly can, but I dont know that he belongs in the list just yet. A lot of star power on that team.

As were other players. Trinity's Epley, Scott County's Flannery, and Boone's Popp all had good summers on the AAU circuit and have several D2 and smaller colleges recruiting them as a result. They will all play somewhere at the next level if they take care of things in the classroom. Lexington Christian's Evans also had a good summer and is being recruited by several D2 and smaller schools. I would bump him up on the list.

 

I don't believe everyone on Mr. Demling's list will go on to play college ball.

 

I also believe that there are several others who are not listed who will play college ball.

 

Really? Do you know who is recruiting Popp from Boone County? I really like this kids game.

If those coaches were at a high school game, it was because they had a player on their radar already from AAU ball.

 

Most decent AAU teams will beat even good high school teams.

 

Calipari may be an exception. Most college coaches I've talked to when asked how they learned of a certain player said we saw them in an AAU tournament over the summer.

 

There are a few high school tournaments like Marshall Hoopfest that draw about 30-40 college coaches. Big AAU tournaments draw as many as 250 coaches.

 

Like I said. AAU is set up for coaches to see a lot players with ease. But there are still a lot of coaches at high school games on a regular basis. I think AAU's set up isn't a good representation about how good a lot of players really are. The way an AAU game is played is polar opposite that of an NCAA game. So with players like Chris Lofton, Shelvin Mack, Vee Sanford, Richie Phares, Ricardo Johnson, and Chad Jackson for example, they are unselfish and not overly flashy and they aren't noticed in AAU. Yet those guys are highly talented players who have and IMO will prove their worth in college.

Like I said. AAU is set up for coaches to see a lot players with ease. But there are still a lot of coaches at high school games on a regular basis. I think AAU's set up isn't a good representation about how good a lot of players really are. The way an AAU game is played is polar opposite that of an NCAA game. So with players like Chris Lofton, Shelvin Mack, Vee Sanford, Richie Phares, Ricardo Johnson, and Chad Jackson for example, they are unselfish and not overly flashy and they aren't noticed in AAU. Yet those guys are highly talented players who have and IMO will prove their worth in college.

 

I agree. :thumb:

So are you saying Avery wouldn't start for Boone?

 

Last season, Boone's starters for the last 1/3 of the season were basically McFarland, Gabbard, Earls, Brown, and Cotton. I don't think he would have started over them IMHO--at least not in the last part of the season. Brown and Cotton really came on as the season progressed last year. Avery is a good player. I do think he would start on any 9th region team this year.

Really? Do you know who is recruiting Popp from Boone County? I really like this kids game.

 

I've heard several D3s are and are following him and that several D2s and NAIAs are also showing interest. Earls is supposedly getting some interest from some D3s. I think Gabbard may have a couple small to mid D1s and other D2s interested, in addition to the D2 that has already offered him. I'm sure this can all change as the season goes on.