Probably just my N Ky bias but I think there are a couple of players from this area that belong in the top 25. Think that while he is not a top 25 player Jake Thelen from CovCath deserves to be in that next group of players. He did average 20 ppg against a pretty good high school schedule and he does play for a pretty solid AAU team. From what I have seen this summer it would be hard to not include Jack Stewart from Highlands in that next group as well. I think he is a legitimate candidate for POY next year in N Ky.

Sparks was not even a finalist for the award. Statistics were skewed in Sparks favor because he was on a much less talented team than Carrier. I won't deny that signing with UK helped Carrier, but he had many big time offers other than UK one of which was UCLA. Sparks best offer to go anywhere was WKU.

Sparks was not even a finalist for the award. Statistics were skewed in Sparks favor because he was on a much less talented team than Carrier. I won't deny that signing with UK helped Carrier, but he had many big time offers other than UK one of which was UCLA. Sparks best offer to go anywhere was WKU.

 

Finalist or not, Sparks was the best player in the state IMO. I saw it with my own two eyes. I cannot speak to why he wasn't a finalist, though that does surprise me. He was all-state, and one of the articles I read talked about how Carrier was voted on the all-state team by 111 ballots while Patrick was on 109. I would've thought Sparks would have easily been a finalist.

 

I also hate the idea that where you are offered or what kind of college player you are expected to be is what dictates whether or not you are the best high school senior in the state. Josh had a lot of big time offers and Patrick did not, yet by the end of their college careers a comparison of the two would have been laughable. I thought he was a better high school player. He was indisputably a better college player. He had games at UK where he scored more than Josh did in his entire season.

 

The bottom line to me is that just because you are a better prospect at the next level doesn't mean you're better at this one. Daniel Orton came off the bench for UK but was drafted in the first round while Scottie Reynolds and Sherron Collins went undrafted as All-Americans. Josh's offers were great, but that didn't mean he was better at this level. And if he was a UCLA signee, I don't think that would have made him the shoo-in that signing with UK did.

We'll just agree to disagree on who the better HS player was between Sparks and Carrier. Carrier was the better player IMO because he was 6'5 as opposed to the 6'0 Sparks. No question Sparks had the better college career.

I'm sure you are of the same belief that Darius Miller was a better high school player than Scotty Hopson.

We'll just agree to disagree on who the better HS player was between Sparks and Carrier. Carrier was the better player IMO because he was 6'5 as opposed to the 6'0 Sparks. No question Sparks had the better college career.

I'm sure you are of the same belief that Darius Miller was a better high school player than Scotty Hopson.

 

Fair enough on the Sparks/Carrier debate. And yes, I would've taken Miller over Hopson in high school, or at least over the Hopson you would've generally seen on the court. There is no doubt Scotty was and is more talented, but he was also quite lazy when I saw him. One of those dominant player when he wanted to be.

Kellen Smith (Scott) got jobbed a little in this. All around great PG thats been leading NKY in assists and points the past 2 years. If he wasn't in the very bottom end of the top 25, he should have at least been in the "Closing In" portion of the list. Thats a really big snub there.

Kellen Smith (Scott) got jobbed a little in this. All around great PG thats been leading NKY in assists and points the past 2 years. If he wasn't in the very bottom end of the top 25, he should have at least been in the "Closing In" portion of the list. Thats a really big snub there.

 

Was included in the "Closing In" portion of the list but probably has a very strong case for being in the Top 25. Was best PG in Northern Kentucky and in 10th Region last year. Top 5 player in the 10th Region who played well in the post season.

 

I think you can make a strong argument for Jake Giesler and Smith to have been overlooked for top 25. They played well during the high school season and have outplayed a couple of their AAU teammates who did make it into the top 25 on the AAU circuit.

Was included in the "Closing In" portion of the list but probably has a very strong case for being in the Top 25. Was best PG in Northern Kentucky and in 10th Region last year. Top 5 player in the 10th Region who played well in the post season.

 

My mistake, must have read over it!

From the "Closing In" portion:

 

7th Region - 7

--Seneca - 2

--Eastern - 1

--Fairdale - 1

--Fern Creek - 1

--Moore - 1

--Trinity - 1

 

6th - 5

--Bullitt East - 2

--PRP - 2

--Central - 1

 

9th - 5

--Dixie Heights - 1

--Holmes - 1

--Newport Catholic - 1

--Ryle - 1

--Scott - 1

 

10th - 5

--Clark County - 2

--Deming - 2

--Mason County - 1

 

1st - 4

--Ballard Memorial - 1

--Calloway County - 1

--Fulton County - 1

--Graves County - 1

 

2nd - 2

--Madisonville - 1

--University Heights - 1

 

11th - 2

--Lafayette - 1

--Scott County - 1

 

16th - 2

--Greenup County - 1

--West Carter - 1

 

4th - 1

--Russellville - 1

 

12th - 1

--Danville - 1

 

15th - 1

--East Ridge 1

 

3rd, 5th, 8th, 13th, 14th - 0

 

-40% of the players from the lists come from the Louisville regions.

-32% of the Top 25 are in the Louisville regions.

-The 10th is the only one that comes close to comparing to those regions, with 18% of the combined lists.

-The 3rd, 5th, 8th, 13th, and 14th regions have no players on either list.

-Unless I'm miscounting, Eastern (5) and Clark County (4) have the highest amount.

 

Scott isn't in the 9th region, they are in the 10th. That will change the percentages just slightly, probably sending the 10th into the 20% range.

Scott isn't in the 9th region, they are in the 10th. That will change the percentages just slightly, probably sending the 10th into the 20% range.

 

Yes, it would push the 10th to exactly 20%, 10 out of the 50 total.

Having seen Sparks in several games, I thought he was better than Carrier, easily. But a lot has to do with media attention also. As far as Hopson or Miller, I thought Miller was better because you basically knew what to expect day in day out. Hopson played at a higher level but just on select occasions.

 

As far as the rating in the cj, speaking only about the second region. Hickey, Cates, and Lewis are the top 3 athletes in the region. Christian Co. again will dominate the region but they dont seem to have as deep a talent as they have had over the last couple years. I have not seen them this summer though, and I understand they are doing quite well. Hudson and Basham were in the upcomer section. To me Hudson didnt have a very good season last year. Basham really improved. Seen Henderson (lost region 4 years in a row, I think) will be decent again. But some of that has to do with being in the opposite bracket as Christian Co. They do have Ford Stuen, who is a very good shooter and knows the game. They will not be able to beat Christian though. Madisonville, again will be athletic but not for sure about any outside shooting. They will rely on their press and Basham on the inside.

I've only seen them twice, but on the high school level, I'd take Stenzel over Zollo any day of the week.

I've only seen them twice, but on the high school level, I'd take Stenzel over Zollo any day of the week.

 

I love both of these kids and so glad they both play for GRC. Both well do well at the next level, on and off the court. Both super great kids.