9th Region Top 10 Players 2010/2011

[Eyes and Ears]

This is my top ten in order!

 

Jake Geisler- Newcath

Bobby Stauffer- Ryle

Jake Thelen- Covcath

Tyler Fangman-Beechwood

Tyler Hodges- Conner

Jack Stewart- Highlands

Chris Hayes- Holmes

Travis Montgomery- Boone Co

Matt Trammel- Dixie

Brandon Hatton- Dixie

 

Honorable Mention to:

Jake Burger- Holy Cross

Trevan Brown- Boone Co

Jacob Flesch- Conner

Alex Connelly- Covcath

 

You can start this list off with the top three in any order and I would not argue with you. After that you have Fangman, Hayes, & even Trammel. I question them. Trammel for obvious reasons. I love this kid's game this summer ,but he did miss last year. Hayes was just not much of a factor. He was on a great team and may contribute more this year, but is very unproven. Fangman IMO is a good shooter, but just not top ten material. I would take Flesch, Connelly, or Brown out of your honorable mention before any of these three.

[Eyes and Ears]

My top ten would be:

 

Thelan

Stauffer

Giesler

Montgomery

Hodges

Brown

Flesch

Stewart

Hatton

Berger

[Handy Manny]

I had the opportunity to see almost all of these kids play this summer. I like Stauffer at the top. This kids works and works. He gives you 110 percent all the time. Giesler is my number two. He has amazing size and works extremely well with it. He has also slimmed up a bit and that has added to his quickness which will help him alot this coming season. Thelan and Brown coming up next. These guys know where their money is and they go get it. How can you fault guys for that. They are both double digit scorers every game this year and can easily average a double double. T. Mont. and Hodges are next. These kids have the highest ceilings on the list IMO. Travis is freakishly athletic. If he continues to improve his jumpshot and handles, he could jump to the top of this list i na hurry. Hodges is another player with a tremendous upside. He is a 6'8" wing player. He needs add some strength and hopefully the confidence he had at the end of AAU will carry over and he will have a nice season. He is the biggest missmatch on the list. Next are Trammel and Flesch. These two guys are the best guards in the 9th. I did say the 9th. Trammel is healthy and has really improved his shot. He will be a tremendous asset for Dixie this year. Flesch is a defensive machine. He can stop anyone. He is not a huge scorer, but he will create opportunites for everyone else and can play lock down D. Reminds me of the Eraser. I like Jack Stewart next. This kid is hard working. He knows the game and has improved so much in the last two years. I look for him to jump up on this list as well. He will have a huge year leading Highlands. For the 10 spot I am taking Hatton. This kid can shoot. I would like to see him become a little more well rounded, but he has a few years to do it.

[4pointplay]

I had the opportunity to see almost all of these kids play this summer. I like Stauffer at the top. This kids works and works. He gives you 110 percent all the time. Giesler is my number two. He has amazing size and works extremely well with it. He has also slimmed up a bit and that has added to his quickness which will help him alot this coming season. Thelan and Brown coming up next. These guys know where their money is and they go get it. How can you fault guys for that. They are both double digit scorers every game this year and can easily average a double double. T. Mont. and Hodges are next. These kids have the highest ceilings on the list IMO. Travis is freakishly athletic. If he continues to improve his jumpshot and handles, he could jump to the top of this list i na hurry. Hodges is another player with a tremendous upside. He is a 6'8" wing player. He needs add some strength and hopefully the confidence he had at the end of AAU will carry over and he will have a nice season. He is the biggest missmatch on the list. Next are Trammel and Flesch. These two guys are the best guards in the 9th. I did say the 9th. Trammel is healthy and has really improved his shot. He will be a tremendous asset for Dixie this year. Flesch is a defensive machine. He can stop anyone. He is not a huge scorer, but he will create opportunites for everyone else and can play lock down D. Reminds me of the Eraser. I like Jack Stewart next. This kid is hard working. He knows the game and has improved so much in the last two years. I look for him to jump up on this list as well. He will have a huge year leading Highlands. For the 10 spot I am taking Hatton. This kid can shoot. I would like to see him become a little more well rounded, but he has a few years to do it.

 

Good list but I would exchange Giesler with Stauffer at the number 1 position and probably put Thelen as #2. Stauffer would be a close #3

 

1. Giesler

2. Thelen

3. Stauffer

4. Stewart

5.Montgomery

6. Brown

7. Trammel

8. Hatton

9. Hodges

10. Fangman/Flesch

 

I know there will be screaming about rating Hodges that low but in my opinion he has to produce more on the court at the high school level. Feel the same way about Kevon Rice at Holmes and until they put it together on the court I can't rate potential.

 

Fangman deserves to be in the top 10 or in that next group. He is underrated athletically and he can shoot. I would have liked to have seen him at more of thebig time events later in the summer to see how he played against the better competition

[CovCathiRadio]

Oh where have all the Bulldogs gone?

[Eyes and Ears]

Good list but I would exchange Giesler with Stauffer at the number 1 position and probably put Thelen as #2. Stauffer would be a close #3

 

1. Giesler

2. Thelen

3. Stauffer

4. Stewart

5.Montgomery

6. Brown

7. Trammel

8. Hatton

9. Hodges

10. Fangman/Flesch

 

I know there will be screaming about rating Hodges that low but in my opinion he has to produce more on the court at the high school level. Feel the same way about Kevon Rice at Holmes and until they put it together on the court I can't rate potential.

 

Fangman deserves to be in the top 10 or in that next group. He is underrated athletically and he can shoot. I would have liked to have seen him at more of thebig time events later in the summer to see how he played against the better competition

 

I agree with you about Hodges needing to produce more at the high school level, but in his defense and my opinion, he is not utilized correctly. I feel like he could really excell as a wing player versus a back to basket guy. I also have no problems with your top three. At this point you could arrainge them any way you want and until after the season there is no clear cut answer.

[4pointplay]

I agree with you about Hodges needing to produce more at the high school level, but in his defense and my opinion, he is not utilized correctly. I feel like he could really excell as a wing player versus a back to basket guy. I also have no problems with your top three. At this point you could arrainge them any way you want and until after the season there is no clear cut answer.

 

Maybe but he is still 6'8" or 6'9" with a big time wingspan in a region with a whole bunch of 6'5" and 6'6" post players at best. Thelen might be better served playing the 4 with his ability to hit the 15-17 foot jumper but he plays the 5 and produces. No doubt Hodges has potential as you can't teach size but in my opinion not a top 5 player in the 9th and if you open it up to all of Northern Kentucky maybe not a top 10 player.

[Walter]

Oh where have all the Bulldogs gone?

 

A lot of unproven players on this years' team because of the depth of the past two senior classes.

 

IMO though (yes I'm a a bit of a homer), Dontel Rice, Kevon Rice, and Chris Hayes are all three as good as anyone on that list for their positions.

 

By mid-season, I am guaranteeing that Dontel Rice will be talked about by anyone who has seen the kid play. He was putting up 30 a game against national competition over the summer and was doing the same thing in JV games last year.

 

Again, many will compare him and his game to older cousin, Greg Rice. They are built exactly the same, same size, and honestly, Dontel might be more skilled for his age level, as he has a pretty good mid range game and is much more explosive off the dribble.

 

Chris Hayes will prove himself as the season goes on. He had a good summer with the NKY Bulldogs and defensively, is the best guard in the 9th region, IMO.

 

Kevon Rice has had the potential since he first saw the floor as a freshman at the varsity level. Being it's his senior year, I think we'll finally see him play up to that potential. He had a quiet summer playing for Charlotte Court and Queen City Prophets, but from all that I've gathered, he has really improved at both ends of the floor and has taken on a leadership role that he lacked in years' past.

 

No Bulldogs on the list, but hopes are still high down in Covington with this year's senior class. I'd compare them to the class of 08 with Henderson and Co. Very underrated outside of Henderson because of the classes before them. Let's not forget this class made it to the JV championship as sophomores without Rice even apart of the team.

[Walter]

I had the opportunity to see almost all of these kids play this summer. I like Stauffer at the top. This kids works and works. He gives you 110 percent all the time. Giesler is my number two. He has amazing size and works extremely well with it. He has also slimmed up a bit and that has added to his quickness which will help him alot this coming season. Thelan and Brown coming up next. These guys know where their money is and they go get it. How can you fault guys for that. They are both double digit scorers every game this year and can easily average a double double. T. Mont. and Hodges are next. These kids have the highest ceilings on the list IMO. Travis is freakishly athletic. If he continues to improve his jumpshot and handles, he could jump to the top of this list i na hurry. Hodges is another player with a tremendous upside. He is a 6'8" wing player. He needs add some strength and hopefully the confidence he had at the end of AAU will carry over and he will have a nice season. He is the biggest missmatch on the list. Next are Trammel and Flesch. These two guys are the best guards in the 9th. I did say the 9th. Trammel is healthy and has really improved his shot. He will be a tremendous asset for Dixie this year. Flesch is a defensive machine. He can stop anyone. He is not a huge scorer, but he will create opportunites for everyone else and can play lock down D. Reminds me of the Eraser. I like Jack Stewart next. This kid is hard working. He knows the game and has improved so much in the last two years. I look for him to jump up on this list as well. He will have a huge year leading Highlands. For the 10 spot I am taking Hatton. This kid can shoot. I would like to see him become a little more well rounded, but he has a few years to do it.

 

You're not seriously comparing Flesch to Arrez Henderson, are you?

 

Not even close. :lol:

 

I realize you're a Conner homer, but come on now. Arrez will go down as one of the best to ever play in nky and was a D1 signee before going to Cincy St.

 

No disrespect to you or Mr. Flesch, but he isn't better than Kellen Smith and Smith isn't on the same level as Henderson either.

[TAC]

You're not seriously comparing Flesch to Arrez Henderson, are you?

 

Not even close. :lol:

 

I realize you're a Conner homer, but come on now. Arrez will go down as one of the best to ever play in nky and was a D1 signee before going to Cincy St.

 

No disrespect to you or Mr. Flesch, but he isn't better than Kellen Smith and Smith isn't on the same level as Henderson either.

 

Smith is 10th region. And awful good!

[Walter]

Smith is 10th region. And awful good!

 

I know...my point was though, that Flesch isn't even the best guard in nky, let alone better than or on the same level as Henderson was.

[Handy Manny]

I know...my point was though, that Flesch isn't even the best guard in nky, let alone better than or on the same level as Henderson was.

 

No disrespect Mr. Walter because I truely value your opinion, but you mention Flesch & Smith as if there is no comparison. I have to ask if you have even seen Flesch play and if so how many times? Unfortunately, the Conner Scott game last season was cancelled due to weather. This would had made for a nice matchup. I know personally that Flesch has defended several higher level guards than Mr. Smith with great sucess. Names like Barksdale, Forrest, & Fucci come to mind. Not taking anything from Kellen because he is definately a top player in the 10th. The only matchup betweeen the 2 last year was at the state tournament at the KBA. There wasn't much separation in their numbers.

Smith - 5 pts, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 turnovers, 3 steals, & 3 blocks

Flesch - 4 pts, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 turnover, 2 steals, & 0 blocks.

[Handy Manny]

Maybe but he is still 6'8" or 6'9" with a big time wingspan in a region with a whole bunch of 6'5" and 6'6" post players at best. Thelen might be better served playing the 4 with his ability to hit the 15-17 foot jumper but he plays the 5 and produces. No doubt Hodges has potential as you can't teach size but in my opinion not a top 5 player in the 9th and if you open it up to all of Northern Kentucky maybe not a top 10 player.

 

Playing the 5 is more dependent on physical stature and strength than height alone. Aside from shot blocking (which Hodges does well) a stronger bigger player has the advantage on the block. Thelan and Giesler. Hodges is not a good matchup for either of them in the post, but neither of them can go to the perimeter and defend Hodges and have any sucess. He can hit the three and has added the abilty to drive the lane this summer. If he gets the opportunity to play as a wing forward this year, he will be a force. He isn't going to outmuscle you, but he will get his in his own way.

[4pointplay]

No disrespect Mr. Walter because I truely value your opinion, but you mention Flesch & Smith as if there is no comparison. I have to ask if you have even seen Flesch play and if so how many times? Unfortunately, the Conner Scott game last season was cancelled due to weather. This would had made for a nice matchup. I know personally that Flesch has defended several higher level guards than Mr. Smith with great sucess. Names like Barksdale, Forrest, & Fucci come to mind. Not taking anything from Kellen because he is definately a top player in the 10th. The only matchup betweeen the 2 last year was at the state tournament at the KBA. There wasn't much separation in their numbers.

Smith - 5 pts, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 turnovers, 3 steals, & 3 blocks

Flesch - 4 pts, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 turnover, 2 steals, & 0 blocks.

 

Over the past two seasons Smith has led Northern Kentucky in assists and averaged 9 ppg and 13 ppg respectively. District MVP two years in a row, All 10th Region, CJ Honorable Mention All State and if he was in the 9th Region would be a top 3 player with Giesler and Thelen. As it is he is a top 5 player in the loaded 10th Region. Flesch is a good player but not the same caliber player as Smith. Put up the stats from last two years on the varsity level and then make that comparison.

[History]

Always an argument of AAU vs. high school ball. I prefer the latter. Just more enjoyable.