Centennial League POY Candidates
We’re almost there as the end of the season is upon us with most schools already having had senior night. There are some tight races with conference winners and some that teams that already have the league won. With that,…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWe’re almost there as the end of the season is upon us with most schools already having had senior night. There are some tight races with conference winners and some that teams that already have the league won. With that, we focus on who we believe has the chance to be the conference MVP. For the 5A Centennial League, this was by far the most difficult conference in the state to come up with a list for as I legitimately feel as if I could have added three or four more players to the list. It was undoubtedly the best conference in the state this season with almost all of the conference heading to the state tournament. Cherry Creek on the conference after a slugging start to the season but every single night it was known that there was going to be an intense battle. While it was hard, here is who we chose as the conference POY.
The Favorite:
Julian Hammond III – Cherry Creek
Hammond led the Centennial league in scoring this season and had the best season of his career as he put up 22.4 points a game but what we saw from him this season was what really separates him from the pack and puts him in elite territory. The No. 2 junior in the state led his team to the Centennial League title in the toughest conference in the state and it was done on both ends of the floor. Hammond scored the ball with ease shooting lights out from beyond the arc but he gets to the rim and finishes as good as anyone in the state. He created mismatches and attacked whoever stood in his way and he also rebounded well (7.0rpg) while also trusting in his teammates and putting them in positions to score. While the offense was great, the thing that stood out most for me was his willingness to defend the best player on the opposing team every night out. That is the definition of leadership. Not often is your best player also one of the top defenders and with him having one of the most balanced seasons this year coupled with winning the toughest league in the state I think he is the Centennial League Conference POY and has a chance to win it next year as well.
The Second Favorite:
Caleb McGill – Grandview
McGill is a Division I player that is going to have some really big games at UC Davis and we are going to look back on and feel as if we didn’t appreciate his work in its entirety. He is one of the most skilled players in the entire state and the only reason it is overlooked is because of his size. He truly can do it all. He scores well (17.6 ppg) and also uses his 6’7 frame to rebound strongly as well at (7.6 rpg) but what is not shown in the stats is how he truly impacts the game with the little things. Not often do you have a player with his size that can put the ball on the floor, does not get complacent and is able to take over in the game whenever he is called on. McGill is given a heavy load each and every night and he makes no excuses, he just shows up and is ready to go. He can space the floor with his outside shooting, refuses to be scored on especially in the post and he has great footwork with soft hands. McGill is one of the state’s best and put together a great season.
The Third Favorite:
Quentin Rock – Smoky Hill
Rock is one of the state’s ultimate competitors and he refuses to lose. He plays with a chip on his shoulder each and every night and what I enjoy most is the fact that his game is forever evolving which lets me know he puts in the work. Rock is a player that plays well under pressure as a poised high IQ point guard that has four years of varsity experience that calms any storm that comes the Buffaloes way. He steps up in big games, he is a willing passer that gets others involved and he also hits big shots. Right now, Rock is on a spree. He is playing really good basketball despite Smoky Hill still finding their rhythm. He is putting up a career-best 21.1 points a game and although his assists(4.1 apg) are down a bit with him being relied on to score more there might not be a passer I would want more, especially with the game on the line. He might not win the conference POY but he will surely be making the 1st Team and whatever school lands him is getting a player to build around that makes the right play and is never afraid of the moment.
The Longshot:
Zion Ruckard – Eaglecrest
Ruckard quietly put together one of the biggest turn around seasons from a player that I have seen. I always thought he was good, but this year he truly showed that he belongs in the “who is the top point guard in the state” conversation. In regards as the top TRUE point guard, look no further as the high IQ point guard that is also a star in the classroom fits every category on the checklist. He is a headstrong player that competes hard and shows up in big games, he never gets ahead of himself or goes out of what he is capable of and he is also one of the toughest players to defend. He has a really good handle and set of go-to moves and once he gets a step, it is off to the races as he is very quick and is a creative finisher that gets to the basket. He has an off-hand floater that can’t be stopped, he understands the importance of the mid-range and he is also a leader that rallies the troops. This season he put up a team-high 17.5 points a game and he also led the league in assists a game with 5.1 dishes per game. Ruckard is a gym-rat that is always working on his game and he showed off all of the off-season workouts that made him the player that took the conference by storm this season. A school will be blessed to have a guard that makes everyone around him better players and individuals. Hard not to be high on Ruckard.
Won’t win, but still a great season:
Bryson Stephens – Arapahoe
The hype is real surrounding Stephens. Stephens is a player that was known about and you knew that you had to take serious, but Arapahoe was losing almost every game during his tenure and his games were being overlooked. Well, that all changed this season as Arapahoe made sure that everyone knew that they had to be on the lookout as they played extremely hard all season long. Arapahoe got off to a quick start as they won the Bear Creek Invitational and played well out of the conference and even in the most difficult conference in the entire state they were able to get a few wins and gave a couple away. Arapahoe is not a team that you WANT to play in the state tournament as they are going to give a higher seed everything that they got and it starts with their best player. Simply put, Stephens is a bucket. He gets to the rim, he steps out for shots and he excels in iso situations because defenders just cannot stay in front of him, it takes multiple guys. This season he was able to put up 21.0 points a game and that includes him scoring 46 points on the road. He rebounds and also gets the ball out of his hands and he had a season to be remembered. He will not win the conference player of the year but he did show that he is a player that will play at the next level and a school will be lucky to land a player with his talent that has not even reached its full potential.