Darkhorse favorites at the Gatorade POY
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The 2021 season has been full of surprises with so many obstacles and setbacks that our players and teams had to endure, but we got through and look back at a successful it was. We came out with our favorites…
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Continue ReadingThe 2021 season has been full of surprises with so many obstacles and setbacks that our players and teams had to endure, but we got through and look back at a successful it was. We came out with our favorites for the player of the year, but there are still some players that deserve some recognition with their performances this season. Here are five more players that could be in the running at being named the Gatorade Player of the Year.
Elijah Knudsen Elijah Knudsen 5'10" | CG Mead | 2022 State CO – Mead
Some players are talented, some players have the mentality to take over at any moment, and others are still trying to figure it all out. Knudsen has the “IT” factor. I always heard, “big-time players step up in big-time games,” and I am unsure that anybody separated themselves as Knudsen did in the playoffs. For Mead to go on such a run last year, then for it to be shut down in the way that it was and lose so many players to graduation, speaks volumes on the year that he had. It was known that there would be some fall off. Doubters saw the three-game losing streak and pounced on the opportunity to state that Mead was not that well and all they did was use it as an opportunity to overcome. Fuel to the fire. Knudsen is undoubtedly one of the best shooters in the state; there is no questioning that, but the size comes into question. Well, he put critics to bed as he averaged 19.3 points a game with many different looks and double teams that came his way and in the playoffs ascended to a different level. The speedy guard with the deadly 3-pointer and ability to get his shot off against anybody in the state became the state leader in points in the playoffs. He put 130 points in five games and also erupted for 30 points while being named the 4A state MVP. Unsure if Mead will repeat next year, but with Knudsen playing at that level, they will surely be the favorites.
Greyson Carter Greyson Carter 6'4" | SF Fairview | 2021 State CO – Fairview
1,000 points scored in a career is a remarkable accomplishment as it embodies the hard work put in, and it indicates that a team buys in and believes in a player enough to put them in situations to succeed. Carter accomplished that goal in his senior season, in a playoff run, and the impressive part of it all is, it was only in three seasons. Taking a look back at Carter’s two-year run, there are very few players that played at the level that he did, and although he somehow did not win the conference player of the year with incredible numbers as a junior, he did in his senior year. Carter elevated his game in his senior year, averaging an imposing 22.2 points and 9.4 rebounds a game. When watching Carter play, he is a versatile wing that is comfortable with the ball in his hands, can create for himself, and uses his size and plays within the flow of the offense, sets hard screens, and is a leader who gets others involved. Carter is not out there stat-padding; he puts his team in positions to win, uses his 6’4 frame both inside and out, and has a balanced game that extends the defense with his outside shooting. Carter led Fairview to winning seasons and is a force on the basketball court, but his future is on the diamond, and if he is better in baseball than he is in basketball, then good luck to the opposition. He gets it and should be recognized for his work. Winning player of the year is a long shot, but he is a darkhorse candidate.
Tarrance Austin Tarrance Austin 5'10" | PG Pueblo South | 2022 State CO – Pueblo South
Austin is the epitome of heart over size. Opposing teams look at the small guard and think they can overwhelm him and are quickly reminded that they made a mistake. Austin put together one of the most impressive seasons of any guard in the state and elevated his game to a new level in the playoffs. Austin is a natural scorer that understands how to put the ball in the basket. He has the ability to break a defender down off of the dribble, create for himself, and is a tough shot taker but a tough shot maker. He was hitting players with shimmy back-to-the-basket moves, and his elite ballhandling made it difficult for guards to stay in front of him. He also rebounds amongst the trees and uses his high IQ to overcome size advantages. In only his junior season, he put up 23.3 points a game with a stat-stuffing 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.9 steals a game which was amongst the team leaders in every category. The 5’9 guard also led the team in blocks at 1.4 stuffs a game. Austin is 26-points away from breaking the 1,000 points scored benchmark and puts his team in a position to win every night. For the playoffs, he averaged 22.7 points, stood out defensively, and steals and finishes in the open court. Austin got a taste of a deep playoff run and will be a player I think comes back for an important senior year ready to make more of a point. A solid year for him and deserving of a POY vote or two.
Isaiah Thompson Isaiah Thompson 6'6" | PF Fountain Ft. Carson | 2021 State CO – Fountain Fort-Carson
Thompson went into his senior year as a relatively unknown player to those not in the Colorado Springs area despite having an eye-opening junior campaign on an entertaining Fountain Fort-Carson team to stepping into the spotlight as the guy and taking over in games. Thompson worked tirelessly on his game, and it paid off as he went into senior year with a mission and fulfilled it. Thompson became one of the top forwards in the state as he is a tenacious rebounder with an excellent motor, and although the 6’7 forward is not a knock-down shooter, he possesses the ability to space the floor with his outside shot. Thompson refuses to be outworked on rebounds, tracks them down, and can put the ball on the floor to finish at or above the rim. He is also an athletically gifted athlete with strength that makes it difficult for the opposing team to score on him in the paint. Thompson averaged a double-double of 19.8 points and 12.3 rebounds a game while he led the Trojans to a 10-3 overall record. He put up double figures in every game this year and finished with 10 double-doubles on the season. To close out his senior year, he had eight consecutive double-doubles, including a game where he recorded 10 offensive rebounds; that just does not happen. Thompson was a player to watch this year and, while he is a darkhorse favorite, was one of the best players in the state on a talented team that found some success.
Ben Hageman Ben Hageman 6'3" | PF Windsor | 2021 State CO – Windsor
Windsor went from a team that many overlooked heading into the season to going into the playoffs as the No.1 overall seed, and a reason for their success was senior do-it-all guard Ben Hageman Ben Hageman 6'3" | PF Windsor | 2021 State CO who was also the teams small forward, power forward and center at different times. Windsor did not have the size that other teams had but made up for it with a player that could not only play but defend all five positions on the court, which made him 1-of-1. Hageman is one of the best finishers at the rim out of any player in the state, and that was on display as he averaged 18.4 points and 7.0 rebounds a game. Hageman got to where he wanted to get to on the floor and found his way inside. He either finished at the rim or was fouled, and putting him at the big man spots created mismatches and advantages for his team. Hageman got the rebound and started the break himself, broke bigger defenders down, and rebounded amongst the trees. At the next level, he will comfortably shift into more of a guard role, but with his strength and athleticism coupled with the desire to defend at a high level, he is a player that could get a look or two at being a DEEP darkhorse for POY.