[kywldcat01]

I got to thinking about something...with all of the upsets we've seen this week end, where would you guys rank everyone?

Is the 7th the class of the commonwealth?

Do Holmes and Scott Co not move in the rankings since their only losses are to out of state teams and one in state to Ballard?

Is Jeffersontown a legit top 5 team with their 9-0 ranking? Or is it more a case of them not playing anyone so far?

Is Clark a legit top 5 team? OR did Trinity expose them big time from a lack of solid competition early?

Is Eastern still top 3 despite the loss to Seneca? Or did this game prove that the loss of Dowe is bigger than we realize and they are still a year away from being a dominant force?

Where does Warren Central stand? They were preseason top 10 and lost some games early but beat Tates Creek tonight without Shanklin and despite Fant being in foul trouble and several kids sick.

IS Christian Co silently making a case as a top 5 team with their 9-0 start? Or are they too a product of a weak schedule?

Thoughts??

[BlackcatAlum]

Anyway you slice it right now, these are the top 10 teams in the state:

-Ballard
-Christian County
-Clark County
-Eastern
-Holmes
-Jeffersontown
-Scott County
-Seneca
-Shelby Valley
-Trinity

*in no order -- although I would rank Ballard #1.

[tezzy859]

1. Ballard
   
2. Seneca
   
3. Trinity
   
4. Scott Co.
   
5. Eastern
   
6. Shelby Valley
   
7. Christian Co.
   
8. Holmes
   
9. Clark Co.
   
10. J-Town
    

[kywldcat01]

I honestly think the teams are too close to get an accurate ranking.

The only team that is deserving of the #1 ranking is Ballard. They've been the most impressive team so far.

IMO you could put any of the following teams 2-10 and not be wrong as I think any of them could beat one another on any given night:

Holmes
Scott CO
Clark Co
Trinity
Eastern
Seneca
Jeffersontown
Christian Co
Shelby Valley

[outdoorsman43]

I honestly think the teams are too close to get an accurate ranking.

The only team that is deserving of the #1 ranking is Ballard. They've been the most impressive team so far.

IMO you could put any of the following teams 2-10 and not be wrong as I think any of them could beat one another on any given night:

Holmes
Scott CO
Clark Co
Trinity
Eastern
Seneca
Jeffersontown
Christian Co
Shelby Valley

I agree with you 100% kywldcat. All of these teams are in my top ten as well. All that I have to say would just be echoing you, so I'll just say this: very nice post.

I'll tell you the surprise team though: Seneca. Wow, look at what they have accomplished so far in the early season. Not only knocking off a top three Eastern team, but manhandling and flat out embarrassing a pretty good Knott Central team the night before has to give Seneca some top five love.

[kywldcat01]

I agree with you 100% kywldcat. All of these teams are in my top ten as well. All that I have to say would just be echoing you, so I'll just say this: very nice post.

I'll tell you the surprise team though: Seneca. Wow, look at what they have accomplished so far in the early season. Not only knocking off a top three Eastern team, but manhandling and flat out embarrassing a pretty good Knott Central team the night before has to give Seneca some top five love.

I've been on the Seneca bandwagon since seeing them last year at the Lloyd Invitational.

They have decent size, athleticism, talent, are a fundamental team at both ends of the floor, and can flat out stroke it from outside.

I believe they had twelve 3's last year in a 76-65 loss to Holmes.

Like I keep saying though, we may not have even seen this team's best yet. Their best player from last year, 6'3 Deonte Maddox, has sat out the whole first semester and should be back for the second semester.

[Platinum & Gold]

Lafayette needs to be in the top 10.

[goldenrule19]

Lafayette needs to be in the top 10.

Just Tates Creek? Beat Scott Co. or LexCath then top 10!

[Scotty doesn't know]

Does anyone have a link to the state rankings or anything. I would love to see how the papers are ranking them. I really do think that Seneca does need to get top 5 love. They are playing really good right now.

[loubballfan]

Not sure Seneca gets top 5 but certainly top 10.

Top 5 now should include Ballard, Scott Co, Eastern, Trinity, Clark Co IMO

[goldenrule19]

Not sure Seneca gets top 5 but certainly top 10.

Top 5 now should include Ballard, Scott Co, Eastern, Trinity, Clark Co IMO

No Homles LOL! Homles is the best and will be the best at the end of the season. Now this is a new team from last year! Coach Henley please lesson to your players they are not happy with the style of offense. We know you are the coach but the team belongs to the players. Just try a new way to make your team happy. Remember they played together all summer. Holmes has the best team. But now Ballard is number 1 with Homles not far behind.
This is coming from a Scott County Fan.

[outdoorsman43]

Not sure Seneca gets top 5 but certainly top 10.

Top 5 now should include Ballard, Scott Co, Eastern, Trinity, Clark Co IMO

I'll agree. After Trinity handily beat Seneca a couple of days ago, Sewell and the Shamrocks deserve a top 5 spot right now.

One thing is for certain though: the toughest region in the state is definitely the 7th. You've got three top 5 teams in Ballard, Eastern, and Trinity. Undefeated Jeffersontown has looked really good so far in the early season. Seneca looked unbeatable until Trinity finally cooled them off a couple of days ago. St. Xavier has a good team as well. They are sitting at 4-4 on the season right now but have losses the some of the state's top teams: Trinity, Eastern, Lafayette, and Ballard (all losses except Eastern were single-digit games).

My statewide top 10 as of right now looks like this:

1. Ballard - As kywldcat01 said, the only team deserving of the number one ranking. Their only loss comes from out-of-state Memphis Central.

2-5. - Trinity, Scott County, Eastern, and Holmes (in no order). These four teams are right there with one another. You can't go wrong with a certain order for these four teams. There are so many great players and at least one Mr. Basketball candidate from each of these four squads.

6. Clark County - I think Zollo, Stenzel, and GRC could beat anyone in the state. The only reason I have them at #6 is because they have lost two straight. Zollo is playing as well as you could ask right now. He has really stepped it up lately, but GRC has lost two straight (of course to top teams, being Eastern and Trinity).

7-10. Jeffersontown, Shelby Valley, Seneca, and Christian County (in no order). I believe Seneca has been the most surprising of this group. They beat a good Knott Central team by 52, beat Eastern the next day, and then finally ran out of gas and lost in the KOB Championship to Trinity. Seneca will continue to make some noise in the 7th region throughout the season and it will be no surprise. Shelby Valley is the most skeptical looking team of the bunch but believe me, I have seen this team in action. They are worthy of their ranking and the attention they are getting. Mr. Basketball candidate Elisha Justice is as good as any point guard in the state and leads this team so well. Jeffersontown and Christian County are right there too. J-town is still undefeated and will be a tough out in the 7th region.

As a few have said already: we will have learned a lot more come January.

[loubballfan]

ttt

[loubballfan]

I'll agree with outdoorsman except I still think Clark Co is a step ahead of Holmes at this point. Clark played better in their losses. Also, StX and Trinity don't play until late in Jan.

Does Holmes have some of the best talent- no question!

Are they playing the best right now- no way!

March will hold all the answers but based on performance to date, Holmes is not in my top 5.

I would love to see Shelby Valley play anybody of significance to give them credibility but it just doesn't look like that is possible with their schedule.

Merry Xmas to all!!

[Stardust]

Ballard
GRC
Eastern
Holmes
Scott Co
J-Town
Trinity
Shelby Valley
Seneca
Christian Co

I'm throwing out records, but based on the type of competition and the capabilities of each to the teams, this is how I see it

[TrinitySID]

Trinity Has Faced Toughest Schedule in State
It would be hard to match the schedule the Trinity Shamrocks have faced this season. Including two preseason scrimmages, Trinity has already faced five of the top 15 teams in the Louisville Courier-Journal’s preseason rankings and six of the top 15 players. Sewell is included among the top 15 players. The Shamrocks have faced five of the top 17 teams in the Lexington Herald-Leader’s preseason coaches rankings and six of the top 18 players including five of the top 10 players. Trinity’s own Josh Sewell is included among those top 10 players, making it five of the top nine players in the listing.
In addition to the teams ranked among the state’s best in the preseason. Seneca, an undervalued team in the preseason, has also faced the Shamrocks. Trinity has faced each of the top in the 27th District already, widely considered the top district in the state of Kentucky and one of the deepest in state history.
Trinity has also faced two top out-of-state teams in Chaparral (Arizona) and McEachern (Georgia). Chaparral was rated among the top 20 teams in Arizona entering the season while McEachern featured one of the nation’s elite guards, Trae Golden, a Tennessee signee.

[outdoorsman43]

I'll agree with outdoorsman except I still think Clark Co is a step ahead of Holmes at this point. Clark played better in their losses. Also, StX and Trinity don't play until late in Jan.

Does Holmes have some of the best talent- no question!

Are they playing the best right now- no way!

March will hold all the answers but based on performance to date, Holmes is not in my top 5.

I would love to see Shelby Valley play anybody of significance to give them credibility but it just doesn't look like that is possible with their schedule.

Merry Xmas to all!!

You are correct. I meant to say Seneca.

[Gold Charger]

I'll agree with outdoorsman except I still think Clark Co is a step ahead of Holmes at this point. Clark played better in their losses. Also, StX and Trinity don't play until late in Jan.

Does Holmes have some of the best talent- no question!

Are they playing the best right now- no way!

March will hold all the answers but based on performance to date, Holmes is not in my top 5.

I would love to see Shelby Valley play anybody of significance to give them credibility but it just doesn't look like that is possible with their schedule.

Merry Xmas to all!!

I will have to agree too. Holmes has the talent, but have struggled early in the season. Believe they will be there in the end, but at this point they have not preformed as we all expected.

Ballard
GRC
Eastern
Holmes
Scott Co
J-Town
Trinity
Shelby Valley
Seneca
Christian Co

I'm throwing out records, but based on the type of competition and the capabilities of each to the teams, this is how I see it

Good point.

[Stardust]

Trinity Has Faced Toughest Schedule in State
It would be hard to match the schedule the Trinity Shamrocks have faced this season. Including two preseason scrimmages, Trinity has already faced five of the top 15 teams in the Louisville Courier-Journal’s preseason rankings and six of the top 15 players. Sewell is included among the top 15 players. The Shamrocks have faced five of the top 17 teams in the Lexington Herald-Leader’s preseason coaches rankings and six of the top 18 players including five of the top 10 players. Trinity’s own Josh Sewell is included among those top 10 players, making it five of the top nine players in the listing.
In addition to the teams ranked among the state’s best in the preseason. Seneca, an undervalued team in the preseason, has also faced the Shamrocks. Trinity has faced each of the top in the 27th District already, widely considered the top district in the state of Kentucky and one of the deepest in state history.
Trinity has also faced two top out-of-state teams in Chaparral (Arizona) and McEachern (Georgia). Chaparral was rated among the top 20 teams in Arizona entering the season while McEachern featured one of the nation’s elite guards, Trae Golden, a Tennessee signee.

TSID, your post is dead on, and I knew when making my top ten I was way underplaying their legitimacy. Based on what they have accomplished, it is a legit argument to put them 1-3. I just couldn't pull the trigger. I've not seen the Rocks in this position for the past couple of years, so I just had a tough time being sold. However, they have every right to lay claim, more so then even Ballard, to the top spot.

[The King]

I would love to see Shelby Valley play anybody of significance to give them credibility but it just doesn't look like that is possible with their schedule.

January 22nd they play Christian County at home. SV's 50-something game home win streak could be in jeopardy...

[goldenrule19]

Take the top spot, because it not EZ being number 1 ask Homles ans Scott County! You become everyones SweeT Sixteen every time you play. It is alot of pressure. Wait until the last game and take it at the end. It is all about when you peak as a team. Good Luck to all the nember one teams this year. It willl be alot of team seating in that spot this year.

[kywldcat01]

Take the top spot, because it not EZ being number 1 ask Homles ans Scott County! You become everyones SweeT Sixteen every time you play. It is alot of pressure. Wait until the last game and take it at the end. It is all about when you peak as a team. Good Luck to all the nember one teams this year. It willl be alot of team seating in that spot this year.

I spoke with Tamron Manning a few days ago and he even said that Scott Co might not be ranked number 1 but they still get everyone's best shot and everyone wants to play and beat them.

I believe Holmes is in the same boat. They are going to get everyone's best shot every night. To date, they haven't performed as well as myself or others expected, but I think the win over Memphis Central proves that they are a legit top 5 team and can beat ANYBODY on any given night with the type of talent they have.

People don't realize this, but Holmes is a very inexperienced team outside of the Johnson Brothers and Pittman. Avery started at Conner last year but this is his first year in Henley's system and seeing this type of competition outside of AAU ball. Housely struggled some early on last year too but was named to the district tournament team at the end of the year. Avery is better than Housely, IMO.

Rice is a 3 yr letterman but this is his first year that he's actually been counted on to provide production and be a key piece. Even last year he wasn't relied on scoring much because Holmes had 5 guys that could drop 20 on you any given night. (R. Johnson, J. Johnson, Pittman, D. Johnson, Riley) I'm not sure they have that this year, yet.

Other than those guys, Hayes, Mayfield, and McClendon are all seeing their first extensive varsity minutes. Everyone is still trying to gel together. I have no doubt in my mind that come January, February, and March, teams won't want to play this Holmes team.

It will be interesting to see how Holmes performs the next two weeks in the Lloyd Invitational this week end and then Mason Co next sat and a big showdown with Princeton, OH next Wed.