3A Metro 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, we focus on who we believe has the chance to be the conference MVP. For 3A Metro League, this is the league for the defending 3A champions. They are off to a slow start this season but have seemed to have turned things around but have multiple teams eyeing that top spot. Here is who we have as the favorites to win the POY. The Favorite: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/baye-fall/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/baye-fall/">Baye Fall</a></a> – Lutheran The top player in the entire conference is only a freshman – what a scary sight. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/baye-fall/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/baye-fall/">Baye Fall</a></a> is a 6’10 freshman that truly changes the game in every aspect. He is a top-3 rim protector in the entire state, he scores with ease and is still very raw in that aspect which will only get better and teams are having a very difficult time trying to gameplan for the big man as there is no true answer for him. Lutheran is 16-2 but has an 8-0 conference record and a big reason for that is their big man. The lanky and talented big man is putting up an impressive stat line of 19.9 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.5 blocks a game and that is not even counting the stats that come from the opposing coach doing everything they can to try and take him out of the game and push him out of the paint. He might lead the state in goaltends as well because referees are just not seeing this type of size and timing. It is something to see. Fall is a competitor that is already one of the best defenders in the state and he has not even gotten through a full year of basketball. He is getting some national attention and he’s my favorite as the POY for the conference, think right now is how good will he truly be when it is already said and done. The Second Favorite: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/caleb-ruter/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/caleb-ruter/">Caleb Ruter</a></a> – Faith Christian Ruter makes my list because he has led Faith Christian to a 14-3 overall record and a 7-1 record in the conference as well. Faith Christian is the No. 5 class in 3A and has his team playing the best basketball that they have played all season lately. This is a team that competes with whoever they are up against and has no quit in them. Ruter has been their most consistent player. The 6’6 forward is using his size to devour smaller defenders and he is not shying away from contact or letting them slow him down. Ruter has soft touch around the rim and is a smooth lefty that is a bit springy. He leaps over smaller guys and also seals them for easy baskets at the rim. He is a player that uses his size a bit different than other bigs and moves well on the block. He also runs the baseline and is great as a help-side defender. His 13.4 points and 8.0 rebounds a game is one of the driving forces for the Eagles and is a reason that Faith Christian will head into the state tournament as one of the favorites. The Third Favorite: Jaden Stoffel – Manual Stoffel made 1stTeam All-State as a junior after putting up 16.1 points a game, granted his team won the 3A championship last season. This year, although Manual is not having as good of a season, they have seemed to start playing really good basketball and are in a bit of a rhythm with the momentum they can ride in the state tournament to defend the title. In his senior season, he is up to 24.1 points a game and it looks a bit different this year. He started out the season just gunning as a player that looked as if he believed it was all on him but now is starting to trust in his teammates, plays off of the ball and has bought-in on the defensive end. Manual is 8-2 in their last 10 games and that includes games that he put up 38, 34 and 29 points. He has seemed to have found a groove and also is passing to teammates who are also helping out and as long as Stoffel can keep up this type of play Manual always has a chance. The Longshot: Elian Soto – Jefferson Academy It’s actually a bit interesting, Jefferson Academy is off to a great 12-5 start of the season, but are 4-4 in the conference. They were able to win their out of conference games but have struggled to keep that same kind of groove in the conference. While their season has been a bit up and down, one player whose season hasn’t is their senior guard who can score that basketball. He is putting up an impressive 22.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and is also locked in defensively at 2.7 steals a game as well. He can shoot the ball from beyond the arc, he is the primary ball-handler that does not force too much and is able to get through traps and presses and is a high IQ guard that can score in various ways. He’s the only player averaging in double figures and although I do not believe he has a chance to win it all, especially with Fall as the favorite I do think that his work is worth speaking about. Won’t win, but still a great season: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jordan-reed/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jordan-reed/">Jordan Reed</a></a> – Manual Reed is a player that we will be talking a ton about for the next two years. He is having a sensational sophomore season and really is a player that you can build around with a high upside. He is a 6’2 guard that plays more off of the ball this season but will most likely lead into a combo-guard moving forward that can score in multiple ways. He shoots, he finishes at the rim with a quick first step, dunks and also is strong enough to take a smaller player inside but is a creative finisher. Reed is a player that started out the season looking as if he was a bit frustrated but has stepped into and accepted his role as the 2ndgo-to guy that can also explode at moments. He can defend multiple positions and rebounds well but what is next in his maturation as a player is refusing to be stopped. He is a potential microwave scorer that defenders have a difficult time with and once he realizes that he will become a better player. But for a sophomore stepping into a huge role for the defending champions, 15.4 points, and 5.4 rebounds is not bad, not bad at all.