2021 bigs that stood out in the 5A state playoffs

<p>With the season finally over, we want to take a look back at a season that was before we head onto the grassroots scene. Here we focus on some senior bigs that stood out in 5A during their state-run. </p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="917013" first="Arden" last="Walker"] – Cherry Creek</strong></h2> <p>Walker is a Division I athlete who has already signed to play football at the next level, but his love for basketball is transparent and shined through in the playoffs and helped the team out. Creek was a bit undersized with the core being guards, but with having Walker down there, they knew they could match up with other teams, and he played well down the stretch. Walker helped get a win over Smoky Hill as he seemed to be at the right spot always. He grabbed rebounds, moved guys around down low, and showed off his soft touch around the rim. Plenty of what he does goes beyond the scoreboard, but he played well.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965740" first="Adrian" last="Price"] – Eaglecrest</strong></h2> <p>Price is a player that stood out this year with his ability to play alongside other bigs. Eaglecrest certainly had size, and with him, down low, working hard, and not giving up on plays, it made it easier for others to navigate around him. Price is only 6’6 but has a wingspan of a player that is 4’ taller than he is. He uses all of his effort and size to get the best out of situations, and in Eaglecrest’s win over Mountain Vista, the big man was able to go 5-5 from the field for 12 points and protected the paint. He signed to continue his playing career at Colorado College, which is a great decision for him and his family.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916990" first="Trey" last="Edmonds"] –George Washington</strong></h2> <p>Edmonds was the Patriot's most reliable player in the playoffs, and his play turned many heads along the way and has him getting some college attention. Edmonds is athletically gifted with a great physique, and he is quick and strong, which was a nightmare matchup for opposing teams all year. In the playoffs, he was the difference early on as he created the mismatch each time out. Edmonds began the playoffs with 11 points and 14 rebounds while offering some resistance against arguably the top big man in 5A; in an upset against Regis, he put up 15 points and 15 rebounds, followed that up with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Rangeview before finally fizzling out in the championship game. Edmonds is a player that certainly can hold his own at the DII level, and a school will be getting a workhorse that will battle on every single play, and the scary part is he is only going to get better. Edmonds helped the Patriots go on their run and his play in the postseason was enough to move the bar. Great run for him.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916957" first="Nolan" last="Marold"] – ThunderRidge</strong></h2> <p>Marold saw his stock boom during the playoff run as he was named the Prep Hoops championship game MVP. Marold’s size was a bit too much for opposing teams on a game-to-game basis and ended up being the reason that ThunderRidge went home with the state championship. Marold’s run to MVP was him affecting the game with his size, and he is an immovable force on the block, has soft touch around the rim, and makes moves to the basket. He has an explosion of 25 points to lead the Grizzlies to a win over a solid Chaparral team, and then he erupted for 17 points and 12 rebounds in the biggest game of his career. Marold has excellent size at 6’7 and has a strong base to go along with it. Marold runs the floor well and has been a consistent force in high school, so it was great to see it all come together in his final season. Fun run for him in the playoffs.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1138338" first="Devin" last="Philio"] – Rangeview</strong></h2> <p>Philio is a player who came into the season as a relatively unknown player and upped his stock as the season progressed. Philio was a reliable two-way player for the Raiders and helped the team get over the hump and continue on their winning streak that finally came to an end. The 6’5 senior captain was a force on the boards for Rangeview and gave the team size to match up with opposing teams. In the playoffs, while his scoring took a bit of a dip, the rebounding remained. Philio grabbed rebounds, started the break, set hard screens, and is a mobile big with contagious energy. Philio will also play at Colorado College and is a player that went a bit under the radar before standing out this season.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="770427" first="Brayden" last="Carter"] – Mullen</strong></h2> <p>What Carter was able to do in Mullen’s opening game upset over Denver East is why he is highly regarded as the top big man in the state. Carter put it all on display and took over the game by himself. He dominated the game inside with pin downs and multiple dunks and showed off the ability to open up the floor with some clutch baskets from deep. Carter took over the game and put the team on his back to finish with a game-high 21 points. He had himself a season and took advantage of mismatches. When opposing teams did not have a guy his size to match up with him, he elevated his game and played well, and went out his senior year with a solid showing. A great year for the Regis University commit.  </p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="759261" first="Isaiah" last="Thompson"] – Fountain Fort-Carson</strong></h2> <p>Thompson has been one of the most skilled big men in the state for the last two seasons and to see him pop up in the playoffs and put others on notice was a sight to see. In the Trojan's first win over Silver Creek, Thompson was the top player on the court. He finished with a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds and had his way with the smaller team. Against Rangeview, although it came in defeat, his size proved to be too much yet again. The double-double machine finished with 19-points and 15 rebounds on the day. He caught it on the block, powered through the smaller defenders, and was a paint beast. He stepped out and hit a 3-pointer, put the ball on the floor to get inside, and scored with ease. He signed to play at CSU-Pueblo next year and is a player that they have been excited about picking up. With the way that he played this season and in the playoffs, I would be too.</p>