Prep Hoops Colorado 2021 All-State First Team

<p>The high school basketball season came to an end, and we’re close to turning the chapter on the 2021 season. It was a condensed season, but a successful season nonetheless.  It is now time for PrepHoopsColorado to unveil our All-State Teams.  Here are your <strong>Class of 2021 All-State Teams</strong>!</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong><u>[player_tooltip player_id="916972" first="Cade" last="Palmer"] – Rangeview</u></strong></h3> <p>The run that Rangeview was able to accomplish over the last couple of seasons is remarkable and for a winning streak to go over 50 games is a feat that deserves more credit. Looking back at Palmer in the past couple of seasons and seeing the growth as not only a leader, but progression in his game from being a roleplaying knockdown shooter to an all-around point guard that leads his team to victory nightly was a thing of beauty. Palmer is dedicated to his craft and improved in essentially every way. The high IQ guard went from 10.5 ppg and 1.7 apg to 15.9 ppg and 6.8 apg while shooting 44% from deep. The opposing team's game plan was to slow Palmer down and not give him much room, and he dissected defenses by running through screens, shooting off the dribble, and giving his team extra scoring opportunities. Rangeview went undefeated in the regular season for another year before their run finally came to an end. Palmer will certainly play at the next level and had a stellar season.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong><u>[player_tooltip player_id="759207" first="Ben" last="Bowen"] – Mountain Vista </u></strong></h3> <p>Bowen’s ability to show up on a nightly basis against some of the top teams in the entire state with one of the most difficult schedules that I have seen in quite some time is reason enough to merit him as a unanimous 1^st teamer. Bowen led his team to victory while being the focal point for opposing teams. He saw double teams, face guards, and many different looks and still got exactly what he wanted. Bowen was not afraid to press the issue, and even when teammates had off nights, he carried the load. Bowen had no excuses all season long and did not have the same kind of talent that these other 1^st Teamers had but still got the best out of his teammates. Bowen put up a career-best 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.7 steals a game, but what really stood out was the 4.3 assists a game. Trusting in his teammates and putting them in positions to win while understanding that opposing teams will do everything in their power to limit his production. Bowen had a stellar start to the season but found a groove late in the year; even going out with an impressive 27 points against a talented Eaglecrest team tells you the type of competitor that he is. Easy choice as a 1^st Teamer for the University of Wyoming commit.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong><u>[player_tooltip player_id="608058" first="Julian" last="Hammond"] – Cherry Creek</u></strong></h3> <p>Hammond was named both the 5A Player of the Year and the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Colorado, and it was a choice that many saw coming since his freshman season. Hammond has been the epitome of consistency and was a special type of scorer that does not come along often. Hammond made the switch from leading his team as the back-to-back 5A state football champs and seemingly walked right back into buckets. The game seems to come easy for him and slows down as he can score in every way, and the 6’2 combo-guard scored plenty of baskets this year. The University of Colorado commit averaged 22.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and also had 2.2 steals a game to go along with it. Hammond led his team to an undefeated record in the regular season while scoring double figures in every game and exploded with games of 31, 27, and 39 points. Creek’s season came to an end by the eventual state champs on one of the most bizarre finishes I have seen, but Hammond gave his team a chance every single night for the last four seasons, and the scariest part is his best ball is still ahead of him.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong><u>[player_tooltip player_id="965744" first="Blakeley" last="Stoughton"] – Regis </u></strong></h3> <p>Stoughton was my pick as the most improved player of the year and was the most surprising. For Regis to go from a team that went 13-14 a season ago to 14-2 in this condensed season is an overlooked accomplishment, and a big reason for their big jump was their 6’3 wing. Stoughton is a player that not many knew much about heading in his senior season, but he put the state on notice as he scored double figures in every game. Stoughton averaged an impressive 17.4 points and grabbed 5.3 rebounds a game while leading his team to comfortable wins over some outstanding teams and was a consistent two-way player that led the way. Stoughton is a smooth lefty that shot 45% from beyond the arc, got out and finished with dunks in the open court, and also put buckets up in halfcourt sets. Stoughton gave his team a chance to win nightly and had himself a stellar season that went a bit overlooked by some.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong><u>[player_tooltip player_id="759261" first="Isaiah" last="Thompson"] – Fountain Fort-Carson </u></strong></h3> <p>Thompson was a walking double-double and was one of the only players in the state to average one for the entire season. The 6’7 forward dominated night in and out as a force on the boards that demanded double teams and managed to still produce at a high level. Thompson led the Trojans to a 10-3 record on the year as he controlled the game from inside the paint. He backs smaller defenders down, blows by, and finishes amongst the trees, and also is a capable shooter that keeps the defense honest. Thompson is a big that can put the ball on the floor to break a defender down and start the break himself and also is not afraid to finish through defenders. Thompson averaged a remarkable 19.8 points and 12.3 rebounds a game from the forward spot in a loaded backcourt. He continues to be ascending, and CSU-Pueblo got a steal in him.</p>