5A/4A Colorado Springs 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 the 5A/4A Colorado Springs Metro League, this is a league with teams that are going through a cycle of beating each other but have one team that has stood out so far. In this league there are some interesting candidates who all have a legitimate chance at winning conference MVP, here are our candidates. The Favorite: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/lucas-moerman/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/lucas-moerman/">Lucas Moerman</a></a> – Doherty This is a bit of a controversial pick. Doherty is not the top team in the league and also does not play a high-scoring brand of basketball where players are able to stand out statistically but the impact that he has on the game goes beyond any other player's stats in the entire conference. Moerman is the state’s best perimeter defender and defense means a lot in the game of basketball. It is enough that he is averaging 4.9 blocks a game but that does not even begin to tell the story of how he affects the game. Teams are not able to go inside and get open looks, he is affecting shots with his length as he stands at 6’10 and also he takes the opposing teams big man out of the game. He is also averaging 14.0 points and 10.1 rebounds a game as well and is a big reason for the wins that the Spartans have got this season. He would be my pick. The Second Favorite: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/peyton-westfall/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/peyton-westfall/">Peyton Westfall</a></a> – Pine Creek If you went to any showcase this summer the player that stood out most offensively was <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/peyton-westfall/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/peyton-westfall/">Peyton Westfall</a></a>. With that being said, it is not a shocker to anyone that saw the work that he put in this summer that he is having a sensational senior season. He has led his team to a overall 14-3 record and is 8-1 in the conference as well. He’s at 13.7 points a game, shooting 41% from the field and is not afraid to let it fly. He also can put the ball on the floor to blow by defenders and also is showcasing his athleticism with dunks in transition as well. He is a gym rat that gets after it on every possession and does not back down from any player in the state. Pine Creek is playing really well this season and a big reason for that is their senior guard who is an ultimate competitor. The Third Favorite: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/keyshawn-maltbia/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/keyshawn-maltbia/">Keyshawn Maltbia</a></a> – Fountain Fort-Carson There are not many bucket-getters in the state that can score in the ways that Maltbia can. The 6’3 senior captain just recently passed the 1,000 points scored in his career checkmark and is also helping his team pick up some much-needed wins as well. Fort-Carson is relying on their guard and he is not letting them down. He is up to 17.7 points a game and also is a relentless rebounder as well from the guard stop securing 4.8 boards a game. While he can shoot the ball as well as get to the rim despite seeing many double teams the thing that stands out most for me is his leadership qualities. Maltbia is an ultimate competitor that does not back down from anyone and each time out you are going to get his best which makes it very contagious and gets his teammates involved in the action. He’s a shot-taker and a shot-maker that all teams have to look out for as he can go off at any given moment and is a scorer a school can build around. I truly enjoy watching him play and he will be playing at the next level. The Longshot: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kolben-barney/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kolben-barney/">Kolben Barney</a></a> – Palmer Palmer really struggled this season, especially when it came to league play which is different from last season when they stood out. With solid players from last year’s team graduating though it was known they would take a step back. Barney was a role player on that team but put together some really good game and showed that he is a big man that can affect the game in spots. This year the focus is on him. With all of the attention that comes his way, he is still able to get his own as well. He is averaging 13.9 points and 3.9 rebounds a game and his highlight was the first game of the season when he put up 30-points to beat Mead, the current No.1 team in 4A. Barney is a 6’3 forward that is working on other aspects of his game to be able to step put on that wing including establishing a more reliable jumper and putting the ball on the floor but he scores with ease on the block as well. He is a player to keep an eye on moving forward. Won’t win, but still a great season: Ladarius Mays – Coronado Coronado is having a rough year this season. They are losing some close ones where a lucky bounce or two wins them the game and they are also not executing down the stretch. One thing that has been good for them is their Senior wing, Ladarius Mays. Mays is a player that has been one of the most consistent players in Colorado Springs over his last four seasons. Last game he was able to put up 15 points against Liberty and in that game, he was able to go over 1,000 points scored for his career, a prestigious award. He is a reliable source of points as he works extremely hard and this multi-sport athlete excels in every sport that he plays. This season he’s averaging 15.9 points and 4.6 rebounds a game but what stands out is his 2.9 steals a game. He is timing the ball and grabbing the ball as well as playing the passing lanes and that is only leading to easy baskets for him. His team might not be winning games, but it has to be good to play alongside a player that is literally going to do everything that it takes to try and get his team a win.