5A/4A Continental League POY Candidates

<p>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 Continental League, although it is a down year as far as what we are typically used to with so many teams representing the conference in the Top-10 there are still some very interesting teams as is shakes up to be one of the most interesting conferences overall. Here is how I have the POY candidates shaking up as this was my most difficult conference to choose from so far.</p> <p><strong><u>The Favorite: </u></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kobe-sanders/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kobe-sanders/">Kobe Sanders</a></a> – Chaparral </strong></p> <p>Chaparral is riding a six-game winning streak right now and finds themselves in the driver's seat as the favorites to win the 5A/4A Continental league with only two games remaining in the season. They have taken a step back with so many players from last year’s state runner-up team graduating but one reason that it was known that they would be in good hands no matter what is because their leading scorer returned for a much-anticipated senior season. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kobe-sanders/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kobe-sanders/">Kobe Sanders</a></a> is having another sensational season where he is causing headaches for opposing coaches and making it difficult for the other team to slow him down. He is scoring the ball at a high rate (19.8 ppg) per usual but the difference is his ability to affect the game in other ways. Sanders is a better passer than just a season ago. He finds the open man, anticipates the looks that the defense is giving him and forces his teammate to get to open spots. He still has the signature off of the dribble hesitation pull-up that no one seems to be able to stop but he is also progressing as a passer and overall leader and that is a reason that his young team is stepping up to the plate and will head into the state tournament ready to take another crack at it. The Continental League’s leading scorer is who I am deeming as the conference POY.</p> <p><strong><u>The Second Favorite:</u></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/reece-kelly/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/reece-kelly/">Reece Kelly</a></a> – Mountain Vista </strong></p> <p>Mountain Vista is having as up and down a season as anyone in the state but just looking at conference play it appears that they are in a groove and playing really good basketball at the best time. The Golden Eagles are 14-7 on the season and 6-2 in the conference and a player that is criminally underrated and is quietly putting together one of the best seasons out of any shooting guard in the state is <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/reece-kelly/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/reece-kelly/">Reece Kelly</a></a>. Kelly is doing everything that is asked for him for Mountain Vista. He is defending at a high level, shoots the ball at an alarmingly high rate of 48% from beyond the arc, scores with ease and also is one of the best rebounding guards in the state. He is averaging 19.0 points and 8.9 rebounds a game and this do-it-all guard has separated himself from the pack. He is coming off of back-to-back games of 26 points in conference battles and seems to be in an offensive scoring zone right now with also being a great rebounder. Kelly is a player that colleges need to be taking a deeper look at.</p> <p><strong><u>The Third Favorite:</u></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tanner-lamb/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tanner-lamb/">Tanner Lamb</a></a> – Legend </strong></p> <p>Legend is one of the most entertaining teams in the state. They are fast-paced. They shoot lights out and also have a good balance inside as well. One of the under the radar players for the junior class is sharpshooter <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tanner-lamb/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tanner-lamb/">Tanner Lamb</a></a> who truly is a difference-maker from deep. He can shoot off of the dribble, he moves without the ball and creates so much gravity that it opens things up for his teammates. He can dribble and also get inside for runners and floaters and also is a willing passer that makes smart-reads. He is averaging 13.6 points a game while shooting a scorching hot 49% from beyond the arc and that is while taking 122 3-pointers on the season. He is one of the state’s best shooters that is lethal from deep and when his shot is falling and Legend is also getting things going inside of the paint they become one of the most difficult teams in the state. The future is bright for Lamb and he is in the category as one of the top shooters that I have seen this season.</p> <p><strong><u>The Longshot:</u></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jalen-ashley/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jalen-ashley/">Jalen Ashley</a></a> – Rock Canyon </strong></p> <p>Rock Canyon is not a team that is going to push the pace offensively. They are going to play a smart, slow and methodical game where they get the best open look while making extra passes and getting the best shot. It might not be pretty, but it is effective. The Jaguars have one player that is averaging in double figures and it is a player that played well for them as a junior and seen his game elevate in all ways as a senior and that is combo-guard <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jalen-ashley/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jalen-ashley/">Jalen Ashley</a></a>. The senior captain has been the most consistent player for Rock Canyon and is a player that teams have given different looks at and game-planned for and he still manages to get solid production. He is a downhill runner that gets to the rim and finishes, is capable of hitting the outside jumper and also has the size to create mismatches down low in which he has no problem exploiting. He is up to 15.8 points a game and also rebounds (4.6 rpg) as well. He is a player to watch moving forward that has somehow fallen through the cracks but is a player that can help a small school at the next level as a player to build around. It has been a good season for him as he has Rock Canyon playing well in the conference.</p> <p><strong><u>Won’t win, but still a great season: </u></strong></p> <p><strong>Riker Cisarik – Highlands Ranch</strong></p> <p>Riker Cisarik is a player that has gone a bit unnoticed, which is tough to say seeing as he is one of the top scorers in the entire conference and stands at 6’9 but what the senior forward is able to do at that size is nothing to overlook. He is putting up 17.8 points and 8.9 rebounds a game while also leading the team in blocks at 2.2 rejections a game. He is a big man that is able to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, playback to the basket and finishes over smaller defenders but the aspect of his game that stands out unlike anyone with his size is his ability to also step out and let it fly. While he is not a knockdown shooter he is able to shoot the ball and open things up for others. He is getting stronger as the season progresses and with that comes easy baskets in the paint. Cisarik is currently riding a six-game stretch where he has scored 20 or more points. He is affecting the game from both inside and out and also is doing the dirty work while being the teams leading scorer as well. He will not win the POY but is a player whose game should not go unnoticed.  </p>