2021 Rankings Update: Stat-Stuffers

<p>With the 2019-20 high school basketball season officially over, we finally shift over our focus to our latest update. Prep Hoops has released its latest Colorado Class of 2021 rankings based on the 2019-20 season. This category is for players that might not have had all of the wins but did everything in their power to make sure that their team had a chance night in and out. They also put up big-time numbers. Here is my All-Numbers Team.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916986" first="Ethan" last="Hill"] – Estes Park</strong></h3> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="916986" first="Ethan" last="Hill"] is a player that jumped onto the scene after a monster sophomore season when the 6’4 guard put up 17.4 points a game. I thought there was no way that he could have a better season, and he goes out and puts up 19.3 points and 8.6 boards a game as a junior. Hill led the Bobcats in every single category this past season while being who the team went through. Opposing teams knew that they had to slow him down if they wanted to win, and he was able to score at ease while seeing double and even triple teams. He is the 3A Patriot league stat leader in multiple categories and is a player that will make my list on the All-Stat team as he knew how to produce.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916985" first="Logan" last="Owen"]s – Belleview Christian</strong></h3> <p>Opposing teams could not figure out how to guard the Belleview guard in his junior season, and that is why he was named the 1A District 8 player of the year. Belleview Christian has been centered around the 6’4 guard for two years now, but the junior captain is starting to turn heads as he is one of the best scorers in the entire state. Owens is a guard that gets inside and does his damage, and this season opened up a different part of his game by adding athleticism to the mix. The high-scoring guard was getting out on fast breaks and dunking the basketball and also rebounding at a high level and starting the break. Owens was an All-State honorable mention after putting up 25.5 points a game, which was good for 3^rd in the entire state no matter the class and had eight rebounds and 2.5 steals a game to go along with it. If I am looking for one of the very best scorers that can score in various ways and is a consistent contributor, then Owens is one of the first players that I am thinking about. Owen rose a bit in the newest ranking ad can continue to grow.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965755" first="Seth" last="Newton"] – Canon City</strong></h3> <p>This is the first time that we have ever ranked a Canon City player, and it would be difficult not to after what the All-State Honorable Mention was able to accomplish. Newton is a 6’4 do-it-all combo guard that was consistently able to score from all three levels. Newton shot the ball at 38% from beyond the arc this year, got to the rim and finish with either hand and also knocked down the mid-range. Newton put up double figures in all but one game, and that is impressive considering he was seeing double teams at times and still made it happen. Newton was not only a scorer but led the team in almost every single category. Newton stuffed the box score on a nightly basis as he also put up 8.7 rebounds and also dished out 5.7 assists. Newton is an under the radar gem that I would build around, and if he can build on a strong year, I plainly see him rising from the No. 57 ranked spot.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Griffin Lauritino – Evergreen</strong></h3> <p>What is there not to like about a player at his height that can play on the wing with as high of a level of fluidity as he does. Lauritano is a multi-sport athlete and school’s QB, and he uses that football grit on the hardwood as well as the team’s best player. Lauritano was an All-State Honorable Mention as he showed a complete and polished game. Lauritano was one of the better scorers and rebounders in the 4A Metro League as he put up 18.8 points and eight rebounds a game. While Lauritino is not a knockdown shooter, he showed the ability to step out and knock it down from deep. He also worked the middle and put the ball on the floor to get by defenders and at the rim, where he was aggressive and most successful. When the wins start to come Evergreens way, I do not believe that Griffin is a player that will not be able to stay under the radar for much longer. He makes my stat-stuffing list and is the No.50 player in the class.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965762" first="Blake" last="Essex"] – Mile High Academy</strong></h3> <p>Essex is the under the radar player that you did not know that you needed to know until now. If we are talking numbers out of big men, there might not have been another big man in the class that had the type of season that Essex was able to have. Essex is a 6’8 paint beast that had his way with opposing teams all year long. Essex towers over opposing big men and locks down the paint. He was one of the top shot blockers at 4.3 blocks a game, and when you look at the rest of his stats, it is a bit shocking that he was not talked about sooner. Essex is a walking double-double with an impressive 21.2 points and 14.1 rebounds a game as well. Essex was second in the state in double-doubles with 21 out of 24 games behind only the Gatorade Player of the Year, and the Mile High Academy big man also was named 1A First-Team All-State. Essex plays for a small school, and it is yet to be seen what type of production he would do in a higher class. He is a player that would’ve GREATLY benefited from coming to a showcase or playing grassroots this season, as I believe he would’ve still been a standout that we wanted to get an eye on. A solid year for him, and by the end of next season, I expect schools to come calling.</p>