By Ron Briscoe
@icuplay blog
One of the nation's top high school basketball players in the 2017 class from Louisiana is, 6'6 G/F Galen Alexander. Galen attends Lafayette Christian Academy in Lafayette, Louisiana. He was ruled eligible by a third party arbitrator last Friday to play the rest of the 2015-16 basketball season.
I consider Galen, the top high school basketball player from the state in the 2017 class. He is one of the top five players from the state regardless of class. We selected him to our 2017 Top 60 Dandy Dozen by position ranking list which was published two weeks ago.
It's been well published that Galen transferred this summer from Breaux Bridge HS to play for talent rich, LCA basketball team. What is the up-roar all about? Some in the know told me that his parents wanted him to go to the school there. I heard it was because he wanted to play with his AAU teammates.
Whatever, the case may be, the reason he was ruled eligible was that he and his family did everything right. LCA and Coach Starks did nothing wrong for this skilled and talented basketball player to play for his team this season.
A lot of people are saying, just think what LCA record would be like, if he was ruled eligible last fall? Coach Stark could wait on that decision, he had to prepare his team for the season with, or without Alexander. The LCA Knights played well in several tournaments while winning two of them.
They beat several talented teams without Alexander. Teams, like Washington-Marion, Madison Prep, University Lab, Ellender, St. Augustine, Carencro, and North Caddo, we consider has the state top player in the 2016 class in, 6'9 PF/C Robert Williams. Williams, signed with Texas A&M, and played well in the STM tournament last month.
LCA, lost to several good teams so far this season. Two of those teams won State Championship last year. Riverside Academy and Scotlandville beat the Knights. They also lost to a team from Houston, Texas in Westbury Christian.
The Knights did that without the help of Alexander. But they have him now, and many High School Basketball Coaches in their district are very unhappy... I can't understand why? Without, Alexander the Knights in my opinion would have won those games any way. So why are several high school coaches still upset with Alexander playing at LCA now? Is it because they don't want Coach Starks and his team to win the district, or better yet to win a State Championship?
Coach Starks team is the best in the Acadiana area with, or without Galen. They would have won many of the games they played in their district this season. Why you say? When you have skilled and aggressive seniors, like the Ledoux twins who signed with McNeese State during the fall. Talented, high riser, rebounder and shot-blocker, sophomore Greg Williams Jr; crafty, senior ball handler and passer, Mike Harden Jr; steady junior, wing player, Caleb Starks, along with smart and heady six-man freshman point-guard, Terrance Jones, you have a team that plays together and players that know how to play their role.
With, Coach Stark adding Galen Alexander to the mix this helps put the finishing touch on a team that needs some quality inside play as they gear up for district, regional, and hopefully a State Championship win this year.
Is all the drama about, LCA having the best player in the 2017 class and another in the 2018 class playing for them now? Is this about, Coach Starks team beating several teams this season in Class 1-A, 2-A, 3-A, 4-A & 5-A by 20 points, or more margin this season?
Coach Starks team has earned their worth without Galen Alexander and they will continue to earn their worth with Alexander by working hard and playing like Champions and hopefully, this drama will end too!
Ron Briscoe, is a highly respected long time high school basketball scout and basketball analyst. He has 26 years as a selector with the McDonald's All-American Game, 19 years with the Naismith HS National POY and the Gatorade State POY selecting committees. College Coaches have received his must have Regional Basketball Report Newsletter for over 30 years. email him at king2b1day@gmail.com
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