With the state playoffs approaching in both Alabama and Tennessee, a win or a loss didn't necessarily carry too much weight for the teams involved in the inaugural 'Border Wars' event in Birmingham. However, it was a great event to compare some of the best teams in the respected states.

With solid matchups in the three games, here are four takeaways from the event involving the programs:

1.) Ramsay can make another run to the state championship game. Last year, Ramsay had a great run to the state championship game in 5A, where they lost to Parker. They have another great opportunity to make that run this year, too. Last season, the Rams were led by a stellar group of guards. They still have some of those talented guards this year, like junior point guard Brandon Wright. However, they also have a couple of solid big men that will help them as they make their run to Birmingham. Junior A.J. Luke (pictured above) was very impressive on Saturday against White Station, and sophomore Kobe McClain made some nice impressions. Ramsay is also very well-coached. Keep an eye on them heading into the playoffs.

2.) Braxton Blackwell is one of the most under-appreciated prospects in the 2016 class. I know it sounds crazy to say that a top 40 player in the country is underrated and under-appreciated, but that's exactly how I feel about Christ Presbyterian Academy (TN) forward Braxton Blackwell. There isn't anything on the floor Blackwell can't do. He has an impact on all aspects of the game and he stuffs the stat-sheet. He is currently ranked No. 38 in the 247 Sports Composite Rankings, but I don't think that is high enough. Louisville, Indiana, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee are some of his offers, but before long, the Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Kansas, and Arizona offers will come too. Blackwell is a talented prospect and more than deserving of his ranking, but he is still under-appreciated.

3.) Dylan Smith is a natural facilitator. I've seen Hoover (AL) a couple of times this year, and each game, I like Texas Pan-American signee Dylan Smith better as a facilitator and passer rather than a scorer. The 6-foot-5 guard is great at finding teammates for open opportunities as help-side defense and double-teams come to him. At the next level, teams will not be able to just focus on him, and with his unselfishness right now, I like what Smith can bring to Pan-Am. He's a natural facilitator that could do a heckuva job setting his teammates up for better opportunities.

4. Blackman (TN) and Mountain Brook (AL) are intense as it gets. There's no doubt in my mind that this matchup was the most intense game I've seen all year - maybe even a couple of years. This was the perfect matchup for Border Wars. Both teams played intense defense and was not afraid to defend the full length of the court. Very rarely do teams in Alabama match (or out-match) the intensity Mountain Brook plays with, but Blackman threw the first punch of the game and jumped out to a 13-2 lead. While Mountain Brook was able to bounce back and keep it close, Blackman's athleticism was too much to overcome for the Spartans. Win or lose, bravo to both programs as they represented their teams and school well.