NHR State: 17U Sunday Standouts
Brady Birch (Comets DLR/Melrose). It’s a simple way to put things but a big reason so many people are a fan of Brady is because he is always on the move. Always the first one up the floor, always moving…
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Continue ReadingBrady Birch (Comets DLR/Melrose). It’s a simple way to put things but a big reason so many people are a fan of Brady is because he is always on the move. Always the first one up the floor, always moving within the offense, always active on defense, and always cutting to the rim to potentially get easy scores. Defenders get lazy especially inside and when you are a 6-foot-7 active big you take advantage and Brady usually does.
Dominic Bledsoe (Heat Vang/DeLaSalle). When I first saw that Bledsoe was with Heat Vang I felt that Dominic would give them a great defender and a smart offensive player that will do the right thing with each play but also he would get a chance to grow as a scorer too. Today we saw him put the WOTN game away as scorer hitting for 14 including four baskets in the last four minutes of time played.
Jameson Bryan (MN Warriors/Eastview). His verbal command of the offense and timing of execution is outstanding. He’s exactly what you want in a leader who is respected, verbal, and intelligent in decision making. He’s also a big shot maker. When the offense struggled early it was Jameson who scored two buckets and it was Jameson who scored three times in the second half to end their run. Augustana got a good one.
Cade Carlson (WOTN/Lakeville South). Everybody knows about the shooting stroke but sometimes you can do nothing with it. And D1 Minnesota Prospects could do nothing with Cade as he sunk five treys and brought WOTN back from 20 down to get the win.
Griffin Chase (Comets DLR/Nevis). The 6-foot-4 shooting guard is a player I want to watch closely going forward. Today he took just two shots but those two shots were a feet set three point make and a nice attacking kiss off the glass. At his size with guard skill he seems like a guy that could be a nice MIAC prospect.
Nick Christensen (Heat Vang/East Ridge). Nick had a blunder in the quarterfinal but earned the respect of his teammates with a strong semi-final effort after a tough moment an hour earlier. He hit three jumpers, defended hard, and was a key contributor.
Jake Fredrickson (WOTN/Prior Lake). One of the most active and timely rebounders I saw all weekend. Had two double figure rebounding games and does a great job making a hit and then releasing to chase down balls. With Jake it’s about effort, technique in making hits, and then the quick chase to the ball.
Chase Grinde (Heat Vang/Spring Grove). Chase had a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds with no turnovers. It was nearly his version of the Christian Leattner perfect game as he only missed a couple shots and made few mistakes while battling to move his team on. Then in the win over Powerhouse MN Chase hit the game winning one hander in the lane followed by a free throw. I think he is a guy that D2s will look close at in June and July.
Devon Hannah (WOTN/Mpls Roosevelt). Devon can handle, he can defend, he can be a worker. Today he also showed that he can be a shooter too. Made two threes and two long twos against heat Vang with a stroke that has been worked on and looks more textbook than it’s been in past years.
Zach Hanson (WOTN/New Prague). WOTN’s opponent Sunday morning was missing two of their three bigs and Hanson took advantage in a big way. He used his physical nature, quick bounce, and low post skill to control the paint both ways and all of that contributed to an excellent performance. Showed a face-up game out to the arc in the semi-final hitting a couple threes as part of his dozen points.
Kade Hart (Fury Zurn/Faribault). It was a tough day for the Fury but I liked what I saw from Kade. Was the most consistently active worker that the Fury had battling for six rebounds and playing hard defensively. Also thought he moved the ball very well for his team getting a couple of the few assists they had.
Mykal Howard (Fury Kallman/St. Louis Park). He is the same smooth playmaker he’s been but what Mykal is also doing is playing a more active game, is doing more in volume, and he’s played more aggressive. Scored in double figures regularly but rarely took a large amount of shots. For example Mykal made six of seven attempts to score 14 points in the title game.
Bryce Irsfeld (Comets Lewis/Browerville). Comets Lewis had a tough first half against their inner-program opponent Comets DLR but Bryce completely changed the momentum of the game first with a couple swing passes to Simon for threes, then with a couple forced turnovers followed by attacking scores, and then he ran 25 second possessions that became Ryan Lindberg scores. Bryce had modest numbers of eight points and seven assists but those were the numbers that changed and won the quarterfinal game.
Alex Jensen. (Fury Kalllman/Wayzata). This weekend he showed us that he may be one of the best passing frontcourt players we’ve seen this spring. Had nine assists in the two games we watched Fury Kallman play, was one of the top rebounders (had a game high eight in the final) and made a couple threes in the championship game too. I will say it again, Alex looks like a frontcourt player that could really help Wayzata next year.
Andrew Kallman (Fury Kallman/Chaska). Andrew gets as many compliments from opposing coaches as anybody. Everybody talks about him being a shooter which he has been all spring, one of the best in the state actually. But in the final he didn’t make a field goal but he did such a strong job with the ball and defending that people just figured he was a top scorer too. I’ve seen the guy hit seven treys and impact the game and I’ve seen him take two shots and make just as big of an impact.
Tim Leo (Heat Vang/Blaine). Tim has been able to get low post position against just about anybody this weekend and he’s held that position well. Against WOTN Tim scored five times inside showing off a soft touch after fighting for a balanced catch and attempt. Really impressed with how much he’s improved not just since last year, but since early April. A 6-foot-7/6-foot-8 big back on the radar.
Ryan Lindberg (Comets Lewis/Wayzata). We’re staying with the instant offense theme with Ryan. The Wayzata shooter took a two or three score game and made it an irreversible double figure margin. Ryan moved off the ball, cut into space, received from Irsfeld, and made a pair of threes as well as elbow jumpers and that quick ten points gave him a game high dozen points while giving his team the win.
Alec Loehr (MN Warriors/Rosemount). The question is “is Alec D1”. First off Navy thinks so and I think others will want him too. At 6-foot-7 and playing all small forward for the Warriors he continues to be a big time game changer with his three point touch. Add in his intelligence as a team basketball player (forces nothing, moves the ball well, great off the ball) and his disciplined defense and you have a guy that I think can be a low major shooter and dependable worker.
Zach Ojile (Heat Vang/Spring Lake Park). Zach gave Heat Vang a fight on every possession which is how he got eight boards plus he knocked out a couple treys and was the player fighting from start to finish. A physical forward who also has to be a football prospect.
Trey Prince (Fury Kallman/Chanhassen). Trey made the foul shots that put his team over the Comets in the semi-final and then gave the Fury ten points in the final. Prince is a guy that has really surprised us. Why? He’s a lot more than we thought. A lot tougher than we thought. A lot quicker than we thought which is why he was always at the rim. Much stronger than we knew and he controls the ball so well and makes great decisions. Love how much he has progressed.
Tyler Riemersma (MN Warriors/Jefferson). Scored his double figures on six shots, led his team in boards, and what I love the most about Tyler is how much ground he covers offensively with and without the ball. Sets a strong screen and then quickly gets to his next spot. Flashes hard to catch and make a play before the defense can react. High IQ four man with a nice touch.
Jaran Roste (Comets Lewis/Alexandria). The Comets were sputtering against DLR but late in the half Jaran gave them a huge boost of energy with three rumbling attack scores late in the half including an And1. Jaran didn’t take a shot at all in the second half but he didn’t need to. He made his impact changing the momentum of the game and from there played his role as the tough guy.
Brian Sitzmann (Fury Kallman/Prior Lake). Had twenty points in the title game including an open floor dunk, a pair of threes, he grabbed six boards some of which became transition scores, and downright scored in every way possible. Scored his twenty and only missed three shots total. Another guy who I truly believe has the agility and skill to become a 20 point scorer in the future.
Mitch Sueker (Fury Zurn/Marshall). Mitch looks fully healthy and is starting to show everybody why people were so excited about him prospect wise before the shoulder injury. Getting stronger with wide shoulders so he can turn and touch the ball in inside but also has hit his mid-range jumper this weekend.
Sean Sutherlin (Heat Vang/Irondale). This has been said by us before but Sean is really showing that he has a chance to become a leading scorer in the metro area next year. Had 13 points on the move plus six rebounds and the image that will last is his collect and push over and over all weekend getting results.
Derek Thompson (Comets Lewis/Rocori). Derek’s second half rebounding effort was one of the more important items in the Comets beating DLR. There are little things to pick out of wins and of the three or four of them we noted Derek’s fight inside to board as well as his low post defensive efforts on bigger DLR players was crucial. Derek has really done a nice job becoming a consistent defender on the block and at the arc.
Will Whitmore (Heat Vang/BSM). Few guys played as hard as this guard from BSM. There was one point when he chased a loose ball that all had given up on and it provided his team a late score. His defensive effort was high level and he made a number of key foul shots for Heat Vang against WOTN.
Simon Wright (Comets Lewis/Hopkins). Simon has a reputation for a guy who fights until he gets success. We’ve seen it before and we saw it today when he missed four of his first six shots but then knocked out a couple treys during the biggest momentum swing of the game.