Comets Shootout: Saturday 16U
Northstar Hoops had four guys in St. Cloud watching talent this past weekend. Who stood on my courts? Here is your list!
In the Fury Kaupa win (not Fury Kayla, but we are now routing for coach to name his kid that) Providence Academy forward Mark Richelson led the game in scoring and it was his physical dozen second half points going downhill that led the team. Mark gets numbers, it’s the way it is. You can analyze him all you want but the facts are that when Mark is playing he is getting your team point production.
The Comets Stumpf team beat School Boys by 20 and Wayzata guard Jacob Beeninga had 13 in his Comets debut. Strong start for him and Brandon Adelman (New London Spicer) who both scored (14 for BA) and got the ball to a feet set Derek Techam for his four threes made.
The game of the morning was Heat Wright outlasting SE Minnesota Lightning 64-59 in overtime. Noah Chamberlain (a 6-5 foot wing from St. Thomas who Northern State seemed to be watching closely from the baseline) took the game over with two late game contested scores. One was a pull-up forcing his way deep and lifting followed by a curl cut catch and finish that was hotly contested. Had 21 points and could not be stopped in the second half.
Joe Stanley of Breck is another nice prospect from Heat Wright. Most of his production was slashing at the rim as he supported with 16. Logan Benson (Ellsworth, Wisconsin) didn’t score much but he was one of the best passers on the floor and is a nice athlete at 6-foot-4.
Southeast Minnesota Lightning was leading the Heat Wright most of the game but couldn’t hold them off late. Whatever the outcome, 6-foot-5 2019 Adam Leary of Rochester Mayo made a name for himself today. How? Knocked out five of six threes, scored off the ball twice, and took a charge. Scored himself 19 in the loss. Hunter Voit of Stewartville also hit double figures including couple threes and a dunk.
Select Jaryan put up 80 beating Northern Lakers by 59 (the team was almost all freshman) and this was one of the most swarming defensive efforts I’ve seen. Tanner Koenen (Shakopee) was excellent in ball pressure as was Kresean Greer, a laterally explosive worker from DeLaSalle that played JV last year. Greer also made three treys and scored 15. Also making three treys plus a nasty stepback was Malik Willingham who scored 15. Jarvis Wright (Columbia Heights forward) knocked out triples while Luke Barnes (Mpls Roosevelt) scored a couple on the move and had a drop step one hander. It was an overwhelming win although it should have been since Select was playing what was basically a 15U team age wise.
Sauk Rapids guard Cade Baumgardner scored 14 today in a loss to Comets hitting three treys showing off a nice touch. In the second School Boys game they beat North Dakota Phenom Regional by ten. The STMA trio of Austin Jentzen, Rhoe Dillard, and Judson Chea made the biggest impact and at the same time have people thinking about the future of the Knights.
Jentzen is 6-foot-7 and a large body that moves fairly well. He was able to get post position all game long leading to a nice performance of 13 points and nine rebounds. Not only did he turn into scores but he had a few nice passes out of the post. Dillard was often the recipient led by the three feet set threes he made. Chea scored the dagger with an extending three point play late in the game.
North Dakota Phenom’s squads played at the same time. On the one court Trey Weist put up 19 but the top Phenom squad wasn’t able to get the needed win against the SE Minnesota Lightning (same Lightning team that fell to Heat Wright in overtime).
On the other court Keshawn Laframboise put up a shooting display knocking out six three-pointers and scoring 21 points for the game. The Bismarck 6-foot-1 shooting guard had players chasing him all over the court to avoid another triple. Teammate Chad Morsette put forth one of the strongest defensive displays of the day and his work effort on both ends is something to admire. Hard work young man. Chad is from Beulah.