GPA’17: 17U Championship Round Notes
Here are my many player notes from the GPA’17 Saturday quarterfinals, semi-finals, and finals at the 17U level of play.
Select Quarterfinal win vs WI Shooters.
Cire Mayfield. Loved his defense rattling his opponent with ball pressure. His rapid push in transition is also something he brings that most cant. Rebounds pretty good for a smaller guard as well.
Beijan Newbern. The latest word that comes to mind for Beijan is consistent. He’s playing at a high level every game for a team that is beating everyone. Can finish with either hand at the rim and few at this level can get in front of him before his quick first step attack.
Charlie Gove. Plays the role of second point guard perfectly. Charlie knows his role and that’s handle the ball, keep the ball moving, find open players for the right shots. Took just one shot in the quarter but his five assists was a huge piece.
Garrett Maag. Garrett stopped in to play after his numerous campus visits for football and basketball. Maybe the hottest two sport name in the state right now as both D1 football and basketball staffs are talking. Kid has physical gifts of size and agility that others on the court don’t.
Luke Martens. It’s the Beijan & Luke Show night after night, at least in the one sentence headline. Their toughness leads the way. Like had 11 points on And1 attacks and a three, and then went the other way and defended a D1 6-8 post at times, and a two guard at other times.
CJ Dickson. This resembled the winter for Dickson a lot. Others were scoring so Dickson went to the glass (seven boards) and defended plus scored when he had a chance.
Jake Binley. Jake knocked down three threes in four possessions and that gave his team a double figure lead that was the breathing room to beat the WI Shooters.
Ty Milkowski. Ty has become a much better shooter than in the past. He his one or two a game every contest and then goes the other way defending hard and rebounding. Plays his role well.
Powerhouse Minnesota win over D1 Minnesota Prospects.
Jarius Cook. It was Jarius that broke a close game open into a double figure controlling Powerhouse lead. Cook hit two threes, scored on two attacks and broke the contest open in his clean offensive way. What was really impressive was that this came after a defensive mistake that he wanted to make up for, and he did in a big way.
Anthony Davis. The Hopkins guard also had a key run for the Powerhouse squad going to his lefty finish to keep the ball away from the defense and then hitting a corner three. He hits a three a game everyone, the kid is fine as a shooter and we know he can defend as well as attack.
Deng Deang. The Sauk-Rapids athlete is so intriguing. Today I loved the way he moved off the ball to score his dozen points. A long athlete like this is hard enough to check off the ball and when he vaults to collect it’s too late. Deng should have a huge year as a slashing long wing.
Michael Schaefer. Michael seems to have bought in so well with being on a balanced scoring team. He does what he is asked to do in position and with defending screens on the one end and he takes advantage of the five or six scoring chances he has the other way with good percentages.
Duoth Gach. Still fitting into his role and he is doing it the right way. Powerhouse Minnesota has many scorers so in the quarters he only took two shots, but didn’t pout, just went ahead and grabbed six boards.
Terrell Smith. The Henry guard has another gear that I didn’t realize. This is a fast with the ball attack guard and he can push in a heartbeat. The potential is there for a really nice senior year and if he becomes more consistent, look out.
Eric Stai. One of those forwards that has a nose for offensive boards. The game of basketball in this era has completely forgotten about backside block-outs and there are guys like Eric that feast on this. Effort plays and Eric makes them, had ten against Powerhouse.
Joe Dunn. I will write the same thing about Joe I always write, he’s terrific in the paint. Uses the pivot as well as anybody to separate and hit his elbow jumper a couple times scoring in double figures versus Powerhouse.
Jack Moe. The Blake shooter missed his first three shots but then made all his second half foul shots and a pair of threes reminding everyone that Moe is a player that needs to have a hand in his face, or else.
Comets Lewis over Select Ohnstad
Kyler Kluge. Has embraced his role with this team so well defending, hitting when he gets his chance, executing offensively in whatever way his coach asks or his team needs.
Matt Todd. Picked his spots against Select and they were big ones. Started the game with a three, ended the half with a buzzer beating three, and made the foul shots down the stretch to put the game away. Had a dozen in the semi.
Brevyn Spann-Ford. Arguably the MVP and it wasn’t the 11 points or the nine boards as much as it was the toughness and energy he brought in the middle of the game. It’s easy to see how this guy will be cheered for by the entire state on Saturdays as he is such a rare athlete at his size.
Joe Hedstrom. Cut behind the defense for an early dunk. Finished in the paint three times in the second half. Blocked three shots physically. An inside presence was set.
Ethan Youso. Ethan scored his ten points on only five shots efficiently working to space and finishing. One thing he does better than most is getting a deep sit in the post and holding his man off. After that the spin or quick turn to finish is easy. His position fight makes him what he is.
Trevor Kaiser. Mr. Dependable. In some way he always plays that role. Today in the semi-final he brought effort and most importantly hit a pair of timely threes.
Beijan Newbern. His team may have lost and he will want a lot of foul shots back but I would say that few earned the respect for their performance like Newbern did. Twice he brought his team back with scoring runs scoring 14 for the semi-final.
Garrett Maag. Maag collected nine rebounds and hit a couple jumpers. Surely a better shooter than I knew he was.
Nick Fulford. The Waconia big had some moments in the semi-final like his early three and battle in the post but the biggest thing I took away was the way he competed. If he continues to compete in this way Nick will use that skill and size to find an excellent college basketball spot.
Powerhouse Minnesota over Comets Lewis in Overtime
Jarius Cook. Here is your MVP. The game went for a long time waiting for a difference maker and Cook became that difference maker with four threes in the second half as well as an attacking And1. Had a couple beautiful assists too.
Josiah Strong. The Champlin Park guard missed six of his first eight shots and was having a quiet game but late he made a huge three and followed that with a nasty crossover into an elbow jumper pull-up. Then scored a key attack in overtime. Had 11 points with five assists.
Colton Codute. His first half crossover into a jumper sent his defender into the opposing bench. That was a play to remember until Colton had a full court coast to coast lay-up finish at the regulation buzzer to bring his team into overtime. Colton also did a nice job on Matt keeping him in front for much of the game when he was on the floor.
Anthony Davis. Anthony was the top rebounder for his team, handled at times, dished out three assists, and scored on four possessions. Made up for a couple mistakes with key plays shortly after.
Michael Schaefer. Had a tough game shooting but had a couple effort plays that I felt pumped life into his team. One key putback late slipping past Brevyn as well as a defensive board wrestled from an opponent.
Duoth Gach. Duoth started the second half and put together a run that included a three, an attack, and an And1. It was an eight point scoring run that took the defense away from Cook and shortly after Cook scored four times. Had five boards too.
Matt Todd. Matt had a pair of late second half scores that allowed the Comets to get to the final stretch of the game. Both were full speed zips through the defense that were finished a fraction of a second before the contesting defense arrived.
Brevynn Spann-Ford. Brevyn was arguably the Comet MVP of Sunday. Had ten points and eight boards in the final, took a late charge that was important, and was locked in effort wise for much of the game.
Nathan Rund. Mr. Dependable Nathan Rund. Does what his team needs him to do. Had five points, four boards, and four assists. Defends hard.
Ethan Youso. Ethan played a key role in half two catching in the post and scoring or forcing them to foul after making a nice move. Ethan’s stroke is pure so foul shots continually drop for him. Had eight points and six boards.
Trevor Kaiser. The guy is tough mentally and physically. Will take big shots late in the game. Will take the assignment late on defense. Hit a huge three late from 23 feet and scored 11 points on seven shots.