Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo: Junior/Senior Standouts
Northstar Hoops Report kicks off a week long of reporting from this past weekend’s Top 250 Prep Hoops Expo starting with the junior and senior standouts.
This week we will run through the stock raisers, the new names to know, and other things but we start with the best of the best.
Prep Hoops Expo Top Five Standouts
Manny Jingco, Forest Lake (6-1, 2018). No player dominated the games like Manny did going in both directions. Defensively he was a menace and his team was the most stacked so all of the turnovers he created became various passing creations. His toughness and leadership makes me believe that not only can Manny be a big time shooter but if he continues to improve as a handler he could be a heck of a college combo some day.
Tyler Kemp, New Prague (6-6, 2019). Mr Kemp is a rare item. At his size with length Tyler handles the ball very well, hits shots from the perimeter, and is an excellent passer. But this weekend his ability to move his feet to defend followed by using his length to block shots or contest attempts time and time again. Kemp also went at the rim and finished consistently.
Nathan Seelye, Grand Rapids (6-3, 2018). Nathan is on the list of the most underappreciated player prospects in this state. In the one on one drills Seelye was nearly impossible to score over and the ground he covered with each dribble in the halfcourt stuff made him impossible to keep in front of. Nathan is a versatile talent that will make a program happy they grabbed him.
Blake Smith, Grand Rapids (6-7, 2018). First play that caught the eye of the camp? The curl off a screen from Blake into a drop step physical dunk. Who knew that he was THAT explosive. People know that Smith could move around the basket but this was different. Smith is going to be a double-double monster as a senior.
Tommy Chatman, Park Center (6-3, 2019). Tommy has always been able to shoot the basketball and he of course did that well. What I loved about Chatman was his push up the floor and his vision in making plays for others. Chatman has more crafty playmaking than I think most realized.
Prep Hoops Expo Next Five Standouts
Brandon Adelman, New London-Spicer (6-3, 2019). Heard a lot about Brandon’s exploits on the football field and you can see that he’s a more physical athlete than he was when he was a beautiful freshman playmaker. He’s grown physically into a guy that can play several spots.
Camden Arndt, Morris Area (6-3, 2019). Camden may have been the hardest guy to keep off the boards at the expo. Not sure what was most impressive: Brandon’s physical strength getting to space, his effort in making the plays, or what he did after collecting the ball. Skills are there too.
Alex Battist, Maple Grove (6-7, 2018). What Alex did as a low post defender both in the drills and in the full court action was the item that was most interesting. Alex also vaulted off the ground to finish above the rim several times. Battist is an agile player with good size.
Karsten Broadley, Fosston (6-6, 2019). Drills, open floor action, 1 on 1, 2 on 2, etc, Karsten scored in so many different ways. The active off ball stuff has always been there as has been the tough from mid-range. This weekend when Karsten did with feet set and on the move attacking on the corner turn really impressed.
Anthony Davis, Hopkins (6-2, 2018). Every time we looked over or came by the court Anthony was on he was defensively suffocating a guy and then turning the player over into an open floor score. Anthony was the highest rated senior prospect and he played like it.
Prep Hoops Expo Noteworthy Standouts
Beau Bailey, Lakeville South (6-4, 2018). Did more handling and hitting open jumpers than we have seen before. Was more aggressive offensively than we’ve seen in the past.
Colton Codute, Orono (5-10, 2018). Loved the way he approached every drill and every possession. It was all a challenge to Colton and he won just about every challenge by fighting harder than his man.
Zachary Kjeseth, Wabasha-Kellogg (6-1, 2018). Zachary was the guy that made sure the ball was moving on the open floor runs when he was playing with strangers in an exposure event. That is the type of kid he is.
Ethan Matzke, Spring Grove (6-3, 2019). Ethan looked healthy and played like a guy who is going to step into the shoes of Chase Grinde as an all around player. Expect Spring Grove to stay in the Class A top ten.
Andy Stafford, Minnetonka (6-5, 2019). Skilled, long, and just glides up the floor. Becoming more confident in his ability to lead a team as a playmaker possession after possession.