Hard Work Live: Saturday Afternoon
Minnesota teams have hit Madison and Hard Work Live in massive numbers and the results have all been pro-Minnesota. So far the Land of 10,000 Lakes has dominated.
Hottest Shooter in Minnesota
The 17 and Under level of play is tough. Teams are full of players that put up strong numbers all winter long and when they come together often playing a maximum of 60 percent of games in the spring, it’s tough to record consistent numbers. This is why Jacob Stolzenberg’s consistent double digit production for the Minnesota Matrix has been so impressive.
As a junior at St Cloud Cathedral, Jacob made a ridiculous 45.1 percent of his shots behind the arc leading to his 14 points per game playing with a strong senior class. Stolzenberg’s Matrix season was only four games old coming into day but Jacob had totals of 15, 16, and 11 in previous games. That set him up for a massive game against Gallo Sports Center.
Stolzenberg’s first half consisted of four first half three point makes with Jacob running baseline to the corner or moving sharply off screens to produce. Then in the second half he made a foul line jumper and three more triples: and of course he was the guy making all four technical foul free throw attempts.
Jacob put a 17u day high 27 points in the book in his first game and had a baseline full of coaches looking for size taking note of his name. That’s what happens when you make 45 percent of your treys as a junior and then explode on the big stage in the open period.
Charles KatonaCharles is Definitely in Charge
Every player that has ever competed on a basketball court has went through a time period where shooting percentages are down and then a shot rims out making the player feel like nothing can go right. I’m not sure if Charles Katona had hit that stage, but there was a 2-3 game stretch between St. Cloud and Council Bluffs were the percentages weren’t great. That time period is now over and Charles Katona is playing like the 16U All State level competitor he was for Fury Zurn a year ago.
Katona left the Hard Work Live Kickoff event with a 27 point game against undefeated South Dakota Attack and then picked up where he left off today. Playing in the Hard Work Live opening game with North Dakota State, Omaha, and half the NSIC watching, Katona scored 17 against an outstanding defensive team named ET21 Buckeyes.
ET21’s team was not big but they were always in defensive position meaning that Katona had to score over length for his six of nine shooting. The baskets included two attacks where Katona took chest contact and then touched shots over opposing reach. He also made two shots at the arc and Charles attacked the basket getting to his lift before the defense could get to an extended help position. Add in a pair of foul shots and some threes and this is the Charles Katona we know. The guy that led 21-win Shakopee into the top ten of Class AAAA and the guy that led Fury Zurn to an incredible 16u season.
Good things look to be coming.
Bigs Finding Their Space
A year ago Colin Meade of Rochester Lourdes and Tate Machacek of Eastview were on different 16u teams. Both are 6-foot-5/6-foot-6, strong power forwards that have been putting up solid varsity numbers since playing varsity as freshmen. Now Meade is with WOTN, Machacek with Minnesota Matrix, and both had excellent Saturday morning 20+ point performances.
Machacek put 20 points on the board for the Matrix in the Saturday morning opener. Tate used his pivot foot to score through multiple defenders first using agile steps to find space and then using his size/power to complete. Tate also showed off a bit of range making a pair of threes and another shot from mid-range.
Meade looks an inch taller, he’s definitely stronger, and with that looks to have come confidence. Colin moving to space with aggressive efforts and catching to score confidently. When he faced the basket Colin quickly used a dribble to put himself in scoring position and he was aggressive in demanding the ball (as he should be). Add in the two threes and range was showed as well.
Josh BrownHeat Vang/Heat Nord/Heat Success
I don’t care who is coaching, who is leading at any given time, I really like watching this Heat team coached by Willie Vang and Connor Nord. Guards Tait Nelson and Micah Ladd did an outstanding job at creating space off of initial screens for high percentage scoring chances. Each pass Nelson and Ladd gave to a teammate was perfectly placed and that’s what all wings and bigs want, chances to score made simpler.
The two biggest benefactors were Josh Brown (Park Center guard who scored 16) and Daydor Phillips (Spring Lake Park forward that scored 14). Brown knocked out three more triples and Philips seemed to be at the rim for baskets every other possession down when he was on the floor.
Basketball Bullet Points
- The most high profile college coaches watching games this morning were from Wisconsin. Head Coach Greg Gard and assistant Joe Krabbenhoft watched Matthew Mors plus a Dayton assistant watched several games as well.
- Andrew Morgan is unstoppable at the 16U level. Too strong, too skilled. What makes it even tougher to deal with is Morgan is often the first one down the floor to make plays, A ten point game was quickly a 17 point game after Morgan ran the floor for three straight transition baskets.
- Sam Opsahl of Goodhue/WOTN is without a doubt one of the hardest working players at Hard Work Live. I would guess that Sam is 6-foot-4 and is constantly in the right defensive position. If players can catch a pass versus Sam they still must deal with his positioned shot contest 100 percent of the time. Add in Sam’s work to offensive space and you have a player that will likely score five times a game, every game for WOTN.
- Jacob Jennissen had at least schools watching on the baseline with he being the primary reason. Jacob, who is 6-foot-11, showed three touch scores lifting his feet and touching the ball in while in the air.
- Minnesota Fury forward Brady Williams continues to be one of the best all around players of April. He’s always in defensive position, a fantastic passer in the frame work. takes the right shots, has an improved jumper and produced 11 points, five boards, and four boards for Fury. One of the most consistent players game to game.