Hard Work Finals: Stock Boosters

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The top stock boosters following the 2019 Prep Hoops Hard Work Region Finals... Leon Bond - 2022 - F - JH1 Elite The secret is out. Bond is a bonafide stud in the 2022 class. The Tosa East forward wowed me in the last two outings, including a near upset over Wisconsin Playground Club in the quarterfinals. Bond is already proving to be a special prospect, but the scary part is, I’m not sure he’s even close to his ceiling. The 6-foot-4 combo forward is a plus-length, athletic prospect who can handle the ball and do tremendous things in transition. But he’s still developing a mid-range and 3-point shot, as well as a back-to-the-basket game — two things he did flash in Minnesota. If all else fails, this kid’s motor will take him far. He brings it on both ends for 36 minutes every time out. Micah Causey - 2022 - PG - Wisconsin Playground Club Causey took some nice steps forward over the past few weeks. He's so confident in his speed and ball handling ability that Causey can force his way into traffic too much, but showed much more poise during the finals. I haven't seen a guard as good at breaking down defenders as Causey, who's just lighting quick and has the ball on a string. He's certainly at his best when he has space to operate and can drive and dish. Causey is also tough as nails and at just 5-foot-9, isn't afraid to take hits around the rim and will finish through contact as well. Ryan Claflin - 2020 - F - Wisconsin Crusaders I just think this kid is going to be a valuable addition to any Division 2 roster. He may not be a huge scorer at the next level, but Claflin will find a way to get on the floor. While he isn't the go-to scorer for the Crusaders, Claflin does have some budding talent on that end of the floor. The 6-foot-7 forward has a good-looking 3-point stroke, can handle the basketball, and do some things on the block. Certainly a prospect with glue guy potential, Claflin battles on the glass and for loose balls. He's just a worker that can affect the game in a variety of ways. Tyrese England - 2020 - G - Wisconsin United There weren't many, if any better isolation scorers than England over the weekend. The senior combo guard just loves to pull people away from the rim and challenge them to stay in front. England is a very good mid-range scorer with an outstanding pull-up game. He's a little undersized, but makes up for it with crafty ball handling skills and a lot of wiggle when he gets into space. Gerald Gittens - 2020 - PG - Wisconsin Rap Closing out his AAU career in style, Gittens took his game up to a whole new level this weekend. Gittens simply wants to get downhill and force defenders to stop him. He’s undersized, but plays with a bulldog mentality and has terrific upper body strength as well as above the rim athleticism. Not known as a shooter, Gittens has quickly improved his perimeter game and opened some eyes in that regard. Helping lead Wisconsin Rap to the 17U championship, Gittens dropped 30 points in a win over the Minnesota Comets. Brock Heffner - 2021- PF - ABC Young Lions A big body with a finesse post game, Heffner has come a long way since the spring. An old school post prospect, Heffner has the type of game that’s going to carry him well into his 40’s and 50’s when he’s running at the local YMCA. While it’s easy to get excited about guys who go above the rim, 90 percent of the game is still played below the cylinder. Heffner showed off an array of moves, fakes, and counters on the block and his footwork was arguably the best in the entire field. Ashton Janowski - 2022 - PG - JH1 Elite I think Janowski might be a top 15 prospect in the 2022 class. He was sensational in two games that I saw, including against a loaded Wisconsin Playground Club squad. The energy that Janowski brought to the point guard position was unmatched. The Pewaukee native is very shifty and can finish around the rim at top end speed. Danilo Jovanovich - 2022 - F - Wisconsin Playground Club Jovanovich showed some good flashes throughout the weekend and it appears like he'll develop into a nice prospect should he continue to work. The first thing that stands out is the frame. Jovanovich is long, but now raw or too thin. He's more of a post-up presence, but in a year or two should start to expand his game to the perimeter more. When you consider how fluid this kid moves and how quickly he can get off the floor, Jovanovich's long term upside is one of the best in 2022. John Lovelace - 2021 - SF - ABC Young Lions Interested to see how Lovelace progresses and builds off the momentum he built this summer over the course of his junior season. You could kind of see him start to believe that he can be a star and play with many of the top guys in the state. The 6-foot-4 wing has an intriguing skill set and athleticism. First and foremost, he's a slasher that can finish off-balance thanks to some good length. When you consider his consistent outside shooting ability, defenders kind of have to pick their poison with the Tosa East standout. Davonte McAlister - 2020 - SG - Wisconsin Starz Elite McAlister quietly averaged around 15 points per game last season, but could be in store to make much more noise in 2019-20. A very confident scorer, McAlister can size people up and just go to work. He's got a quick first step and blow-by ability on the ball. If he's in rhythm as a shooter, a hand in his face isn't going to do a whole lot. His shot selection needs some work, but McAlister definitely jumped onto our radar after the weekend. Gavin Ralph - 2021 - SF - Wisconsin Academy Really liked what I saw of Ralph Saturday morning. Showing more of a killer instinct, Ralph dropped 27 points in a win over Minnesota Rise. Always thought Ralph was too unselfish as a player. He'd often try and create a better look for his teammates, rather than taking a quality look for himself, even though he's the team's best scorer. That wasn't the case Saturday morning as Ralph played as aggressive as we've ever seen. Ralph came out and scored 11 of his team's first 15 points. The Wauzeka-Steuben standout never took his foot off the gas pedal, constantly taking the ball to the rim and challenging defenders to alter his path. A skilled wing with an inside-outside game, Ralph has the scoring versatility and the drive and dish ability to make him a strong college prospect. James Randolph - 2020 - SF - Wisconsin Surge When I first saw Randolph in Las Vegas last year, I really didn’t consider him a college prospect. He had obvious upside and a high ceiling, but honestly, I thought he was the type of the player that would never come close to reaching that potential. A year later, Randolph has proved me wrong. Consistently in double figures throughout the weekend, Randolph is showing signs of being a late bloomer. He’s got a very intriguing frame that college programs will love and now his skill set is starting to catch up. I’ll be considering him for a spot in the top 50 when the rankings are updated in August.