Hard Work Region Finals: 15U Friday Standouts
And we are off to the races! The Hard Work region finals began this Friday and there was a ton of great 15U action at Jefferson. On a day that featured breakout performances, overtime thrillers, and a phenomenal three-point and…
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Continue ReadingAnd we are off to the races! The Hard Work region finals began this Friday and there was a ton of great 15U action at Jefferson. On a day that featured breakout performances, overtime thrillers, and a phenomenal three-point and slam dunk contest, the below 15U players stood out.
SG Devon Hansbrough (2022) Capital Team Work/Bloomington Jefferson
Hansbrough felt very comfortable playing in his hometown gym. The 5’8″ guard’s play is very shifty off the bounce and he can get to the basket with ease. He led Capital Team Work’s second-half surge, nailing a three then slashing through the lane for a layup to get his team back into the game. Also, in Capital Team Work’s full-court press, Hansbrough flew around the court causing chaos. A high-energy guy with some major offensive skills.
SF Easton Zempfel (2022) Wisconsin Academy/ Middleton
Easton is a rangy 6’4″ wing that can hurt defenses from both the paint and the perimeter. He has one of the sweeter strokes in the tournament but was not afraid to scrap inside for offensive rebounds. Zempfel seven quick first-half points were a reason Wisconsin Academy came out firing in the first half against Select Davis.
SG Devin Robinson (2022) Select Davis/Simley
Although Select Davis relied on Mitchel Jaskowiak’s heroics in their first-round victory, Robinson was the heartbeat throughout the whole game. The Simley wing was phenomenal, scoring 14, but, more impressively, adding two sweet second-half rejections. Robinson is so dominant going left and uses his length to stretch the ball past trailing defenders. A huge performance that was critical in Select’s win.
PF Dawson Algee (2022) SW IL Jets/ O’Fellon Township
Algee is a throwback 4 that seems to invite contact. The 6’3″ big man is so strong and so difficult to move inside. Against The Work Foundation, Algee did a fantastic job of positioning himself for offensive rebound opportunities, then converting with a feathery touch. His gut-wrenching and-one finish late in the second half seemed to be the dagger of the game. A great rebounder that not only excels in scoring garbage baskets but has impressive footwork and post moves for his age.
PF/C Evan Dushek (2022) MN Heat MacDonald/ Owatonna
I’ve seen Evan play on multiple occasions and have always loved the way he competes. He had a couple of huge baskets in the NHR state tournament, and has impressive size standing at over 6’6″. Today, I noticed how complete Dushek’s game is. He stretched out multiple times and hit mid-range jumpers, but also showed the ability to guard multiple positions. Keep an eye on Dushek and Heat MacDonald, they could be the bracket buster of this tournament.
SG/SF Chase Travis (2022) Illinois Bears/ Olney
Travis is so smooth. The 6’3″ wing can handle the ball and uses his slashing ability to hurt defenders off the dribble. Travis is a complete offensive player that can score in a variety of ways. On the defensive end, Travis has great size and length that he uses to disrupt passing lanes and contest shots.
SG Jordan Hibner (2022) Wisconsin Academy/Monona Grove
Hibner hit the shot of the day for Wisconsin Academy in their opening-round matchup against Select Davis. With the clock winding down, the ball found Hibner on the left-wing, around 25 feet away from the basket. While some may have crumbled, the 6’1″ guard calmly squared his feet and nailed a game-tying three-pointer that sent the game into overtime. Cold-Blooded.
PF Mitchell Jaskowiak (2022) Select Davis/ Glencoe Silver-Lake
Jaskowiak was a major factor on the boards all day against Wisconsin Academy. The. 6’3″ bruiser came up with a clutch board and putback to walk-off winners. A very tough player that any coach would love to have on their team.