Coe College Junior/Senior Prospect Camp Standouts
This past Sunday, we were at Coe College for their annual Junior/Senior Prospect Camp, where we got a look at nearly 30 prospects from Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois who will play at the next level. Below, we take a…
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Continue ReadingThis past Sunday, we were at Coe College for their annual Junior/Senior Prospect Camp, where we got a look at nearly 30 prospects from Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin and Illinois who will play at the next level. Below, we take a look at some of the standout performers from Sunday afternoon’s action.
PG Cael Schmitt (Dubuque Wahlert/2020)
By far the best individual defender I saw on Sunday afternoon, the 5-11 lead guard has quick feet and even quicker hands. He routinely stripped opposing players as they went up for their shots, or just picked their pocket while they were dribbling. His offensive game continues to improve, as his pull-up jumper from 15 feet is nearly automatic, and he’s comfortable finishing at the rim through contact. One of the smartest players around, he’s always looking ahead when he has the ball in his hands, and regularly makes the right play with the ball.
G Josh Ollendieck (Cedar Falls/2020)
A 6-3 combo guard, I’ve always liked Ollendieck’s passing abilities, but after seeing him play primarily off the ball on Sunday, I may like him even more there. He moves really well without the ball, is a knockdown shooter and has good awareness, cutting to the rim for open layups and finishing in the paint with either hand. He’s a long, lanky guard whose length really can create issues on the defensive end of the floor as well. When he does have the ball in his hands on the offensive end, he still needs to work on tightening up his dribble, but he’s an excellent passer who routinely puts the ball in his teammates’ shooting pocket when he makes the dish. Ollendieck is a high-level player on both ends of the floor who will make a big impact for a Division II or Division III team down the road, wherever he finds the best fit.
PF Max Lampe (Cedar Rapids Prairie/2020)
The development that Lampe has made since first seeing him as a sophomore is tremendous. It seems like each time I see him he’s grown another inch and shed another few pounds, and he appears to have completely lost the baby fat that was on him when I first saw him play. His body isn’t the only thing that has changed, however. He’s become a much more confident, and capable, basketball player. He was bringing the ball up the floor, playing like a guard at 6-8, and he was attacking the rim within the halfcourt setting, something that I wouldn’t have dreamed of him doing a few years ago. During shooting drills he showed a good stroke out to the arc, and he has good hands on the glass. He’s always been a pretty solid passer for a big man, and that skill certainly hasn’t gone away either. You can play through him in the high post, and trust him to make the right read. Watching young players develop like this is fun, and Lampe’s development has been outstanding to witness.
PF Grant Swanson (New London/2020)
Swanson has always been one of my favorites, and he keeps adding to his arsenal. A 6-6 forward, he showed off an impressive 3-point stroke during the drill portion, routinely knocking down 3s. His release probably needs to get a little quicker, but he gets great rotation on his shot and he’s consistent with his stroke. He seems to have also become tougher, more willing to mix it up in the paint and play with some physicality on both ends of the floor. He rebounded well, and finished with either hand in the paint, sometimes with plenty of contact.
G Ira Hazeltine (Iowa City Liberty/2021)
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the afternoon was this 5-10 Liberty guard, who was torching the nets all day, both in drills and during game play. Hazeltine has a quick release and moves extremely well off the ball, floating into open areas of the defense, and he’s ready to shoot immediately on the catch. He has unlimited range, and put on a show in Cedar Rapids on Sunday afternoon. In addition to his shooting prowess, he showed some ball handling and passing abilities, and was also feisty on the defensive end.
PG Jack Breitbach (Cedar Rapids Xavier/2021)
Breitbach really showed out in the game portion of the camp, showcasing himself as perhaps the best passer in the gym. A 5-10 lead guard, he has a great feel for the game and made a dozen or so excellent passes in the 30-40 minutes of game action that took place. He plays well in the pick-and-roll and has outstanding court vision. Look for him to make an impact with the Saints this winter, and he’ll be the type of lead guard that Division III coaches will covet. What he lacks in size, he makes up for in skill.