Hidden Gems: Metro West

<p>As the season approaches, preview content begins to escalate for the 2019-20 hoops campaign.</p> <p>We’ll continue this series called Hidden Gems by naming one sleeper prospect from each team, conference by conference. Who is poised for a big season with new responsibilities? NHR details an up-and-comer from every angle, today in the Metro West.</p> <p><strong>Benilde-St. Margaret's: Zach Carden, 6-0 G, Sr. </strong>Dylan Drees graduated so there's some usage to be spread around with the returning Knights. Nick Peterson is the gritty leader of the clubhouse and Zach Carden returns with experience on the perimeter too, scoring eight a game as a junior. Carden is a superb baseball player and has great coordination and balance which will make him a reliable piece in the BSM engine.</p> <p><strong>Bloomington Jefferson: Manny Montgomery, 6-5 F, Sr. </strong>Even still after a monster summer I don't know if we're talking about Manny Montgomery enough. The rangy guard/forward has developed a smooth scoring touch off the dribble and has proven capable of exploding when he gets a rhythm offensively. Look out for a 20+ point average from him this year.</p> <p><strong>Bloomington Kennedy: Amarion Hanspard, 6-0 G, Jr. </strong>Shooting the ball efficiently on the move is a rare skill for a high schooler. It requires balance and coordination and plain shot-making talent. Hanspard showed flashes of this running off staggers and taking the ball off the bounce last year and it resulted in a few scores a game as a sophomore. With the top two Eagle scorers gone, his role will increase to more than perimeter sniping.</p> <p><strong>Chanhassen: Luke Gitzen, 6-4 SG, Sr. </strong>After battling some injuries throughout the last year, Luke Gitzen has rebounded to prove himself as an elite shooter and complementary piece in the metro. The Storm will move him to the forefront of the offense now and that demands more playmaking on top of adding to his 12 PPG clip. Gitzen's poise, elevation on his shot and strong frame have always caught eyes.</p> <p><strong>Chaska: Zach Lea, 6-3 PG, Sr. </strong>I was surprised to see Lea's scoring average last season hung around 9-10 a game. His explosiveness off the bounce and eyes on the rim in traffic are immediate strong points of his game and with a bevy of workhorse pieces around him that can get rebounds for him to push in transition, I expect his usage to climb higher while also seeing a spike in efficiency and assist rate. Lea will draw attention and break through the defense to get his own and get opportunities for others.</p> <p><strong>Robbinsdale Cooper: Broderick Powell, Jr., 5-9 PG, Jr. </strong>Powell gets to fill an important lead guard spot in a more consistent way with Jalen Miller and Jalen Justice graduated. He scored close to 9 a game last year changing pace with the ball in his hands and getting in the paint. No doubt the Cooper offense will be designed for the same kind of dribble penetration to let him thrive again.</p> <p><strong>St. Louis Park: Paris Johnson, 6-4 SF, Jr. </strong>Still somewhat under the radar is a rapidly improving player in Paris Johnson. His size is a problem for defenses on the wing and he has quickness to blow past you to the rim. He led the Orioles with 15.6 PPG last season. He'll have the ball plenty to showcase his skill and polish his overall game as a playmaker.</p>