St. Paul City Conference Prospects To Watch

Last year the St. Paul City Conference saw a dominant senior class lead Central to an undefeated conference record. With all of that talent gone, there's a chance for a few teams to take over as the top-dog in the conference. We take a look at some of the players who could help lead their teams to success, and find some college opportunities of their own. Simeon Sharp (6'2 2020 G, St. Paul Harding)- Simeon was a dominate scoring threat on a team last year that featured a strong duo of seniors. Even with those two carrying some of the scoring duties, Simeon still averaged 18.8 ppg, including highs of 37 and 31. This year expect his scoring numbers to increase as his role in the offense will expand even more. The 6'2 guard is one of the quickest players in the state with the ball in his hands, and is a terror when he gets into the open floor. In the half-court he has such a quick first step that lets him blow by his defender and get to the rack where he is able to finish through contact. After a strong AAU season with RIP City, expect big things from Simeon in the City Conference this year. Drew White (6'5 2020 W, St. Paul Washington)- A high ceiling player who put together some strong performances as a junior, Drew White looks ready to increase his stock as a prospect this year. He has the size and athleticism of a scholarship level guard/forward on the wing, and he used that to his advantage last year to average 16.9 ppg as a junior. Capable of throwing down thundering dunks, pulling up from mid-range off the dribble, or knocking down threes, Drew has a solid offensive skill set to work with. This year it will be about consistency to prove himself to colleges. With highs of 33 and 25 (three times), he can put up numbers in bulk. If he can deliver on a consistent basis, he could find himself in conference MVP contention. Kaden Doram (6'2 2021 G, St. Paul Central)- What does Central have to replace their graduating class? One player to watch is Kaden Doram. The 6'2 guard played varsity ball in Kentucky as a freshman before transferring to St. Paul Central for his sophomore year. It's hard to know exactly what his impact will be this year as he was playing on the Central JV team last year, but he is an explosive athlete who can finish above the rim and also block shots on defense. Kaden played within the Grassroots Sizzle program this past spring/summer, and will have plenty of opportunity to make an impact for Central this winter. If the skill-set can catch up to the physical attributes, Central will have another exciting prospect in Kaden Doram. Brian Williams (6'3 2021 F, St. Paul Humboldt)- Brian was the leading scorer for an upstart 11-15 Humboldt team last year, and had another off-season to improve his game. An undersized forward, Brian averaged 16.8 points as a sophomore with highs of 28, 26, and 24 (three times). He has flashy handles that at times look out of control, yet he manages to catch defenders reaching and blow by them with deceptive agility. When not handling the rock, the lefty is a strong finisher inside who can move his defender in the paint. Look for another productive season from the Humboldt junior. Larry Harris (6' 2020 G, St. Paul Johnson)- Johnson loses a lot of key pieces from last year's squad, but Harris returns to lead the show at Johnson. He averaged 10 ppg, and with a much bigger role this year he could see that number push upwards of 20 as a senior. Consistency will be key for him this season, as there were multiple times last season where he would score close to 20 points one night, and then be held to one or two baskets the next game. Harris is currently ranked #235 in our newly updated 2020 rankings, and a strong senior year could garner him college attention from some smaller schools looking for a productive guard. Alex Addai (6'4 2021 PF, St. Paul Harding)- Though his 8.5 ppg last year weren't eye catching, Alex Addai could have a breakout junior year. Currently ranked #146 in our class of 2021 rankings, he is the highest ranked junior in the St. Paul City Conference. At 6'4 he'll be one of the biggest players in the conference with the strength and frame to dominate a game inside. Alex has a handful of post moves at his disposal that lead to finishes on the paint, and he is a threat to bring down the rim in transition with powerful dunks. A returning Honorable Mention All-Conference player, he'll look to combine with Simeon Sharp to form one of the conference's best duos. Zaveon Smith (6'1 2020 G, St. Paul Washington)- Looking for a three point sharpshooter? Look no further than Washington's Zaveon Smith. He averaged a conference-leading 21.5 ppg last year as a junior, and will look to build on that number as a senior. In doing so, he'll combine with Drew White to form a duo that should help Washington improve upon their 2-10 conference record from last year. If he has the space to get off a three, he's shooting it, and those shots go in at a high percentage. He put up some of the more impressive offensive performances I saw last year, including a 37 point showing that saw him knocking down shots from way downtown. Add in three other 30+ point games, and Zaveon is a threat to take over any game offensively.