Twin Cities Instant Impact Freshmen Pt. 2

Last week Northstar Hoops Report detailed seven freshmen in the Twin Cities that have been making an impact at the varsity level. This week we run through seven more who have caught are attention as prospects to watch over the next few years! CJ O'Hara (6'4 2023 W, Totino-Grace)- Totino-Grace is off to a 7-4 start, and CJ O'Hara has been a spark off the bench as the Eagles' sixth man this year. CJ is a long wing at 6'4, and is well built physically for just a freshman. That size mixed with his explosive athleticism has allowed him to be a Swiss army knife type of player. He is versatile on defense, able to guard the 1-4 spots on the floor. Offensively he is capable of knocking down open threes, but does most of his damage driving to the hoop to finish. He displays patience in the lane, often avoiding charges with a long-strided Euro-step leading to a finish. Through 11 games he is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.2 ppg. Max Shikenjanski (6'1 2023 G, Stillwater)- The SEC is home to a handful of talented freshmen, and among them is Stillwater's Max Shikenjanski. The freshman guard has already taken over as the lead scoring option for Stillwater, putting up 14 ppg as we near the halfway point of the season. Max has already proven he isn't afraid of taking on high profile teams either, scoring 20 against East Ridge and 18 against Cretin-Derham Hall. He has a really quick release on his jumper which allows him to get off three pointers before defenders can close out on him, and he has also shown the ability to knock down step-back threes off the dribble. In the fast break he does a good job of weaving through traffic to get to the rim to finish. Jaheim Houts (6'3 2023 G, Hiawatha Collegiate)- Hiawatha Collegiate is absolutely loaded with young talent this year, and Jaheim Houts has been putting up some big numbers as a freshman. Through seven games Jaheim has averages of 19.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 3.6 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game. The long and wiry guard excels at attacking the basket offensively. He does a good job at using his long arms to his advantage, able to fully extend as he goes up to finish to avoid looming shot blockers. Defensively he excels at jumping passing lanes leading to some easy buckets in transition. Ka'Jon Jordan (2023 G, St. Paul Washington)- Ka'Jon Jordan isn't putting up big numbers like the rest of the players on this list, but I really liked what I saw out of him when I saw Washington play last month. Coming off the bench he has put up 5.3 ppg over the six games I have stats for. Putting the stats aside, I really liked what I saw out of Ka'Jon as a second option as a ball handler. He gets the ball moving offensively and has the vision to pick out an open man cutting to the basket. I saw him play against New Life Academy where he attacked the basket for an and-one, had a putback finish, and knocked down a pull-up three dribbling off a screen. Alex Jones (6'1 2023 G, Bloomington Jefferson)- Bloomington Jefferson had been playing without star wing Manny Montgomery until just a few days ago, and freshman Alex Jones has been stepping up in his absence. Alex is a physically strong guard who loves to attack the basket. Once he gets inside he has such a crafty layup package, able to finish with both hands or reverse to the other side of the hoop with ease. Alex is also explosive enough to finish above the rim in transition. Currently scoring 9.2 ppg, Alex has a high ceiling as a prospect as he continues to develop his outside game and further grow as an athlete. Donald Prah (5'11 2023 G, Anoka)- Donald Prah has been making his presence felt in the Northwest Suburban Conference with some solid, all-around performances. In seven games he is averaging 6.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. Donald is an accurate shooter from beyond the arc, knocking down 40% of his attempts from deep. Also impressive is his ability to rebound, not only as a freshman, but as a 5'11 freshman at that. Those types of rebounding numbers show his willingness to box out and fight for position. He is also a scrappy defender who is willing to put his body on the line to dive for loose balls. Romelle Bell (6'2 2023 F, Hiawatha Collegiate)- Romelle Bell is yet another talented freshman for Hiawatha, and though he's played in just four games this year, his impact has been large. I saw him playing JV last year as an eighth grader for Minneapolis Washburn, and he was in the role of point guard. He's now grown to 6'2 and appears to be playing more as a forward for Hiawatha. In his four games he has averages of 15 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, as he has been a monster on the glass for this young team. He is a big bodied player who uses his physical attributes to fight for boards and finishes in the paint, but also has guard skills that make him more versatile than just a big body in the paint.