Twin Cities Team of the Week: Week 7

After a few shortened weeks over the holiday season, we finally had a full week of high school hoops in the Twin Cities! Northstar Hoops Report is here to dish out ten of the top performers throughout the week! J'Vonne Hadley (6'6 2020 W, Cretin-Derham Hall)- Hadley appears to be fully adjusted to his new team this year, and he put together a pair of strong performances last week. In the first of two wins for CDH on the week, Hadley scored 24 points and added 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals against Irondale. Later that week he once again scored 24 while chipping in 6 rebounds and 6 assists to help knock off Roseville. Hadley is a versatile piece on the wing who has the skill to handle the ball and shoot from outside, but is also a phenomenal athlete who can finish inside off the dribble or off of backdoor cuts. He's been the go-to threat for one of the state's top teams this year. Tait Nelson (5'9 2020 G, St. Anthony)- I wasn't there to witness it in person, but from what I heard Tait Nelson put in an absolutely ridiculous performance against St. Thomas Academy last week. The senior guard exploded offensively to score 44 points in the win, but it was his defensive performance that makes this game even more noteworthy. The pest of an on-ball defender finished up the game with a reported 14 steals. Add in 8 rebounds and 7 assists, and Tait turned in one of the most impressive outputs you'll find at any level of basketball. Tait is one of the quickest players you'll find, allowing him to stick to his man like glue on defense, and exploit gaps in opposing defenses with the ball in his hands. He's known for producing at a high level on both ends of the floor, and this huge performance will put the metro on notice. Jack Janicki (6'1 2023 G, White Bear Lake)- The big time freshman continues to put in big time performances for a 5-6 White Bear Lake squad. Last week he helped his team to a 2-1 record, including a conference win over Woodbury. He scored 10 points against Mounds View, 25 against Woodbury, and then 22 in a close win over Mahtomedi. Janicki is just a freshman, but he plays with the confidence of a seasoned veteran, showing no hesitation pulling up from three with a defender close by, or weaving through traffic to score around the rim in transition. The crafty young guard is currently averaging 15.7 ppg this season. Alonzo Dodd (6'2 2022 G, South St. Paul)- Alonzo Dodd continues to make his case to fly up our 2022 rankings, putting in electrifying performances every time he steps on the floor. Dodd is an explosive leaper with a quick first step allowing him to attack the basket and fly to finish through contact. Last week he helped South St. Paul to two wins, scoring 24 points against Simley, and later dropping 28 on Hill-Murray. Dodd has made a habit of getting to the free throw line this year, excelling at drawing contact around the rim and then converting at a high rate. That ability allows him to put up scoring numbers consistently, even when his jumper isn't falling. He's a danger every time he steps on the floor. Matthew Willert (6'6 2020 W, Buffalo)- Last week we detailed Simeon Sharp's 58 point performance, and now it was Matthew Willert who was wearing out the nets, going off for 49 points in a win over STMA. He also added 28 in a win over Chanhassen, and then 18 in a losing effort to Maple Grove. Willert is one of the state's biggest scoring threats as a lanky 6'6 wing with deep shooting range. His long arms and high release point make his outside shot extremely hard to defend. Not only can he shoot, but he can also create for himself off the dribble, an attribute that makes him a big time pickup for St. Cloud State. Carter Owens (6'3 2021 G, St. Paul Highland Park)- Carter Owens has been having a big junior season in the St. Paul City Conference, and last week he had his biggest performance to date. In a close win over St. Paul Washington, Owens went off for 39 points. Later in the week he scored 16 as his team lost to Richfield. Owens has good size as a guard, and combines that with excellent finishing ability inside. He attacks the basket well, and does a good job of scrapping for second chance baskets. If Owens can improve on his jumper, he'll be a very dangerous player coming back as a senior. Jessye Lewis Jr. (6' 2023 G, Hiawatha Collegiate)- Jessye Lewis Jr. has been putting up some huge number at Hiawatha Collegiate, and this past week was no exception. He had games of 25 points and 7 rebounds, 38 points and 9 steals, and 30 points as his team went 2-1 on the week. The stat-stuffing freshman has been dominant attacking the basket, but is also a threat from beyond the arc. The 6' guard knocked down five shots from beyond the arc in his 38 point outburst over Groves Academy, and has been lighting it up from deep all season long. After scoring 501 points as an eighth grader, he's on pace to eclipse 1,000 career points as a freshman. Dan Ijadimbola (6'2 2022 G, Benilde-St. Margarets)- Ijadimbola came into the week averaging just 8.5 ppg, but turned into two performances well above that average against some tough competition. Though his team came out on the losing end in both games, he scored 23 against Robbinsdale Cooper, then added 14 against the always solid Edina. As just a sophomore, Dan plays with great patience, moving with pace but always under control. He's good at reading which way the defender is leaning, and then accelerating in the opposite direction to attack. He isn't a super explosive finisher, but he does well to contort his body in the air to finish around defenders. He's another solid member of the loaded 2022 class. Christo Polydorou (6' 2020 G, Minneapolis Southwest)- Christo has been one of the top scorers in the Minneapolis City Conference this year, and he built upon his strong start with two big performances last week. He helped Southwest pull off a 68-66 win over St. Paul Harding behind a 25 point performance. Later in the week he scored 27 as Southwest fell to Minneapolis North in conference play. His ability to attack the basket with patience before deciding to kick it out or look to finish really stands out. I couldn't find any assist numbers for him, but I'd guess he averages a handful each game just kicking the ball out to shooters after the help defense collapses on him in the lane. Gabe Ganz (6' 2021 G, Blake)- Gabe Ganz helped Blake pick up two wins last week, putting in a pair of well rounded performances. In a win over Breck, Ganz scored 16 points while also chipping in with 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Later in the week he scored 13 points with 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 more steals. Ganz is a sharpshooter who excels at coming off of screens and letting it fly from deep, but will also pull-up off the dribble from three if he's given too much space. He's been putting up really good numbers all year for an 8-2 Blake squad.