Twin Cities Team of the Week: Week 9

The metro area was loaded with high school hoops action last week, featuring some great individual performances from sleepers, known veterans, and young prospects alike. We'll break down the best of the best from last week, picking 10 standouts to form our team of the week! Yarin Alexander (6'4 2022 W, Burnsville)- Yarin didn't enter this season as one of the known names in the loaded sophomore class, but he's playing his way into that upper-echelon of 2022 players. Last week Burnsville played five games, and Yarin put in some strong performances attacking from the wing. He started off with 33 points in a win over Minneapolis South, followed by 9 against Apple Valley, 17 against Rosemount, 25 at Prior Lake, and capped off the week with 12 in a win against Minneapolis Washburn. Burnsville went 3-2 on the week, and Yarin was at the forefront of their scoring attack with some strong takes off the dribble, three point shooting, and taking the ball coast-to-coast to finish. The strong framed wing is one to watch for the future. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jordan-jones/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jordan-jones/">Jordan Jones</a></a> (5'9 2020 G, Columbia Heights)- Jordan's scoring averages have skyrocketed since last season, and he continues to impress every time I see him play. Last week he scored 28 in a win over St. Anthony, faced off against a really good guard in <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tait-nelson/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tait-nelson/">Tait Nelson</a></a>. Then he scored 25 (with 8 steals) against Brooklyn Center, and 26 against Stewartville. Jordan is an efficient scorer who can shoot from deep, and utilizes a deadly pump-fake and hesitation move to blow by his defender to get to the rack. This season he is shooting 63% from the field, 81.5% from the charity stripe, and 39.4% from beyond the arc. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/drake-dobbs/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/drake-dobbs/">Drake Dobbs</a></a> (6'1 2020 PG, Eden Prairie)- Simply put, <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/drake-dobbs/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/drake-dobbs/">Drake Dobbs</a></a> has ice in his veins. He steps up when his team needs him the most, and he did so last week in two tough games. Eden Prairie was tested in a win over Buffalo, and Drake stepped up to score 30 points to help his team pull away in win. Against a loaded Park Center team, Drake helped put the game away early with a strong first half, and he finished off with 31 points in arguably their most impressive win of the season. Drake has always been a sharpshooter, but has built on his ability to attack the ball and finish, using great extension to keep the ball away from shot blockers when attacking the basket. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kendall-blue/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kendall-blue/">Kendall Blue</a></a> (6'5 2022 G, East Ridge)- It's been evident that <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kendall-blue/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kendall-blue/">Kendall Blue</a></a> is one of the top 2022 prospects in the state for a while, but his breakout from JV player last year to a varsity standout this year has been fun to watch. Last week he put up three big games against some tough competition. He started off with 19 in a win over Roseville, followed by 19 on 7-11 shooting against CDH. He then impressed on the big stage, dropping 25 in a tight win over Rochester Mayo. Due to his length at 6'5 plus point guard handles, Kendall is a prospect who can play the 1-3 at a high level. He is an ambidextrous finisher, scoring at the rim equally well with either hand. The lefty also has a smooth stroke from beyond the arc, and has added to his ability in creating his own shot off the dribble. Caron Crowe (6'2 2020 G, St. Paul Central)- Caron Crowe has taken no time adjusting to becoming his team's go-to option on offense, and last week he had two big performances, both helping his team to conference wins. He started off the week with 32 points in a win over Humboldt, followed up by 25 in a win over Washington. Caron is an explosive guard with long arms who has he ability to finish above the rim. Last season he was primarily a shooter, but has now added the ability to attack off the bounce. Caron has been dominating in conference games this year. J'Vonne Hadley (6'6 2020 W, Cretin-Derham Hall)- Hadley continues to stake his claim as one of the best wing prospects in the state, and last week he went off for a season-high 34 against a tough Mounds View team, using an array of dunks, finishes off the dribble, and three pointers to raise his tally. Hadley also grabbed 13 rebounds. He followed that up with 16 in a blowout over White Bear Lake, and 14 points and 7 assists in a hard fought win over East Ridge. Hadley is an explosive wing who can play the 2 or the 3, with great finishing ability in transition. He knocks down threes at a 33% rate, and isn't afraid to pull-up from mid-range. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/langston-binns/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/langston-binns/">Langston Binns</a></a> (6'2 2020 G, Tartan)- Tartan is 14-1 on the year, with <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/langston-binns/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/langston-binns/">Langston Binns</a></a> playing a key role on both ends. In two wins last week, Binns was once again a consistent scoring threat. He scored 25 in a win over Simley, matching his season's best. He followed that up with 19, primarily in the second half, as Tartan came from behind to knock off South St. Paul. Langston is built like a linebacker, with broad shoulders and a strong frame, perfect for finishing through contact at the rim. He had a handful of really tough finishes against SSP. If you leave him open though, he has the ability to torch it from three. Benard Omooria (6' 2022 G, Osseo)- Omooria came into the week averaging 10 ppg, but nearly doubled his average in two games of action. In a tight loss to a strong Totino-Grace team, Omooria scored 19 points and had 3 steals. He followed that performance up with 18 in a road win over Elk River. Benard is one of the top point guards in the 2022 class, with the ability to shoot from deep, and also create pick out a pass off the drive. Part of a strong group of sophomores at Osseo, look for Omooria to terrorize opposing defenses for the next 2.5 seasons. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/lamar-grayson/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/lamar-grayson/">Lamar Grayson</a></a> (6' 2021 G, Richfield)- Richfield is sitting at 11-3 this year, and <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/lamar-grayson/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/lamar-grayson/">Lamar Grayson</a></a> is paving the way behind 23.4 ppg. Last week he helped lead his team to another win, this time putting up a new season-high in scoring. Lamar dropped 34 points in Richfield's lone game of the week, helping to knock off Brooklyn Center. Lamar is an athletic guard who is at his best when he gets out in transition. Whether it be off of his own steals, or bolting down the floor after a teammate creates a turnover, Lamar is at his best when he gets in the open floor. When slowed down, Lamar is able to stretch the floor a bit with his outside shooting. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/reid-patterson/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/reid-patterson/">Reid Patterson</a></a> (6'2 2021 G, Lakeville South)- Lakeville South has been one of the toughest teams in Class AAAA, and the charge is led by junior <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/reid-patterson/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/reid-patterson/">Reid Patterson</a></a>. The first time I saw Reid play in person was in his varsity debut as a sophomore. He scored 35 points... Though he isn't putting up those type of numbers on a daily basis, the talent is always evident. Last week he helped his team pick up two more wins, scoring 23 against Farmington, and 15 against Eagan. Reid can play either guard spot, but when he's off the ball he's so good at coming off screens, and getting his feet set to catch and shoot from three. The lefty is also crafty with his footwork when attacking the basket, utilizing a smooth euro-step every now and then.