Lakeside, The Last Undefeated Team

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As we go down the homestretch of another entertaining basketball season, it has become necessary to spotlight the last undefeated team in the state of Idaho, the Knights of Lakeside. The #1 team in the state for 1A DII has some legitimate prospects coming out of Plummer, Idaho. A town that the last census showed had barely over 1,000 residents is not the most likely place to produce high level basketball prospects, but Lakeside has become the exception. </span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/day-day-higgins/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/day-day-higgins/">Day Day Higgins</a></a>, 6’8 F, Class of 2021</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is important to be skeptical of any player in the top 5 of Class ranking. They have to prove that they are one of the best players in the state every time they take the court. I went into watching Higgins play wanting to be impressed, and Higgins did not disappoint. Higgins is having one of the most impressive seasons in the state and is deserving of his ranking. An instant double-double once he walks onto the court, Higgins is an incredibly athletic big man who is relentless going after rebounds and absolutely attacks going after the ball. Higgins is able to score over players taller than him, able to dominate the paint if someone shorter gets switched onto him. He has precise footwork around the basket and wisely uses the rim to shield himself from opposing defenders. It’ll be an uphill battle for Higgins to maintain his place on the Prep Hoops rankings as more players get the opportunity to show their talent for the remainder of the year and into next year. However, Higgins is one of the better post players in the state and has the overall talent to be in the conversation of best prospects in his class.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/vander-brown/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/vander-brown/">Vander Brown</a></a>, 5’10 G, Class of 2023</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Watching Brown, what stands out his potential. He was one of the better players on the court as a freshman which makes him a player to keep an eye on going forward. As a guard, he can finish in the lane, defend the position, can get out on the fast break and finish through contact as well as anyone on the court. He can make corner 3’s but the shooting aspect of his game seems like something that will need to be developed fully over the next few years. Brown is a guard with extreme potential and has the luxury of developing his overall skill set alongside a talented group of athletes.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Kenyon Spotted Horse, 6’0 G, Class of 2021</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spotted Horse is a lanky guard that projects as a collegiate point guard. He is quick with that quality first step twitch that you look for out of a guard. He is able to score in a variety of ways. He can shoot from deep, and he has a great 15-foot jump shot. Watching him, you can tell that he is a talented scorer and a talented distributor. He is a player who can lead the fast break, initiate an offense, get his teammates involved, and finish the play if needed. Defensively, he uses his speed and length to make plays in passing lanes and prevent his assignment from scoring. Spotted Horse has had multiple ankle injuries this season, but is looking healthy heading into the final month of the high school season.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/talon-twoteeth/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/talon-twoteeth/">Talon Twoteeth</a></a>, 6’0 G, Class of 2020</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The senior leader on this squad, Twoteeth is a strong shooter. His ideal position is as an undersized shooting guard. He can shoot with range and has a nice pump fake to get his midrange shot going. The midrange game is not gone anymore when you watch Twoteeth play. Defensive pressure is almost irrelevant when Twoteeth gets to his spot on the court. He has a plus floater in the lane over height. Defensively, he is a physical on-the-ball defender that helps negate any size deferential on that end of the court. Twoteeth has put together an excellent senior campaign and has shown that he is one of the better senior guards in the region.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>JJ Hall, 6’2 F, Class of 2021</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unfortunately, in the game that I was in attendance for, Hall had a nasty lower leg injury early in the game. However, he showed a strong rim attack, an aggressive mentality, and an ability to finish plays in transition. Statistically, Hall is having a good year and is a major factor for Lakeside.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/emmitt-white/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/emmitt-white/">Emmitt White</a></a>, 5’11 G, Class of 2020</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">White is a player who can shoot from distance. He is a strong and physical defender that makes up for any lack of foot-speed. However, his major contribution is as a player who can stretch the court.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Lakeside is the favorite to win the state tournament for their class. Look for these players to continue to show their ability through this important stretch of the season.</p>