Havoc in the Heartland: Saturday Morning Standouts

<p>With the first set of games in the books at the Havoc in the Heartland, we take a look at the top players from the beginning of the tournament play.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Saturday Standouts</strong></span></p> <ul> <li>Dajohn Craig - Indiana Red Storm 2022</li> </ul> <p>Dajohn Craig is a smaller, 2023 guard with a lot of quickness, and he showed that in a big way in the first game for the Red Storm.  Craig showed off a couple great moves to the bucket including a spin move and score as well as a euro step to get to the hole.  He hit a couple threes off of the dribble, and he showed that he can be the type of player that can create his own shot.  Also, he hustled up and down the floor to stop a couple of fast break opportunities for the Illinois Storm.  He is going to be a crucial player for the Red Storm in the rest of this tournament and a player to watch in the future.</p> <ul> <li>Micah Hochstetler - Tipping Point 2022</li> </ul> <p>Micah Hochstetler is a smaller guard who relies on his quickness and his court vision over anything else.  He is a natural slasher, and he knows where he needs to be and when he needs to be there.  However, he also showed that he can knock down shots from the outside.  When he was playing on the ball, the offense probably looked the best because he had the ability to create whether it was for himself or his teammates. </p> <ul> <li>Asher Puhalski - Tipping Point 2022</li> </ul> <p>Asher Puhalski is a long, lanky forward, but he lacks the necessary height to succeed at the next level.  He should grow some more in the future, so it will be interesting to see him next year.  He looks silky smooth when driving into the lane, but he could use some work on his touch around the rim.  He likes to push the ball in transition and get out and run after rebounds, and that is a big reason why he led Tipping Point in scoring in this one.  It will be interesting to see how much he can improve over the next couple of months leading up to the high school season.</p> <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="874185" first="Logan" last="Van Essen"] - Indiana Game Select 2021</li> </ul> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="874185" first="Logan" last="Van Essen"] is a guard with good size and a lot more strength than the last time we saw him.  He is great on the ball, and he is always looking to make something happen.  He had two really nice step-back jumpers, and he made some pretty spectacular passes to find teammates for buckets.  He doesn’t quite have the range yet, but he does have the ability to make plays and create and finish in the lane.  He is going to be a crucial player for Indiana Game going forward, and he was a big reason that they had a chance late in their first game.</p> <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="783205" first="Clayton" last="Bubash"] - Indiana Game Select 2021</li> </ul> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="783205" first="Clayton" last="Bubash"] is a tall forward who has bulked up over the last couple of months.  He is a guy who loves to play physical inside.  He seeks contact and then almost always finishes through it.  He only hit one jumper in the game, but his shot is consistent and he has a high release which makes it tough to defend.  He also showed that he can run the floor extremely well as he hit a couple of fast-break buckets including a breakaway slam.</p> <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="868239" first="Cooper" last="Farrall"] - Indiana Game Select 2023</li> </ul> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="868239" first="Cooper" last="Farrall"] is a high motor player who isn’t overly quick or overly strong, but he knows how to maximize the quickness and the strength that he does have.  He has a strong first step on his drive which allows him to get a head start on the defender.  He finishes hard at the rim.  Also, his release on his jumper is very high, so it makes it a tough shot to contest.  He still needs to improve his consistency as he struggled at times in this one, but he also had many bright spots which showed the potential that this kid has in his game.</p> <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="868237" first="A.J." last="Lux"] - Indiana Game Select 2023</li> </ul> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="868237" first="A.J." last="Lux"] is a good-sized freshman guard with great range from the outside.  He showed that range off in this one hitting multiple threes in the first half.  Not only can he shoot, but he can also take the ball to the rim and finish over the bigger defenders.  He has a quick first step which allows him to get past his man, and he doesn’t shy away from contact.  A.J. is going to be key for Indiana Game Select if they want to advance in this tournament.</p>