Jammin in July Showcase – The Five Best
The Jammin in July Showcase in Ames was jam packed with talent. Who were the five Minnesota players that competed at the highest level this weekend? Prep Hoops gives you our five. Tre Holloman of Howard Pulley (6’2, 2022, Cretin-Derham…
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Continue ReadingThe Jammin in July Showcase in Ames was jam packed with talent. Who were the five Minnesota players that competed at the highest level this weekend? Prep Hoops gives you our five.
Tre Holloman of Howard Pulley (6’2, 2022, Cretin-Derham Hall, PG). If you are to describe Tre in one way it would be, winner. This weekend Tre led Pulley to a 3-1 record competing against mostly older teams and he did it by playing in a way that teammates followed. Tre sets a tone, and players follow ready to fight along side of him. He’s a guy that rewards teammates for getting open and puts the ball in places for them to be successful. Tre’s ability to attack, force the defender to make contact (which often forces the refs to make a call), and then separate with a clever bump to get to a balanced playmaking area, is outstanding. It reminds me 100 percent of how Tre Jones and Tyus Jones attacked, made the same type of contact, and then separated in physical smart ways. Another thing I love about Tre is his energy and his passion. This is a young man that is not going to let you have a breakaway high percentage chance. He is going to sprint and try and make a play on the ball. At all times he is going to fight which was evident in his late game attacking success. Tre did not shoot the ball as well as he would of liked from the perimeter but when his team needed him to make shots against Hepburn and Team Factory, Tre helped put the game away with two late threes. Schools want a point guard that will compete and the rest of the players want to battle with, Tre is 100 percent that guy.
Eli King of D1 Minnesota (6’3, 2022, Caledonia, PG). Eli may have been the weekend MVP from Ames. He had fans gasping at some of the things he did. King, a 2022, has a different level of burst then most players. There were rebounds where Eli lifted at the same time as bigger players and his jet engine just took him to a higher level to collect. There were transition pushes up the floor where Eli blew from baseline to baseline pushing the ball into spaces past retreating defenders and continued that momentum at the cup. The biggest thing was the traffic attacks. Noah went by top guards from Iowa and Nebraska and then exploded to the cup so quickly that the help defenders were, helpless. Sometimes it was slam, sometimes it was a lay-up off the glass. He shot a high percentage (over 70 percent for the day and a three a game) but most importantly his distribution was fantastic. If Coach Jay Fuhrmann called a play, Eli put the ball where it needed to be. Eli’s transition leads were excellent and his snap reversals and kicks led to a number of open threes. Eli passed the ball like a high level lead guard would.
Reagan Koch of Minnesota Crossfire (6’3/6’4, 2021, Jordan, PG). Minnesota Crossfire beat very good teams from the South Dakota Network, the South Dakota Attack, Lincoln Supreme, and Team Factory plus they gave the Minnesota Heat Tauer squad a run before losing by two scores. They are 7-1 on the year and the catalyst has been Reagan Koch playing in a way that has D2 schools already bringing him on campus, and others getting ready to make that call. And they should make that call because Reagan is one of the best playmakers in this class. Koch’s feel for the game gets an A+ and I love the way he uses his size to start possessions, as well as finish possessions with the right pass. I have talked about his defensive position which is outstanding, the footwork he utilizes forces his man to go through droughts. This weekend Reagan knocked out four threes to beat the South Dakota Attack top 17s, he led the team with 14 beating Supreme, and all weekend long he was the top playmaker while being the main scorer.
Andrew Morgan of Minnesota Heat (6’9, 2021, Waseca, PF). A top stock riser and a top player overall, that was Andrew Morgan this weekend in Ames. He played consistently at a higher level than the already high level he usually maintains. His assertiveness was a great thing to see and playing like this Andrew is surely a top 150 player in the nation. If Andrew Morgan shoots at the arc like he did this weekend, if he attacks the basket like he was to finish, and if Andrew contests and blocks shots like he did this weekend, this is a double figure high major offer player. Many schools need 6-foot-9, strong, agile producing bigs. That’s Andrew. Morgan scored seven times and hammered All Iowa Attack before taking an early seat on the bench and he put up 18 points and 12 boards against division one bigs from Team Factory (including a late game clinching triple).
Reid Patterson of Minnesota Select Ohnstad (6’2, 2021, Lakeville South, Guard). Reid Patterson hit a game winner just before the buzzer to give his team a win over a hard working SD Network squad. His late scores helped Select beat Team Factory out of Omaha. And his 16 point explosion against the D1 Minnesota Prospects will be up for the performance of the summer because it led to a total game swing for a wing. Patterson is really showing an ability to get near the rim to score more than I have seen in the past and along with that comes free throw makes. Then you have the three point touch and he’s become more a of duel threat. And after this weekend, Reid sure looks to have a big share of the clutch gene.