Mississippi River Classic Prospect Standouts

PEOSTA, Iowa. -- A look at Friday’s top individual performances from the Mississippi River Classic... [player_tooltip player_id="994395" first="Charlie" last="Bender"] - 2021 - G - Wisconsin Independent He’s not at the top of the opponent’s scouting report for this team, but Bender will kill teams who forget about him. A strong 3-point shooter, Bender is just a backbreaker as he has a tendency to make teams pay on the arc. Bender does a great job of busting his butt to the corner in transition where his teammates love to find him ready to shoot. He’s not overly athletic, but just sneaky. In the halfcourt, Bender finds the soft spots and all he needs is a little bit of room to get in rhythm. Luke Brugger - 2022 - C - Playmakers South An unranked player that emerged on Friday, Brugger has got some stuff to him. A 6-foot-9 post prospect who can shoot the 3 and has excellent touch around the rim, Brugger had some big flashes and really nice spurts offensively. Given his size, he’s a weapon on the offensive glass. I like that he doesn’t bring the ball down where others can swipe. He keeps it high and finishes effortlessly. Brugger also has a good-looking stroke from outside the paint and is very smooth. He’s a big body and certainly needs to improve his lateral quickness and ability to get up and down the floor for today’s game, but there’s a lot to work with here for college programs. [player_tooltip player_id="879979" first="Brayden" last="Dailey"] - 2021 - SF - Iowa Mavericks Dailey scored 28 points in Friday night’s win for the Mavericks. Doing pretty much whatever he wanted offensively, Dailey got to the bucket in transition, scored off pull-up jumpers in the mid-range, knocked down face-up 3-pointers, and had some thunderous dunks as well. Dailey has added some noticeable muscle this summer and looks a lot stronger. A three-level scorer and big offensive weapon, Dailey has the versatility and skillset to create matchup problems either on the perimeter or in the post. He currently has offers from Missouri State, UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, and Western Illinois. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> [player_tooltip player_id="879979" first="Brayden" last="Dailey"] (Cuba City) highlights from the Mississippi River Classic. Offers from UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, Missouri State, and Western Illinois.<a href="https://twitter.com/BraydenDailey15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BraydenDailey15</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/IowaMavsAAU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IowaMavsAAU</a> <a href="https://t.co/o6u8xBJlwC">pic.twitter.com/o6u8xBJlwC</a> — Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_Flood/status/1281766987123822592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> [player_tooltip player_id="865855" first="Joah" last="Filardo"] - 2022 - G - Wisconsin Elite Caught some of Filardo’s game on Friday and he was certainly having a strong game. A guard with a lot of upper body strength, Filardo scored very well around the rim against contact or got to the foul line. He may not look overly athletic in terms of vertical leaping ability, but Filardo definitely seems to move at a different pace than those around him. Also a skilled guard who can shoot and facilitate, Filardo hade one of the bigger breakout sophomore seasons that wasn’t talked about last year for Mineral Point. [player_tooltip player_id="950644" first="Marshaun" last="Harriel"] - 2022 - PG - Playmakers South A guy that jumped on our radar late last season, Harriel impressed throughout Friday. Harriel can absolutely go on the basketball. He’s an electrifying ball handler that thrives in space. In the half court, Harriel also has blow-by ability. When he gets to the rim, Harriel isn’t one of those guys who likes to wait to see what the defender will do -- he takes it right to the cup and makes the defense react to him. Harriel can finish with either hand as well. When his jumper is falling, Harriel becomes a nightmare to defend. The Janesville Craig guard can pull up and stop on a dime, letting his defender fall back into the paint. [player_tooltip player_id="806560" first="Jordan" last="Johnson"] - 2021 - G - Wisconsin Elite Johnson brings a lot of swagger and confidence from the guard position. When the ball is in his hands, the Elkhorn star feels great about his chances to put the ball in the hole, no matter how difficult the shot. The 6-foot-1 combo guard is a legit shot creator from all areas of the floor. He showed a post-up game, dribble drive, step-back jumpers, and the ability to shoot coming off screens during his 18-point performance on Friday. A very athletic prospect, Johnson is an above the rim finisher or can hand and adjust his shot mid-air. Still feel like Johnson is one of the better Division 2 guard prospects in the state. [player_tooltip player_id="929231" first="Kobe" last="Johnson"] - 2021 - G - 608 Hoops The Nicolet star was playing with a lot of his buddies from his days at Sun Prairie and it was fun to watch. Leading a comeback against the Iowa Mavericks, Johnson just took over in the second half. Holding power-five offers from USC, California, TCU, and Kansas State, Johnson flexed his muscles to aid 608 Hoops down the stretch. A true combo guard with excellent feel for the game, Johnson plays fast, but is never in a rush. He can survey the court and knows how to toy with the defense either with his eyes or with hesitation fakes that often get people out of position. That led to some straight-line drives right to the rim for dunks or easy back door opportunities for Johnson’s teammates. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> [player_tooltip player_id="929231" first="Kobe" last="Johnson"] went to work this morning at the Mississippi River Classic! Offers from USC, California, Kansas State, TCU, and more.<a href="https://twitter.com/iamkobejohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iamkobejohnson</a> <a href="https://t.co/qZ05I2zZLm">pic.twitter.com/qZ05I2zZLm</a> — Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) <a href="https://twitter.com/Evan_Flood/status/1281640944950038529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> [player_tooltip player_id="764119" first="Dylan" last="Kuehl"] - 2021 - F - Wisconsin Elite Kuehl certainly improved his stock in the 2021 class rankings with Friday’s performance. The Hustisford forward dropped 28 points in a win over the Iowa Mavericks. A 6-foot-5 combo forward who can stretch the floor, Kuehl knocked down five triples, including four in the first half. Kuehl isn’t a back to the basket prospect, but has terrific footwork when he gets near the rim. He can reverse pivot, step-through and finish, or come to a jump stop and get the defender off their feet. Kuehl’s length and body control also make him a difficult matchup inside despite being a little undersized. Add in some explosive athleticism and the ability to handle the ball in the open floor, Kuehl is an intriguing Division 2 prospect. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> [player_tooltip player_id="764119" first="Dylan" last="Kuehl"] and [player_tooltip player_id="806560" first="Jordan" last="Johnson"] put on a show on opening night of the Mississippi River Classic!<a href="https://twitter.com/JordanJohnson_0?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JordanJohnson_0</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DylanKuehl1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DylanKuehl1</a> <a href="https://t.co/ShSaNizaMA">pic.twitter.com/ShSaNizaMA</a> — Prep Hoops Wisconsin (@PrepHoops_WI) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepHoops_WI/status/1281760039523450885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> [player_tooltip player_id="879994" first="Carter" last="Lancaster"] - 2021 - SF - Wisconsin Independent Lancaster will be a productive college player no matter the level. The Darlington standout has a blue collar work ethic and constantly impacts the game. Lancaster works the glass on both ends, makes the hustle plays for loose balls, alters shots around the rim, and sprints the floor to get back on defense. Offensively, he can space the floor with 3-point shooting and is a physical slasher. The 6-foot-3 wing scored a game-high 18 points in Wisconsin Independent’s second win of the day. Carson Leuzinger - 2022 - G - Wisconsin Independent A dangerous scorer, Leuzinger makes it look too easy at times. One of the best shot creators in his class, Leuzinger has break-you-down ability and is so smooth scoring off the bounce. Defenders used to be able to force him right and make him score going to his off-hand. That’s no longer the case as Leuzinger can score going either way. The mid-range game is just deadly here. Leuzinger is outstanding at getting defenders leaning one way, come back the other, and creating plenty of space between 15-18 feet from the cup. [player_tooltip player_id="950101" first="Ben" last="Olson"] - 2022 - SF - Wisconsin Independent Olson got off to a fast start on Friday, scoring the first eight points for his team. A strong and fluid slasher, Olson gets to the rim in the half court and in transition. If you give him a little bit of a lane, Olson can slice through the defense. The 6-foot-5 lefty is also a hard-nosed, blue collar player. He’s tenacious on the glass, defensively, and will make those hustle plays and come up with 50-50 balls. The Sun Prairie native has definitely turned heads this summer and may catch the Big Eight by surprise in 2020-21. [player_tooltip player_id="761411" first="Najashi" last="Tolefree"] - 2022 - SF - Playmakers South Continuing his outstanding start to the summer, Tolefree had 21 points in a blowout win over the Wisconsin Starz Friday morning. Although it was an 8 a.m. tip, Tolefree came out with his usual energy. A savage on the court, Tolefree will punish opponents who can’t match up physically. The 6-foot-5 combo forward is a bully who will force you to stop him from getting to the rim and the West Allis Central standout must be boxed out on every single possession. Tolefree has expanded his game away from the rim nicely as well. He’s a strong ball handler who can play some point forward. His 3-point shot and mid-range jumper continues to get more consistent. Based on what he’s shown through two events, Tolefree has definitely moved himself up in the 2022 rankings. [player_tooltip player_id="880037" first="Trey" last="Traeder"] - 2021 - G/W - Wisconsin Elite Thompson Traeder had a heck of a game in a loss to the Iowa Mavericks. Scoring 24 points, Traeder hit the game-tying 3-pointer to send the game to overtime. With his team trailing the whole game, Traeder just kept Wisconsin Elite alive with timely shot making. The 6-foot-2 senior is built more like a wing, but handled a lot of the point duties on Friday. In the pick n’ roll, Traeder made good decisions with the basketball and took advantage of defenders that often over-helped his way by finding the open man for high percentage opportunities.