Summer Classic - The Stock Risers

Who from the Summer Classic would you put in the "top stock riser" category? Here is our group of players that we observed taking a big step forward. [caption id="attachment_1020175" align="alignright" width="150"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Ariel-Bland.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1020175 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Ariel-Bland-150x150.jpeg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="927793" first="Ariel" last="Bland"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="927793" first="Ariel" last="Bland"] of D1 Minnesota (6’7, PF, Golden State Prep, 2021). When I look back through the stat book, and when I think back from game to game, Bland came off the bench and was one of the most consistent players for his team. He scored three times a game on average, grabbed 4-5 boards a contest, defended well, and obviously has the physical traits to be a D1 talent. Right now I see a Mountain West, West Coast, A10, or Missouri Valley talent. However if the skills improve and in the right spot, Bland has the physical tools to be one of those 300 kids that comes out of high school/prep school and takes one of those 300 (on average) spots that high major teams have for incoming freshmen. Bland showed that type of physical ability the past two weekends. [player_tooltip player_id="850738" first="Antonio" last="Bluiett"] of Minnesota Comets 16U (6’1, PG, Buffalo, 2022). Antonio played the alpha male role very well for the Comets last weekend with several explosive performances against good teams. Bluiett scored in a lot of ways but for me the biggest three ways was the stroke at the arc, the pull-up beating his man off the dribble, and the attack finishing in a small window against contesting defenders. We have ranked 27th in the state in a very deep class but he is a top 20 player. And remember, he was able to set up [player_tooltip player_id="846116" first="Matt" last="Willert"] with constant open shots this year so that talent is there too. Jake Braaten of Minnesota Rise (6’0, PG, Byron, 2021). The Rise won half of their games and a big reason for that is Jake Braaten. Jake now has another level of college coaches very interested. Tough leader that makes others better, Jake averaged 14 points, four assists, and four boards a game. Again, this player is a coach’s dream and a top 50 level player in the state. [player_tooltip player_id="532560" first="Ryan" last="Dufault"] of Minnesota Heat (6’0, PG, Waseca, 2021). Ryan was one of the top performers last weekend and he was in "Five Best" yesterday. But let’s take this further. Ryan has some Bryce Irsfeld to him yes which means a top D2 recruit. But let’s keep in mind he was one of the best players on the floor vs the Heat, and D1 Minnesota. We saw [player_tooltip player_id="846135" first="Henry" last="Abraham"] go to Eastern Illinois last spring and seeing that, I think [player_tooltip player_id="532560" first="Ryan" last="Dufault"] should be considered for something similar. [player_tooltip player_id="962207" first="Ibrahim" last="El-Amin"] of D1 Minnesota 15U (5’11, PG, Burnsville, 2023). It was great to see Ibrahim play this weekend because it was our chance to see him against some older players and have the success he did. There were a lot of guys around him that seemed to be searching for their role, searching for a comfort where as El-Amin’s aggressive comfort approach said a lot about how he approaches the game. I loved each dribble I saw from him as it was with an impact attack in mind getting to that really nice pull-up dribble or that touch shot over the top on the move. [player_tooltip player_id="774798" first="Mason" last="Ellwein"] of Minnesota Heat Wiley (6’0, PG, Mankato West, 2021). A left-handed player that grabbed my attention with his approach. Mason has the look in his eye like he wants to defend, like he wants to make life uncomfortable when he is defending opponents. I saw him score 16 points against some of the best players in his class and that includes threes and an aggressive attack that put him on the line consistently. Luke Healy of Minnesota Fury Zurn (6’0, PG, Hudson, 2021). Let’s look at some rankings math. Luke Healy went at Minnesota’s 17th ranked lead guard and Minnesota’s 20th ranked lead guard, and scored 21 points pushing one of the top teams in the state to the final buzzer, at times with his team on his back (shot 8 of 12). Luke is ranked 62nd in Wisconsin, and when you consider that these are states that are fairly similar I say, Stock Up! [player_tooltip player_id="850712" first="Malcolm" last="Jones"] of D1 Minnesota 16U (6’8, PF/C, Prior Lake, 2022). It will be tough for Malcolm to sky rocket in the state of Minnesota rankings wise as it’s a class loaded with high major offered talent. That said he can get his stock up with college coaches and I would say it’s time that the high major teams start looking into what Malcolm can do. And what this strong, thick framed strong post can do is use his touch to score from so many different angles on balance or even if he is on the move and has to touch in baskets from tough spots. Malcolm seems to be next when it comes to 2022s and high majors. [caption id="attachment_1020177" align="alignright" width="150"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Grant-Moscho.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1020177 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Grant-Moscho-150x150.jpeg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="774837" first="Grant" last="Moscho"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="774837" first="Grant" last="Moscho"] of West Central United (6’1, PG, Melrose, 2021). Moscho is a Melrose point guard from Class AA basketball who is considered a top 100 talent in the senior class. You would expect him to compete against D1 Minnesota and hold his own but what we didn’t expect him to do was excel. And Grant did just that. Moscho battled every possession and that isn’t what Grant did just for that game, he does that every game. Skill and work is his trademark. Grant chased down opportunities, attacked players to get to the foul line, and hit a pair of treys against nationally ranked players. Eye opening performance. [player_tooltip player_id="850725" first="Sam" last="Rensch"] of Minnesota Fury Wilde (6’6, SF, Hutchinson, 2022). Friday night when the Fury won their first game of the event, it was Sam leading the way doing more than the rest. On Saturday when the Fury needed to win games they were expected to win, it was Sam leading the way. When the Fury was in the semis against the Comets, it was Sam scoring 18 to lead his team to the final. And when the Fury was in the final beating a team by 30, it was Sam scoring four field goals and leading his team on the glass. Every game Sam gives his team a lot, and each game he finds an area where Sam’s team needs him to excel, and he does it. [player_tooltip player_id="958669" first="Kenji" last="Scales"] of Minnesota Fury Narum (6’0, PG, Eastview, 2022). We detailed what we saw from Kenji on Friday night so I want to take a new approach and that is next year. Returning for the team is Spann, Purcell, Shannon, and some others. But after seeing what Kenji did this weekend, and looking back at some film, this is the PG next year and he might be the Lightning’s most important guy.