Midwest Collision – Five Best
Who were the top five standouts at the Midwest Collision this past weekend? Prep Hoops breaks down the top talent from Bloomington, Minnesota now! Lu’Cye Patterson of Gain Elite (6’2 PG of Minnesota Prep Academy, 2020/2021). Gain Elite won their…
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Continue ReadingWho were the top five standouts at the Midwest Collision this past weekend? Prep Hoops breaks down the top talent from Bloomington, Minnesota now!
Lu’Cye Patterson of Gain Elite (6’2 PG of Minnesota Prep Academy, 2020/2021). Gain Elite won their first two games handily but Sunday’s contests against Minnesota Fury Zurn and the Playground Warriors are battles against tougher Midwest teams. And in those battles the difference in the game was the production of Patterson. When it comes to strength and skill, Lu’Cye ranks with the best players at the lead guard spot you will find. His feel for the game is so natural. Patterson is the type of player that gets to the rim using his strength to first help get leverage and then at the rim his body control and touch lead to high percentage completions. Patterson scored 21 with four assists against Fury Zurn in the semis and followed that up with another 17 points and four assists in the championship. Again, his offensive feel is so natural, and if his court IQ was measured via an ACT we are talking in the area of a 34 or 35.
Tamin Lipsey of D1 Minnesota (6’2 PG of Ames, Iowa; 2022). The player for D1 that did the most productively both ways was Tamin Lipsey. This weekend he consistently was able to beat guys to the rim taking talented Minnesota guards off the bounce and regularly removing them from his path. Tamin had a late game tying score against the Heat that was clutch and he consistently ran the motion offense making sure that shooters were in space to release, and that size had good touches near the rim to complete. Lipsey is moving very well in ball pressure defense plus he led his team in scoring (continues to shoot in the area of 50 percent as a guard) and assists for the weekend. Another weekend, another top showing for the Iowa guard.
Nick Katona Nick Katona 6'6" | SF Shakopee | 2022 State MN of Minnesota Fury 16u (6’6 Forward of Shakopee; 2022). This Fury team might play the best team basketball of any squad I have seen at any level all summer. Their execution is at times flawless and that was best on display in the 16u title game when they crushed WOTN by nearly 40 points. It’s a team game but within that time framework we are really starting to see Nick emerge as a go to scoring option. Katona is shooting the ball very well right with both range and consistency. Add in the rim finishes on various Fury transition attacks or play calls and you have an emerging scorer.
Will Tschetter Will Tschetter 6'8" | PF Stewartville | 2021 State #96 Nation MN of Minnesota Heat (6’8 PF of Stewartville; 2021). The Michigan committed 4-star talent was the MVP of the Midwest Collision highlighted by a 23 point, nine rebound effort shooting seven of 16 from the field (three arcs at the make) and six of seven at the foul line in an overtime win over D1 Minnesota. Tschetter’s pair of threes was a key point in the Heat having a late game lead, his spin move lead to three more scores as he continues to set it up and then strike at the perfect time, and Will also made some late foul shots that were crucial to the victory. Will had big scoring games against three shoe teams this weekend and led the Heat to a perfect 4-0 record.
Dayne Wojcik of Wear Out the Net (6’4 PF of Goodhue; 2022). The new name of the weekend is most certainly Dayne Wojcik, a player that scored ten a game at Goodhue last year. WOTN plays good team basketball which is how they were able to defeat D1 Minnesota 16u and the South Dakota Venom. That said, against each of the top opponents that WOTN faced, it was Dayne who was the most consistent force game to game. He was able to use every part of the paint to physically come at bigger players, and he produced against each of them. Scored 13 against D1 Minnesota, had 23 in an at times dominating performance versus the Venom, and while most of WOTN had a terrible time with the Fury, Wojcik went at their bigger players and scored seven field goals against them as well. Didn’t matter that he was giving up inches, Wojcik used his strength and leverage to get into space and then touched in shots consistently for the event 16u runner-up.