Summer Rewind: 11 Wings from Summer Season; Class 1A-3A
Though the summer season was not what anyone expected heading into the year 2020, high school basketball players still got to participate in a summer season. I wanted to give a rundown of players from the state of Iowa that…
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Continue ReadingThough the summer season was not what anyone expected heading into the year 2020, high school basketball players still got to participate in a summer season. I wanted to give a rundown of players from the state of Iowa that got to play this summer and showed well. Here is the class 1A-3A wing players that stood out to me.
Colby Collison Colby Collison 6'4" | SF Bondurant-Farrar | 2023 State IA , 2023 – 6’3 Wing – Iowa Barnstormers Gold 15U & Bondurant-Farrar High School (3A)
Apart of a really good sophomore-to-be Iowa Barnstormers team, Collison was good around the basket crashing the boards and finishing off plays around the rim with soft touch. Collison was an impressive performer at the Top 64 league in Pella this summer with scoring outputs of 26, 28, and 24 respectably. Colby averaged 13 points per game in a tough Racoon River Conference with Bondurant-Farrar. He has the ability to score at all three levels, as he’s a good catch and shoot player on the perimeter and can put it on the deck to get a pull-up jumper or get all the way to the basket. Another prospect in the 2023 class that could elevate the class to one of the best in the state of recent memory.
Ryan Blum Ryan Blum 6'4" | SF Glenwood | 2021 State IA , 2021 – 6’4 Wing – Team Factory 17U & Glenwood High School (3A)
Ryan Blum Ryan Blum 6'4" | SF Glenwood | 2021 State IA does a little bit of everything for both his high school team and Team Factory. Exemplary in his stat line this past winter for Glenwood being 19 points per game, 2 assists per game, 9 rebounds per game, 1.5 steals and blocks per game on nearly 50% shooting from the field. That’s an impressive line for the 6’4 senior wing, and that carried over to the summer with Team Factory where Ryan plays alongside Wisconsin Commit, Chucky Hepburn. He excels on the perimeter as a shooter from 3 point land, and has a good pull-up shot. He goes and grabs rebounds well for his team with strength and looks to push the ball with an outlet pass or bringing it himself. Also a talented WR on the gridiron, Blum has opportunities from Dordt and DII Wayne State for basketball. He will look to lead the Rams to a second championship in his high school career this upcoming winter.
Lucas Lorenzen Lucas Lorenzen 6'4" | SF Okoboji | 2022 State IA , 2022 – 6’4 Wing – Martin Brothers 16U & Okoboji High School (2A)
Averaging a double-double as a Sophomore for Okoboji High School scoring 22 points per game and securing 12 rebounds per game, Lorenzen came into the summer in really good form. He didn’t disappoint for Martin Brothers as well showing a talented three level skillset. He’s really efficient as well, to go along with the 22 points per game this past winter Lorenzen shot 52% from the field and 43% from the 3 point line. Lucas is someone who you give the ball and makes something happen for the team whether that’s scoring the ball from the perimeter, driving to the basket, or finding an open teammate. Look for his stock to grow over the next year or so, as I believe it could have if it was a normal summer season.
Spencer Hixson Spencer Hixson 6'5" | SF Knoxville | 2021 State IA , 2021 – 6’5 Wing – Kingdom Hoops 17U & Knoxville High School (3A)
Spencer Hixson Spencer Hixson 6'5" | SF Knoxville | 2021 State IA was nice bench piece for Kingdom Hoops 17U team this summer. When he came on he added to their already lethal shooting from the perimeter. He has a nice little step back jumpshot in his game and can really stroke it from the 3 point stripe. He has a nice pull-up jumper off the dribble and off the dribble hand-off from a teammate. He has good length and that helps Spencer shoot it over the defense. He has really good shooting mechanics, and could do a job on the defensive end of the floor. Hixson is an under the radar 3-and-D kid who could find a nice home at the next level with the right program.
Ben Loverude Ben Loverude 6'6" | PF Dmc | 2021 State IA , 2021 – 6’6 Wing – Beyond Ball 17U & Des Monies Christian High School (2A)
Loverude was a standout for a deep Beyond Ball team this summer showing off his ability to effect games with his length on both ends of the floor, and shoot the ball at a high efficiency. High efficiency is something you could pull from Loverude’s winter stats at 40% from 3 and just under 50% from the field equaling 11 points per game for Des Moines Christian, but the lefty just continued to produce. He offers a good option in transition as he can go up and get an alley-oop, fray out to the 3 point line, or go use his length at the hoop to finish with both hands. He likes his strong left hand on the drive, and the defense allows him to get deep into the lane he can get crafty with his finishes, or go over the top with his length. With Des Moines Christian’s leading scorer gone from this past season, Loverude seems like a good candidate to pick up some of that scoring. Ben was offered an opportunity to play for Dordt in late July and we’ll see if that sparks more collegiate programs.
Cole Tunender, 2021 – 6’6 Wing – Iowa Barnstormers Gold 17U & Norwalk High School (3A)
This summer the Barnstormers Gold team in the 17U division was an attraction for all to watch, but Tunender caught my eye as a team first player. He doesn’t put up huge numbers on the stat sheet, but he does the things that help teams win games. He showed an efficient ability to spot up shoot from the perimeter, but what I liked to see from Cole was his effort on the boards to help bring a spark off the bench. At 6’6 Tunender provides length on the court which helps on defense to get into passing lanes and effect shots around the basket. He shows a good understanding of where the ball needs to go at different times on the court and has a good IQ. Going into his senior year, I’ll looking to see Tunender make strides offensively to grow his game and expand his skillset with Norwalk.
Parker Elder Parker Elder 6'4" | SF Pella | 2022 State IA , 2022 – 6’4 Wing – Beyond Ball 16U/17U & Pella High School (3A)
The class of 2022 is talented at the guard spots, but as you dig deeper into the wings in the class you find gems like Parker Elder Parker Elder 6'4" | SF Pella | 2022 State IA , who is an athletic wing who gets up and down the court well. Elder is at his best in transition when he can use his athleticism to turn the other team over, and run lanes to get a dunk on the other end. Elder looks to get downhill on his drives to the basket and goes through contact with strength when he gets there. With Pella losing quite a few seniors this past season, Parker will look to take an even bigger role and expand his game even more than he showed this summer.
Padraig Gallagher, 2023 – 6’2 Wing – Martin Brothers 15U & Dyersville Beckman Catholic High School (2A)
In the coupe of games I was able to watch this 15U Martin Brothers team, Gallagher was a standout in each one. He does a little bit of everything on the court, but his strongest attribute is the way he attacks the basket off the dribble. He’s good at facing and scanning the defense in order to see how he can attack off the dribble. Only a sophomore-to-be at 6’2 and growing, Gallagher has built up a nice repertoire of dribble moves that allows him to take his man off the dribble. He has a some crafty finishes around the hoop as he showed some reversals, and took some contact around the hoop. He has nice touch around the rim and with more game experience this winter he should only continue to grow into his game. Under the radar 2023 prospect looking to breakout.
Kaiden Gage Kaiden Gage 6'5" | PG East Buchanan | 2022 State IA , 2022 – 6’4 Wing – Team Iowa 17U & East Buchanan High School (1A)
Kaiden Gage Kaiden Gage 6'5" | PG East Buchanan | 2022 State IA is a small school player who I liked this summer who could project to the wing at the next level. Gage has a good frame to him that can fill out with the attention, and he plays with the ball a lot during his high school season so he possesses the tools to be able to play the perimeter efficiently. This summer he used both his shooting touch and his ability to pass the ball well to his advantage for Team Iowa. He is a cerebral player and looks to read the defense to get the best shot for his team. When shooting it he has good range out to about 23 feet with the capability to make it, and uses it off of dribble hand-offs, ball screens, and straight catch and shoot. If he can shoot the rock at a higher efficiency from range, Gage could easily top the 20 points per game mark this season for East Buchanan.
David Bluder David Bluder 6'4" | SF Solon | 2021 State IA , 2021 – 6’5 Wing – Iowa Barnstormers Black 17U & Solon High School (3A)
If you want to see a a good set shooter you need to go see Solon High School play. Their leading scorer is David Bluder David Bluder 6'4" | SF Solon | 2021 State IA at 13 points per game, and when he can get his feet set and step into his shot he’s more time than not going to can it. He attempted about 5 three points shots per game this past winter and shot it at a 37% rate. Bluder is what you’d call a press break or zone breaker as he can make teams pay for leaving him without a defender. Though a lot of his attempts come off of catch and shoot opportunities he does have the ability to take it off of a ball screen and step into a shot if the defense gives it to him. He does a good job getting his feet set before the ball gets to him, and when the ball gets delivered he’s good at taking it right up into his smooth shooting motion. Scouting Bluder is one thing, but stopping him is another and he seems to find ways to get shots on the court and score for his team.
Justin Recker Justin Recker 6'6" | PF Monticello | 2021 State IA , 2021 – 6’5 Wing – Iowa Mavs Fisher 17U & Monticello High School (2A)
Justin Recker Justin Recker 6'6" | PF Monticello | 2021 State IA is the definition of efficient. Being the leading scorer for Monticello, Recker shot the ball on average 11 times per contest and made 7 shots per contest to go along with that, coming out to a 63% all around percentage. Recker carried that over into the travel season for his Iowa Mavs team showing he can score and attack the hoop with efficiency. He spends a lot of time inside 18 feet on the floor, but he is crafty in the way he finds his way to the hoop. Using ball fakes, fake hand-offs, a spin move, and some straight line driving with his quick first step, Recker is good at putting himself into positions that he can succeed. Though he didn’t shoot as many this past season, he can line it up from three, shooting nearly 54% from deep. If Justin can continue at the efficiency rate he is on, and can expand his game more going into the winter season with Monticello, he could be a name to watch for college coaches.
Zach Erwin Zach Erwin 6'6" | SF Camanche | 2022 State IA , 2022 – 6’6 Wing – Iowa Mavs Cleveland 16U & Camanche High School (2A)
Another Iowa Mavs player, but this time an age division younger. Zach Erwin Zach Erwin 6'6" | SF Camanche | 2022 State IA lines up in the class of 2022, and shows off a real knack of finishing at the hoop. In one video from this summer Erwin takes a baseline drive and explodes to the rim showing off his athletic ability. He possesses the ability to shoot it at all three levels on offense, and has a nice float game in his arsenal. Though I’d like for him to shoot it more efficiently from 3 point range, he can do it and shot it at 31% clip this past winter for Camanche. He has nice shooting form, and has the groundwork to build on in that category. Erwin is a physical, downhill, straight line driver who does well to shield off opponents with his body and takes contact well to finish through. He has some good strength to him that allows him to excel on both ends of the floor. He does well to read the defense on screens and can curl cut well to get easy buckets. Looking for Erwin to have an uptick in scoring this upcoming season and he will make some noice in class 2A.