Max's Mid-Week Standouts

With the fourth week of the season reaching the halfway point, I take a look back at some of the top performers from the three games I watched this week. I was able to catch Mahtomedi vs Henry Sibley, Cretin-Derham Hall vs Woodbury, and South St. Paul vs Simley to start this week. [player_tooltip player_id="962216" first="Will" last="Underwood"] (6’2 2023 G, Mahtomedi)- [player_tooltip player_id="962216" first="Will" last="Underwood"] has been dominant to start off his sophomore season, and he continued his strong run of play in a win on Monday. The sophomore guard showcased his explosiveness in warm-ups, and translated that into the game with some impressive bursts of quickness to blow by defenders and get to the rim. Will has the look of a three level scorer, finishing off some tough takes to the basket, pulling up from mid-range, and showing the ability to move off the ball and hit catch-and-shoot threes. He finished with 19 points in an impressive showing. [player_tooltip player_id="850701" first="Tre" last="Holloman"] (6’2 2022 PG, Cretin-Derham Hall)- With CDH losing a majority of their biggest contributors from last season, Tre has been stepping up in the scoring department this year while remaining equally as effective as a facilitator. Coming off games of 25 and 30 points, Tre finished with 18 points, 9 assists, and 4 steals against a tough Woodbury squad. He looks more confident shooting the ball from three, and even made one from well beyond the arc. Tre is very effective posting up against opposing guards, where he’s able to find cutting teammates or score with a fadeaway jumper. Defensively he excelled at creating loose balls, jumping passing lanes, and applying constant ball pressure. [player_tooltip player_id="958644" first="Shawn" last="West-Zimpel"] (6’2 2022 G, South St. Paul)- After transferring in for his junior season, Shawn has been having a big impact for the undefeated Packers. Shawn came off the bench as the 6th man last night, and instantly made an impact with his deep shooting range. He moved well without the ball and was able to come off screens and catch in space from beyond the arc to get off good looks from three. The lefty has such a smooth stroke and the range to hit from well beyond the high school arc. He was also a threat in transition, using his speed in the open floor to get out in front of defenders and get to the rim to finish. Shawn scored an efficient 19 points and added in 3 assists in a win. Jaden Morgan (6’2 2024 G, Henry Sibley)- The 2024 class looks promising from an early standpoint, and Jaden Morgan is another freshman starting to emerge onto the scene. He got the start against Mahtomedi, and immediately made his presence felt from beyond the arc. Jaden showed plenty of confidence in his shot, as all he needed was an inch of space to get off an attempt from three, many from well beyond the line or with a hand right in his face. Still, Jaden managed to hit at a very high rate on his way to 20 points off of 6 threes. Jaden also had a really impressive mid-range shot off the dribble, receiving a pass at the top of the key before taking two dribbles and knocking down the shot over a contesting hand. Combine his shooting ability with promising length, poise, and athleticism, and he’s a prospect to keep an eye on in the 2024 class. RJ Jioklow (6’1 2022 PG, Simley)- Although Simley kept it close for the first half, they ended up losing in the end to South St. Paul. Despite the loss, RJ was a bright spot for his team as he proved to be effective finishing around the rim or dishing out some impressive assists. RJ plays with impressive change of pace and direction to get past his defender off the dribble, and did a good job of keeping his chin at the rim to absorb contact and still be able to finish at the rim. His change of pace allowed him to get both feet in the paint and make plays finishing at the basket or catching help defenders out of position before dumping the ball off to a teammate for a clean look around the rim. He finished with 15 points and a handful of assists against one of the top backcourts in Class AAA. [player_tooltip player_id="774752" first="Bradley" last="Cimperman"] (6’5 2021 W, Woodbury)- In a close win over Cretin-Derham Hall, Bradley was the steady hand that kept making plays for Woodbury. Although his 9 points are may not catch your eye in a box score, he scored those points in impressive fashion. Bradley hit confident three from the top of the key in which he secured a rebound, hit the outlet pass, and then sprinted up the floor before catching and shooting. He also hit two fadeaway jumpers from just inside the free throw line, and added in a lay-up off a hard cut to the basket. What stood out most was Bradley’s ability to get into the paint, keep his head up, and deliver accurate passes to slashing teammates leading them perfectly to the rim. [player_tooltip player_id="958636" first="Alonzo" last="Dodd"] (6’2 2022 G, South St. Paul)- Alonzo simply produces at such a consistent level, and in multiple areas of the game. His work ethic and natural athleticism lead to him being an elite rebounder at the guard spot, as he pulled in 8 boards against Simley, many of which he turned into transition opportunities going the other way. His quickness and shifty handle with the ball make it so hard for defenders to contain him on the perimeter, and once he gets to the basket, he’s one of the best in the state at being able to finish with either hand. Perhaps his most impressive basket of the day saw him catch at the elbow and face up, take on dribble into the lane before a lightning quick spin move leading to a finish with his "weak" hand at the rim. Alonzo finished with 19 points and 6 assists in a win.