Week Four's Standout Sleeper Prospects

With the fourth week of the season completed, I take a look back at some of the under-the-radar prospects who impressed throughout the week! [player_tooltip player_id="774836" first="Lamar" last="Grayson"] (6’ 2021 G, Richfield)- Though not a huge sleeper prospect, I don’t think a lot of people are aware of just how good Lamar has been during his senior season. After going off for 27 points against Columbia Heights, Lamar is now averaging 24.2 ppg to begin his senior year. Lamar is an electric scorer with a knack for turning defense into quick offense on the other end, excelling at going coast-to-coast and hanging in the air for difficult finishes. In the half-court he did a nice job of creating off the dribble to get into the paint and score over length, and his creativity showed with a variety of dribble combos leading to a quick attack. Really liked his passing vision in transition as well. Owen Carlson (6’2 2023 W, Mahtomedi)- A player who impressed at times over the summer/fall, Owen has been Mahtomedi’s instant offense off the bench as a sophomore. At 6’2 he has a lanky frame on the wing, and some impressive athleticism that allows him to elevate for some explosive finishes at the rim. Against Henry Sibley he threw down a one-handed dunk in transition, and impressed as a catch-and-shoot threat from beyond the arc. Owen has the awareness to pass and then relocate into open space on the perimeter, and he showed no shortage of confidence to fire off threes in clutch situations. Finished with 20 points and hit a clutch late-game three in a win over Henry Sibley. Hayden Tibbits (5’10 2023 G, Wayzata)- Playing for a Wayzata team filled with talented upperclassmen, Hayden Tibbits has carved out a role for himself off the bench. Though he’s a smaller guard, Hayden is extremely quick and is a fearless player on the offensive end. He’s got a quick release with range well beyond the arc, and knocked down a pair of key threes for Wayzata to keep things close against Minnehaha Academy. In the second half he did well to move off the ball and found an opening under the basket for a crafty reverse finish on his way to 8 points. Tula Tula (6’ 2021 SG, Columbia Heights)- Tula Tula was called into increased action on Friday due to some starters getting into foul trouble, and he responded with reliable play against one of the top teams in Class AAA. Tula is one of Columbia Heights’ top shooters, and showcased that by knocking down a three, and then followed that up with a strong take to the hoop for a finish inside. He also impressed with a tough pass leading to a score off a pick-and-roll, and also attacked baseline before hitting a cutting teammate for another assist. Add in defensive effort, and Tula impressed when he was called upon. Rein Maegi (6’4 2022 SG, Minneapolis Washburn)- I only got to catch the second half of Washburn’s game against South, but Rein Maegi looks like a much improved player as a junior. He’s an extremely tough wing with no shortage of confidence, and in the time I saw he knocked down a three from the wing, and drove baseline for a tough reverse finish with his weak hand during crunch time. He’s even longer than he was last season, and has added strength as well which allowed him compete defensively while guarding multiple spots on the floor. Rein finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds against a team loaded with talented prospects, and looks like a guy that D3 schools will want to keep an eye on moving forward. [player_tooltip player_id="567121" first="Breyton" last="Buysman"] (6’3 2021 SG, Simley)- [player_tooltip player_id="567121" first="Breyton" last="Buysman"] is having a terrific senior season, and in the first half against South St. Paul he was putting on a shooting exhibition. He’s the type of player who you can’t afford to let get his feet set to shoot, because when he gets an open look he doesn’t miss often. The Saint Mary’s commit more than held his own against a loaded Packers backcourt, putting up 17 points on the night. He’s a patient player who doesn’t often take bad shots, and does well to utilize a shot fake to attack the basket and use his length to finish. Devin Newsome (6’2 2022 G, South St. Paul)- Devin Newsome is another player who isn’t necessarily a sleeper in terms of talent, but considering it’s his first season in Minnesota he’s relatively unknown among the area. An extremely skilled offensive player who can score in a variety of ways and double as a facilitator, Devin put up 15 points and 7 assists in a win over Simley. Devin has a smooth shooting stroke from three, and excels at changing his pace and using a hesitation move to get by his man off the dribble, where he’s able to challenge length and absorb the contact to finish. Devin also possesses a strong frame and is a physical competitor on the glass, clearing out space before elevating to pull in rebounds. He finished with 10 boards on his way to a near triple-double performance.