Saturday’s Metro Area Playoff X-Factors

<p>With section playoffs now in full swing across the state, I’ll take a look at some of the x-factor players to keep an eye on in the metro area on Saturday! These aren’t necessarily a team’s star player, but they’ll play a key role for their teams in hopes of advancing in the playoffs.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958671" first="Theo" last="Liu"] (6’4 2022 W, Blake)- </strong>It’s not every day you’ll run into a 6’10 player in Class AA, but that’s exactly what Blake will be tasked with on Saturday as they take on Holy Family. As Blake’s longest player, Theo could play a key role defensively in trying to slow him down. His agility, length, and effort will be imporant in that aspect. On the offensive end he’s capable of scoring in bunches, and in a variety of ways as well. He runs the floor with or without the ball, can attack off the dribble from the wing, hit the three, or pull-up from mid-range. A 14.6 ppg scorer who’s been playing at a high level over the last few games for Blake.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850721" first="Benard" last="Omooria"] (6’1 2022 PG, Osseo)- </strong>In an Osseo vs Spring Lake Park matchup that looks to be one of the best matchups of the day, Benard will play a key role for Osseo. Commonly coming off the bench as the 6th man this season, Benard is second on the team in scoring at 10.2 ppg. He has a great feel for the game and provides some leadership ability on the floor. In terms of scoring the ball he has no shortage of confidence in his shot, as he can pull-up in the blink of an eye or curl off a screen and get off a good look from three. His energy and scoring spark off the bench will give Osseo a big boost.</p> <p><strong>Rob Issa (6’3 2022 SF, Holy Angels)- </strong>In a matchup against a South St. Paul team that has a loaded group of guards, Holy Angels may look to take advantage of their size. With a number of long and athletic wing/forwards, I go with Rob here as he has typically been a spark off the bench. Rob attacks the basket strong and has the ability to elevate and then power through contact with his combination of strength and explosiveness. He competes on the glass for putback opportunities, and also cuts hard off the ball to get some clean looks around the rim. Rob has also been known to get up and finish with power above the rim. Scores 6.4 a game but is coming off a 17 point performance in the section quarterfinals.</p> <p><strong>Matthew Ellingson (6’5 2022 W, Coon Rapids)- </strong>Coon Rapids will take on Blaine on Saturday, and those two teams played a tight one in the regular season as Blaine came up with a 74-71 win. Coon Rapids features a balanced lineup with five double-figure scorers, including Matthew who puts up 10.9 a game. What makes Matthew the x-factor in this one? His combination of length at 6’5 and sharpshooting ability make him a very difficult matchup. Put a bigger forward on him, and Matthew will force them to move their feet with him on the perimeter. Guard him with a quicker wing and Matthew can shoot over the close out or finish around the rim. Matthew scored 18 the last time against Blaine, and will look to repeat that performance again. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774875" first="Jayden" last="Lane"] (6’3 2021 G, Park of Cottage Grove)- </strong>Park will take on the 1-seed in Eastview on Saturday night, and will look for [player_tooltip player_id="774875" first="Jayden" last="Lane"] to have another productive game. Coming off a monster 26 point performance in Park’s playoff opener against Eagan, Jayden is a player who can take over a game in a hurry. Averaging 10 ppg as a senior, Jayden has scored 20+ in two of his last four games. At 6’3 he has great length as a guard, can play with or without the ball, and is capable of finishing explosively above the rim. I like his ability to handle under pressure, and get into the paint to either score or facilitate. With Eastview’s length, he will also have to step up and likely guard against some size.</p> <p><strong>Jaden Neish (5’11 2024 G, St. Croix Lutheran)- </strong>St. Croix Lutheran faces off against a tough Richfield squad, in a matchup that features a handful of talented guards. Jaden came off the bench when I watched this year, and provided a spark of offense against one of the top teams in the state. He doesn’t shy away from a challenge, and has a confidence in his game that you don’t often see in freshmen playing varsity. Jaden has a shifty handle and quick release from beyond the arc that can make him difficult to defend, and he has a knack for making tough shots. He’s not one of the main scorers for St. Croix Lutheran at 5.3 ppg, but is capable of providing a quick spark that could make a difference in a close game.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962214" first="Nolan" last="Winter"] (6’8 2023 W, Lakeville North)- </strong>Now listed at 6’8, [player_tooltip player_id="962214" first="Nolan" last="Winter"] is as long as they come in the wing. Lakeville North will take on a strong Rosemount squad, and Nolan’s length and outside shot will play a determining factor in this one. With his length on the wing it’s extremely difficult to get a hand up and disrupt him once he gets a little bit of space, and he can hit the three at a high percentage with his smooth stroke. He’s averaged 11.3 ppg on the year including totals of 16 and 17 in his last two games.</p>