War For The North: High Potential Prospects

The War For The North was filled with talented middle school teams and players, and many of them caught our eyes as exciting prospects for the future. These seven players showed flashes of high potential that will make them exciting to watch over the upcoming years!

Dooney Johnson (5’10 2027 G, X-Men United 2026)- Playing up a year for one of the most talented teams in the 13u division, Dooney makes his presence felt in a variety of ways. Despite being younger than his competition, Dooney possesses great size on the wing, and has an advanced skillset for his age. Dooney is more than capable of creating space off the dribble, with a variety of combo moves that you can tell he has spent a lot of time working on. A dangerous shooter from beyond the arc, Dooney combines that range with effort on the glass that often leads to second-chance buckets. His combination of positional size and skill at a young age bodes well for the future.

Parker Wangen (2025 SF, D1 Minnesota – Dewey)- There weren’t too many players, if any, at War For The North with more above-the-rim ability than Parker. He already has great size on the wing and can fly when given space in transition. He threw down a powerful two hand dunk and nearly had some alley-oops that would’ve been impressive from players 3-4 years older than him. In the half-court he’s a reliable shooter from three, can get to the rim off the dribble, or post up smaller forwards and score from the block. Defensively his size and agility allowed him to guard multiple spots, and he competed hard on the glass.

Nasir Williams (5’11 2025 W, NEBC Elite)- When Nasir Williams had the ball in his hands, fans were on the edge of their seats as he was doing some special things off the dribble. His flashy handles and finishing ability led to constant highlights, and more importantly, consistent points on the board for his team. Nasir has the length to play on the wing, but his ability to create off the dribble also allows him to take over as a primary ball handler when needed. He displayed a dangerous crossover and a lightning quick spin move that allowed him to get into space in the lane for some tough finishes. Nasir was also a constant threat in transition as he was able to weave in-and-out of defenders while making his way up the floor.

Keegan Vankauwenberg (6’3 2025 F, Wisconsin Crusaders Premier Purple)- One of the top performers from War For The North was Keegan Vankauwenberg, as he has such a versatile skillset with the physical attributes to match. At 6’3 he was typically one of the tallest, if not the tallest, players on the floor, but his handle allowed him to play on the perimeter. He handled the ball well for his size, and was able to break a full court press or attack from the wing and get to the rim. Keegan worked hard for easy put-back buckets, and also stretched the floor with his shooting. Mid-range jumpers were also in his arsenal as he could pick his spots and get to them with ease off the dribble. Keegan was a mismatch nightmare all weekend long, and put in some massive scoring performances.

Brock Camp (6’4 2025 PF/C, Mid Mo Elite)- Brock Camp was one of the tallest players in attendance, and he used that to his advantage to dominate in the paint. With his strong frame and touch around the rim, he was able to score efficiently when receiving on the block or gathering offensive boards. Defensively he stood his ground on the block and cleared out space with his box outs to secure rebounds in bunches. More than just a paint threat, he runs the floor well for a young big which will continue to lead to some easy transition buckets. His coordination and scoring touch for his size at a young age bodes well for the future.

Maquan Barksdale (2025 SF, Grind Family Chicago)- When it comes to raw athleticism, it would be tough to find someone with more than Maquan Barksdale. He’s a player with excellent strength and explosive ability for his age, and he used that to his advantage as he was a constant grinder on both ends. Maquan had success guarding taller opponents due to his effort, and he was tough to keep off the glass on both ends of the floor. A major threat in transition, he ran the floor for finishes at the rim, and when he gets into the paint, there aren’t too many situations in which he won’t finish.

Camren Riggins-Brown (2025 F, D1 Minnesota – Sullivan)- Camren is another player just oozing with potential. He has plenty of length which allowed him to play in the post, but his athleticism also allowed him to play on the wing as a small forward. Camren ran the floor like a gazelle which led to a handful of transition finishes, and although he didn’t get to show it in-game, he’s an above the rim threat in the open floor. He blocked shots, competed for rebounds, made smart decisions with the ball, and showed flashes of a nice face-up game in the post. A lot to like about him moving forward.