NHR State Tournament Prospects To Watch

<p>The NHR State tournament is coming up this weekend in Minnesota, with programs from all across the state of Minnesota competing. From D1 offered players to deep sleepers, these are seven intriguing prospects to keep an eye on throughout the weekend!</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1143877" first="Jamari" last="Walker"] (6’6 2022 F, E1T1 Premier)- </strong>I got to watch Jamari a couple of times in the winter, and was impressed by the how he uses his physical attributes. He’s a strong and athletic 6’6 forward who showed some flashes of being able to play the 3 and the 4. Jamari competes on the glass on both ends of the floor, and is a threat to rise up and throw down some powerful putback dunks. His athleticism combined with size allows him to defend a variety of spots on the floor, and on the offensive end he has a solid shooting touch as well, forcing defenders to guard him outside the paint.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958789" first="Luke" last="Kottom"] (6’8 2022 PF/C, MN Lightning Studer)- </strong>While some high level Division One post prospects will be competing this weekend, [player_tooltip player_id="958789" first="Luke" last="Kottom"] will be looking to boost his stock going up against that talent. Earlier this spring he impressed me with his ability to pull down rebounds in bulk, and compete to finish through contact. He has the ability to collect his balance before going up to score, and his strength allows for him to stay steady when defenders make contact. Luke is a high percentage finisher and I’m looking forward to seeing him compete against talented size. He’s also a very high academic prospect.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1139741" first="Logan" last="Kinsey"] (6’6 2022 SF, MSP Elite)- </strong>One of the major stock-risers from this spring was [player_tooltip player_id="1139741" first="Logan" last="Kinsey"], as he played his was to a D2 offer. At 6’6 he has great size on the wing, and is an explosive athlete capable of elevating off two feet for some highlight dunks. Twitter has been filled with Logan flying in the open floor and even putting defenders on posters a few times. He’s a hard worker on the glass, and possesses a nice looking mid-range jumper that he can get to off one of two dribbles. If he continues to perform at his current level, expect his stock to rise even more.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850733" first="JaSean" last="Glover"] (6’4 2022 G, SW Minnesota Stars)- </strong>Glover has put up some impressive scoring numbers throughout his high school career, and that scoring hasn’t stopped during the AAU season. At 6’4 he has plenty of length, and he’s a slippery player off the dribble capable of getting into tight spaces and working his way to the rim. Glover is capable of living in the paint, and he’s very skilled at getting high percentage looks in both half-court and transition settings. Add in a reliable jump shot, and you have a player who should be among the most dangerous scorers in attendance.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1220406" first="Trey" last="Smith"] (6’4 2023 W, MN Bounce)- </strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1220406" first="Trey" last="Smith"] is certainly an intriguing prospect to keep an eye on at the 16u level this weekend. Playing with a loaded Osseo program in the winter, he was a standout at the JV level. He has an extremely long frame, with excellent mobility and the ability to create off the dribble. When he gets to the rim Trey is an acrobatic finisher with a crafty lay-up package, but he can also stretch the floor with his jumper. An extremely versatile prospect who can guard most spots defensively, and also take on a bunch of roles offensively.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962297" first="Pal" last="Wal"] (6’5 2023 F, MN Lightning 2023 Ellerbusch)- </strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962297" first="Pal" last="Wal"] had some big games out in Appleton a few weeks ago, and it’s because of his versatility at 6’5. If you put a bigger defender on him, he’s simply too quick on his feet for them to keep up with. Put a quicker defender on him and he’s too powerful for them to contain on the block. Pal is the type of player who can go from handling the ball and creating off the dribble one play, to posting up and scoring with strength/footwork on the next. Can hurt opposing teams in so many ways.</p> <p><strong>Obang Ochan (6’1 2025 G, Real Phenom 2024 Rolando)- </strong>An exciting prospect to watch for in the 2025 class, Obang Ochan is an explosive guard capable of making some highlight plays in transition. He has long arms that allow him to make plays defensively, as he can sit in a stance and use his length to pick his man’s pocket and go the other way. I haven’t been able to see him play in person yet, but based on clips I’ve seen of him I’m looking forward to watching a full game.</p>