The Platform - Minnesota Point Guard Standouts

Birmingham was loaded with talent from across the country last weekend as college coaches of all levels gathered to watch The Platform. I was able to catch 25+ games over the weekend and these are eight of the top performers I saw at the point guard spot! [player_tooltip player_id="958816" first="Akeem" last="Nelson"] (6’1 2023 PG, Minnesota Heat Pratt)- Akeem put on the best display of passing I saw all weekend, as the Minnesota Prep guard put up a 15 point and 10 assist double-double in a win for his team. Akeem was getting into the paint whenever he wanted, and always had his eyes scanning the floor allowing him to kick it out to open shooters with accuracy. When looking to score he was a tough finisher going up through contact, and also scored using a quick spin move to avoid a defender. In one of the most impressive plays of the day, Akeem tipped a pass and then threw the ball behind his head to hit a streaking teammate in stride towards the basket. Defensively he was a menace on the ball, pressuring everything inside half-court and jumping passing lanes on his way to six steals. Maxwell Woods (5’10 2024 PG, Minnesota Fury Zurn)- One of the quickest players I saw all weekend regardless of class, Maxwell Woods can absolutely fly up the floor. That quickness made him a force in transition, turning not only steals into offense the other way, but also taking defensive rebounds and creating high percentage looks for himself and others with his ability to beat defenders up the floor. Woods started the game off with two tough left-handed finishes in transition, and then added a pull-up mid-range shot that showcased the elevation he gets on his jumper. He also found success beating his initial man off the dribble to draw in a help defender, and showed the vision to find the open man whether it was on the block or an open shooter floating on the perimeter. Add in tough defense against an EG10 squad that was loaded with talented guards, and you have a promising floor general to track over the next few years. [player_tooltip player_id="1143878" first="Leo" last="Torbor"] (6’3 2022 G, Minnesota Select Ohnstad)- Leo is capable of playing on or off the ball, but he handled the ball a good amount in the games I saw, so I’m including him with the point guards. It wasn’t his best scoring weekend, but I liked the way that Leo competed against Division One level talent in just about every game. He has the athletic abilities to match up with just about anyone, as his lateral quickness and explosive leaping abilities allow him to make plays defending on-ball, as an extra help-side shot blocker, and as a strong rebounder. Leo is at his best attacking off the dribble, and he showed some of the flashy finishing ability when he hangs in the air to score through traffic, while also being able to throw a last second pass after the help defender commits. [player_tooltip player_id="1221176" first="Owen" last="Carlson"] (6’3 2023 G, Minnesota Chill 2023)- Owen is another player who can play either guard spot, but he handles the ball a lot for a Chill team that’s loaded with talented wings. The explosive dunks will catch your eye on film, as Owen can fly to the basket in transition, but what stood out in the game I caught was his ability to take over a game shooting the ball. The opposing team was swarming every touch in the paint, so Owen’s outside shot was needed to stretch the floor. By my count he knocked down 6 or 7 shots from beyond the arc, connecting both off the catch and dribble. Facing a full court press for most of the game, I also thought he did a good job of handling the pressure as a primary ball handler for his team. Carlson also adds in some defensive versatility with his length and athleticism. [player_tooltip player_id="850737" first="Maddox" last="Alipate"] (6’1 2022 PG, Minnesota Fury Wilde)- Facing off against some loaded teams, Maddox was as intense as ever on the defensive end. His constant communication combined with effort to move his feet and fight through screens makes him a difficult matchup for opposing point guards, and he was making his opponents work for every inch of space. Maddox is a fiery competitor who will do anything asked of him, and is the type of point guard who can make an impact on a game without needing to shoot the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="962246" first="Ben" last="Kopetzki"] (5’11 2023 PG, Minnesota Fury Antl)- The Andover guard plays with a constantly calm demeanor no matter what opposing defenses throw at him. Even against two EYBL teams, Ben responded well to pressure and was able to make the right play just about every time he touched the ball. He shot it well from beyond the arc, and also knew when to push the tempo to get some transition scores for his team. Though not the biggest or most athletic, he knows how to create space with a quick crossover to get off his shot, and he can also deliver an accurate pass straight to his shooters’ hands. [player_tooltip player_id="850723" first="Dylan" last="Wheeler"] (6’3 2022 G, Minnesota Heat MacDonald)- Dylan proved to be one of the biggest beyond-the-arc shooting threats on the weekend, knocking down shot after shot in some close games. He does a nice job of handling the ball under pressure, and excels at passing and relocating to get himself into space to get off a clean look. I only got to catch one game over the weekend, but during a slow start for his team he was able to keep the Heat close by knocking down a few outside jumpers. He also did a nice job of feeding the size that his team possesses in the post, and making sure that his wings got adequate touches. [player_tooltip player_id="850721" first="Benard" last="Omooria"] (6’1 2022 PG, Minnesota Select Ohnstad)- The other primary ball handler for Select this past weekend, Benard was terrorizing opposing teams with that quick and confident release from three. Every time he takes a shot, Benard (and many watching) has confidence that it’s going in, and he was hitting them early and often in a high profile matchup against Georgia Stars EYBL. As Select went on to win that game, part of it was due to the early lead they were able to develop thanks to a hot shooting start from Omooria. He’s so quick both with and without the ball, and is dangerous as a P&R ball handler because his deep range allows him to get off a clean look every time his man goes under the screen.