Hard Work Region Finals – Wing Standouts
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Some of the top programs in Minnesota competed at the Hard Work Region Finals last weekend, and these are seven of the top wing performers I saw play! Nick Katona Nick Katona 6'6" | SF Shakopee | 2022 State MN…
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Continue ReadingSome of the top programs in Minnesota competed at the Hard Work Region Finals last weekend, and these are seven of the top wing performers I saw play!
Nick Katona Nick Katona 6'6" | SF Shakopee | 2022 State MN (6’6 2022 SF, Minnesota Fury Wilde)- Nick started off his career mostly known for his defense, but has steadily been evolving into a bigger threat offensively. That showed in a win over D1 Minnesota Prospects as Nick was able to float without the ball and rack up clean looks from three, hitting his shots at a high percentage. That adds on to the threat he already poses as a slasher, as Nick has the explosiveness and crafty finishing ability to get to the rack and finish over size. Defensively he was all over the floor making plays as he can sit low and defend on the ball, or jump passing lanes to create turnovers. Even when he isn’t making plays that show up in the box score, Nick provides constant energy that keeps his team playing at a high level.
Charlie Theis (6’4 2024 SF, Minnesota Fury)- One of the top performers I saw at the 15u level was Charlie Theis of East Ridge. At 6’4 he brought a lot of size to the wing at that age group, and he used it to finish at a high level around the rim. Particularly in the championship game Charlie finished strong through contact, including three late finishes that helped seal the win for his team. He also proved that he can stretch the floor and was a consistent presence from beyond the arc. Every time he or a teammate made a big play, Charlie was getting fired up and that brought a ton of energy to his team as they made their way back to the defensive end. I also liked how well he moved without the ball to open up some clean looks going towards the rim.
CJ O’Hara CJ O’Hara 6'4" | SF Park Center | 2023 State #285 Nation MN (6’4 2023 W, Gain Elite 17u)- Even playing up an age group, CJ continued to produce at a high level. Any time he got just a bit of space close to the rim, he was going to elevate and throw it down with some power. Whether it was in transition or attacking the rim off the dribble, CJ was a highlight play waiting to happen. In every game I saw from Gain Elite, CJ was a consistent presence. He takes high percentage looks and makes them at a high rate, providing an important scoring presence for his team. He started off mostly scoring inside, but against Minnesota Select he showed just how much the jumper has improved since he got into high school, particularly with his ability to create space and pull-up off the dribble. CJ also brings some defensive versatility to the floor as his length and athleticism allow him to guard a variety of spots.
Pal Wal Pal Wal 6'5" | PF Albert Lea | 2023 State MN (6’5 2023 F, Minnesota Lightning 16u)- Not too many players in the state look smoother attacking the basket than Pal Wal Pal Wal 6'5" | PF Albert Lea | 2023 State MN . The versatile 6’5 forward has a “slo-mo” feel to the game as he just makes it look easy gliding through defenders on his way to the paint. Once he’s close to the rim he uses his long frame to extend and then finish with a soft finger-roll. Against the Wisconsin Crusaders that soft touch extended to beyond the arc as he knocked down a handful of threes that kept his team in it until the very end. Pal is so versatile because he can go from scrapping on the glass one play, handling the ball in transition the next play, and then cap off a run with a deep three pointer.
Logan Kinsey Logan Kinsey 6'6" | PF Spring Lake Park | 2022 State MN (6’6 2022 SF, MSP Elite)- Once again the MSU-Moorhead commit simply went out and produced at a high level for MSP Elite. At 6’6 he has plenty of length, and with that he brings some agility and explosiveness that you don’t commonly find in players at that size. He uses that to his advantage as he is constantly fighting on the glass to pull down rebounds in bulk, and then runs the floor as hard as anyone to pick up transition buckets. In the half-court he has a fadeaway jumper from about 10 feet that is so hard to contest because of his length, but he also showed that he can step out and consistently hit from beyond the arc. In the two games I saw Logan added in some hard cuts to the basket, as well as a handful of blocked shots on the defensive end in what was another productive weekend.
Connor Beauchamp (6’4 2022 SG, WOTN Johnson)- Nothing flashy about Connor’s game, but he simply goes out and produces. In a game against a talented Real Phenom team, Connor made defenders pay for giving him too much space from three. He can hit the outside shot but his length on the wing also allows him to get off clean looks from mid-range when he gets into those gaps in the defense. On the defensive end he brings some toughness to the floor and competes for every inch. Because of his length he found success guarding a few different spots on the floor, and he has the look of someone who will carve out a much bigger role for Lakeville South this winter.
Chiddi Obiazor Chiddi Obiazor 6'5" | PF Eden Prairie | 2023 MN (6’6 2023 SF, Gain Elite 17u)- Another 2023 who played up a year for Gain Elite, Chiddi may have been the most efficient scorer I saw all weekend. In each game I saw, he consistently took high percentage looks and made them just about every time. In the first game he played on Saturday he was going up looking to dunk everything, and with his strong 6’6 frame, when he has space to lift off the ground there’s not much you can do to stop him. That showed as he blew by a defender on the baseline and elevated for a one hand slam, and also added two put-back dunks with defenders watching on nearby. The high motor is there on both ends of the floor, and when you combine that with physical/athletic traits that only a few players in the state can match, it makes for constant two-way production from Chiddi.