The Most Thrilling 17U Players: AAU

<p>AAU ball and grassroot events are all over for the summer. Football practice has started and fall/school will be here before we know it. This is the perfect time to look back at some of the most exciting, exhilarating, visual-stimulating, and thrilling players from the Dakotas.</p> <h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Most Thrilling Players: 17U </strong></span></h2> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/Angok-Akot.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1225597" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/Angok-Akot-300x225.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1265960" first="Angok" last="Akot"] |6-7 F| Sioux Falls Washington/Sacred Hoops</strong></p> <ul> <li>Prime-time athlete </li> <li>Extra-long arms, bouncy, scary dunker, shot-blocker</li> <li>Handles, double-moves, pull-up game</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/08/brittonC-crop-1125x739-1628963555.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1264944" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/08/brittonC-crop-1125x739-1628963555-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1133066" first="Britton" last="Cranston"] |5-9 G| Dickinson/ND Attack</strong></p> <ul> <li>Lockdown defender with a motor that does not stop</li> <li>Leader, floor general, makes everyone else better</li> <li>Solid shooter and scorer </li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/Caden-Hinker.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1224499" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/Caden-Hinker-300x188.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="188" /></a></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="812199" first="Caden" last="Hinker"] |6-7 F| Mitchell/SD Attack </strong></p> <ul> <li>Showed he can compete with D-1 level athletes</li> <li>Mismatch problem. BIGS can’t guard him outside, guards can’t handle him inside</li> <li>Creator and all-around scorer </li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Cael-Lundin-crop-680x447-1620928290.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1192191" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Cael-Lundin-crop-680x447-1620928290-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="812209" first="Cael" last="Lundin"] |6-3 SG| Tea/SD Attack</strong></p> <ul> <li>Great shooter with perfect form (see above picture)</li> <li>Can fill-it-up in a hurry</li> <li>Smooth handles and ball skills</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/ewentzz-crop-3024x1986-1621743174.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1200282" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/ewentzz-crop-3024x1986-1621743174-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1111173" first="Eric" last="Wentz"] |6-2 SG| Minot/ECI</strong></p> <ul> <li>An intense all-around player</li> <li>A bulldog defender</li> <li>Consistent shooter and great slasher going left</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/08/Gus-Hurlburt.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1258717" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/08/Gus-Hurlburt-300x188.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="188" /></a></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="812220" first="Gus" last="Hurlburt"] |6-9 PF| Enderlin/D-1 Minnesota</strong></p> <ul> <li>He shot a very high percentage this summer </li> <li>Excellent cutter and physical on the block</li> <li>Mismatch problem and plays very smart</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/joehurlburt-crop-1232x809-1618967538.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1173633" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/joehurlburt-crop-1232x809-1618967538-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="787658" first="Joe" last="Hurlburt"] |6-10 PF| Enderlin/D-1 Minnesota</strong></p> <ul> <li>Best rebounder in the Dakotas</li> <li>Talented scoring and uses/reacts well to screens</li> <li>Mega-mismatch problem and also a gifted passer</li> </ul> [caption id="attachment_1265955" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/02/Kalen-Garry-crop-1341x881-1613418201-crop-640x421-1625958719-crop-478x314-1629132754.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1265955" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/02/Kalen-Garry-crop-1341x881-1613418201-crop-640x421-1625958719-crop-478x314-1629132754-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Photo: DWU Basketball DWU Athletics[/caption] <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="812196" first="Kalen" last="Garry"] |6-2 G| De Smet/Pentagon Schoolers</strong></p> <ul> <li>Deadly at catch-and-shoot from beyond the arc</li> <li>Efficient scorer from all 3-levels</li> <li>Very good athlete and finisher above the rim</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Mikele-Kambalo1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1241228" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Mikele-Kambalo1-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="812201" first="Mikele" last="Kambalo"] |5-9 PG| Sioux Falls Washington/Sacred Hoops</strong></p> <ul> <li>Troublesome defender, puts ballhandlers under duress and forces TO’s</li> <li>Can score from beyond the arc, mid-range, and at the rack</li> <li>Jaw-dropping quickness and bursts of speed</li> </ul> <p><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1266322" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/NateF-crop-1125x739-1629170779-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1046367" first="Nate" last="Fedorchak"] |6-1 SG| Bismarck St. Mary’s/ND Phenom</strong></p> <ul> <li>Deadly 3-point shooter all summer long</li> <li>Hard-working defender on and off the ball</li> <li>Efficient in transition and he can light the nets on fire in the halfcourt set</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/nickCARLSON-crop-1124x739-1626745833.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1240525" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/nickCARLSON-crop-1124x739-1626745833-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1161460" first="Nick" last="Carlson"] |6-5 F| West Fargo/ECI</strong></p> <ul> <li>He was constantly improving throughout the AAU season</li> <li>Spectacular rim protector, top-tier rebounder, great hustle</li> <li>Can shoot the 3-ball, wham it, and everything in between</li> </ul> <p><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1266319" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/pp-crop-3024x1986-1629170207-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="812222" first="Paine" last="Parks"] |6-3 G| Grand Forks Red River/ECI</strong></p> <ul> <li>Remarkably strong and physical </li> <li>3-point shooting improved as the summer progressed</li> <li>Outstanding rebounder and a great pull-up jumper going left</li> </ul> <p><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1266317" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/polson-crop-3024x1986-1629169469-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="812227" first="Paul" last="Olson"] |6-3 SF| Kindred/ECI</strong></p> <ul> <li>Explosive dunker that can jump out of the gym!</li> <li>Slammed it multiple times every game and posterized many people </li> <li>Versatile defender and always improving his jumper</li> </ul> <p><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1265967" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Treyb-crop-675x444-1629133584-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="812226" first="Trey" last="Brandt"] |6-0 PG| Beulah/Pentagon Schoolers</strong></p> <ul> <li>Pull-up game and crafty finishes amongst the BIGS</li> <li>3-point shooting, especially late in the summer</li> <li>Playmaking, ballhandling, gamer, competitor</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/eaglestaff-crop-951x625-1625148362.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1227734" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/eaglestaff-crop-951x625-1625148362-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1046352" first="Treysen" last="Eaglestaff"] |6-5 G/F| Bismarck/D-1 Minnesota</strong></p> <ul> <li>He has moves others can only wish for</li> <li>Shot it will all summer, especially on the big stage</li> <li>Showed his athleticism in transition and whamming on D</li> </ul>