CSP Fall League: Sleeper Standouts

Concordia St. Paul has been hosting a fall league filled with talented high school teams from across the state. I was able to get in the gym last weekend to watch eight games, and these are seven sleeper prospects who stood out! [player_tooltip player_id="958752" first="Gedeon" last="Musabyimana"] (6’1 2022 PG, St. Paul Central)- After graduating a strong 2021 class, this will be Gedeon’s year to run the show at Central. A prospect who’s just kept improving every year, he has a nice feel for the game with the ball in his hands and is dangerous off the dribble. He started off the 8am game with eight quick points, knocking down a three after his defender went under a screen, attacking the basket and finishing off a tough look for an and-one, and then picking up a steal that led to an easy finish in transition. Even when Gedeon wasn’t on the floor, I liked how he was communicating from the bench and helping get some of the less experienced players in the right spots on both ends of the floor. One of the best players in the St. Paul City Conference this year. Ramone Walker (6’3 2022 F, Bloomington Kennedy)- Perhaps the most productive player I saw all weekend, Ramone had a monster performance against St. Francis on Sunday morning. Although he’s 6’3, the long and lanky forward uses his effort, quick bounce, and long arms to produce like a 6’6+ forward around the rim. His motor never stopped running and that allowed him to create a ton of second chance buckets with his offensive rebounding. Ramone was also dangerous as a P&R big as he has great hands to receive in traffic and go up and finish. He added in a pair of threes while also showing some ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim off the bounce. A fiery competitor, Ramone could be in for a breakout senior season. [player_tooltip player_id="962245" first="Isaiah" last="Bluford"] (5’9 2023 PG, Maranatha Christian Academy)- Isaiah simply got after it defensively on Sunday. The small but quick guard was constantly picking up full court and pressuring opposing ball handlers. Though he picked up a couple of fouls along the way, the effort he was putting in defensively led to multiple turnovers and made it difficult for the other team to get into any rhythm offensively. On the offensive end he has a nice handle to penetrate gaps and then distribute to open teammates, while also not being afraid to let it fly from beyond the arc. Averaged 6 ppg as a sophomore and will play a key role for a competitive Maranatha team this year. [player_tooltip player_id="1221118" first="Jobe" last="Juenemann"] (6’2 2023 SG, Duluth East)- This was my first time seeing Jobe in action with his high school team, and it was his sharp shooting in the second half that helped Duluth East pick up a win over a strong BSM squad. Late in the game he came down and hit 3 or 4 straight from beyond the arc to help give his team some momentum and a slight lead heading into the closing minutes of the game. Even in his first year having a big role at the varsity level, he showed no shortage of confidence. He’s a solid athlete who can give you some strong minutes defensively on the wing as well. [player_tooltip player_id="958714" first="Jeremiah" last="LaVelle"] (6’4 2022 F, Maranatha Christian Academy)- This was my first time seeing Jeremiah play live in a while, and I was immediately impressed before the game even started. You can tell he’s been putting in work in the weight room as not only has he added size, but he’s an explosive leaper who can finish with authority above the rim. That strength allows him to play both in the post and on the wing at 6’4, where he showed he can pull-up and knock down shots off the dribble from three or mid-range. That bit of skill of the dribbled combined with his physicality around the rim for production on offense. Defensively he can guard taller players in the post, and had no problem taking contact off the chest and standing his ground on the block against size. He scored 20 ppg as a junior and should be in for another productive season this winter. Jakobe Lyles (6’3 2022 PF, Chaska)- Though he was listed at 6’3 last winter, Jakobe plays a lot bigger than his height. He has a strong frame and plays with physicality in the post. With his back to the basket he’s able too move players off the block and get into position around the rim for high percentage finishes. Jakobe is light on his feet and works hard running rim-to-rim on both ends of the floor. He did the bulk of his damage scoring around the basket, but showed he can put the ball on the floor a bit and he also has a soft touch on his jumper. Scored 7 ppg last season as a junior. [player_tooltip player_id="962244" first="Matthew" last="Bluford"] (5’9 2023 PG, Maranatha Christian Academy)- Just like his brother Isaiah, Matthew was a pest defensively all game long. He has no fear picking up and guarding the length of the floor, and found success forcing his man to turn multiple times when bringing the ball up. That quickness he possesses combined with defensive effort allows him to disrupt the opposing offense and also causes his man to make mistakes with the ball. On the offensive end he has the quickness and handle to get into the paint and make plays with his passing, or step outside and knock down outside shots.