Minnesota Prep Open Gym Evaluations

Minnesota Prep is now heading into their fourth season as a prep school out of Minneapolis, and the team is loaded with talent at all grade levels. Their roster is deep and consists of some local Minnesota prospects as well as talent from across the country. I attended their open gym yesterday and this is what I saw out of their roster. [player_tooltip player_id="889582" first="DJ" last="Jefferson"] (6’5 2022 SG)- The Tulsa commit showed why he’s a nationally ranked level player, scoring the ball in a variety of ways. He’s a threat from beyond the arc, can create space easily to get a mid-range shot off, and is an explosive finisher around the rim. DJ shoots the ball left handed, but usually finishes at the rim with his right which catches a lot of defenders off guard. He’s a major above-the-rim threat in transition, and also proved to be a shot blocking threat defensively. Should be in for a huge senior year. Tavion Banks (6’7 2022 F)- Tavion is a hard working forward for this team at about 6’7 with some explosive athleticism. Doesn’t need to do much with the ball in his hands because he’s constantly finding space around the rim and is a high level finisher. Rebounds hard, contests shots, and runs the floor to pick up transition dunks. Will be a part of a loaded frontcourt this season. Jalyn Patterson (5’7 2025 PG)- The youngest and smallest prospect on this team, Jalyn showed he can go at size and get to the rim for some tough finishes. Hit his threes at a high percentage forcing taller players to guard him tight around the arc, but then has the quickness and handle to get into the paint to make plays with his passing. [player_tooltip player_id="1081804" first="Gob" last="Gob"] (6’3 2022 PG)- One of the most explosive guards in Minnesota, Gob had an impressive put-back dunk off a missed three. With the ball in his hands he may play with the best change-of-pace out of all Minnesota guards, as time after time you’ll see him lull defenders to sleep before blowing by. Can create his own jumper off the dribble while also being able to get to the rim and use his impressive length to finish. Antwaun Massey (6’8 2022 PF)- Antwaun had an impressive summer an earned his first D1 offer just a couple of months ago. He only played for about the first half of games, but impressed with some explosive dunks and strong rebounds on both ends. In transition he runs the floor super hard and when he has the ball in his hands he does a good job of getting his balance off two feet before going up to finish, rather than trying to go full speed and putting up a tough, unbalanced attempt. Jinup Dobuol (6’6 2024 W)- Coming out of St. Cloud, Jinup has a very intriguing frame at 6’6. He has plenty of length and moves pretty well for his size at a young age. Had a couple of nice finishes around the rim and showed touch from beyond the arc. Still a ways to go but a player to watch moving forward. Antonio Chol (6’8 PF)- I’ve seen Antonio listed as both a 2022 and 2023 so not 100% sure what class he is, but he’s a new addition to this team who looks ready to make an impact on both ends. Committed to LMU, Antonio is an athletic and strong forward with plenty of upside. He flashed some post footwork and hit a couple of post-fadeaways over length. Also shot the ball really well from three whether it was off the catch or dribble. Sometimes got caught trying to do a bit too much with the ball, but when he kept it simple he was very productive. Has the length and athleticism to guard multiple spots on defense. Abdi Bashir (6’6 2023 G)- Abdi is a long and wiry guard prospect who handles the ball well for a player at 6’6. Showed he can create his own shots off the dribble and has touch to score from mid-range or three. Abdi showcased a nice stepback jumper that he uses to create space to get off a shot. Will look to add some strength over the next two years but has an intriguing skillset as a 6’6 guard. Abdul Bashir (6’6 2023 G)- Like his twin brother Abdi, Abdul is an intriguing 2023 to keep an eye on. Showed some isolation scoring ability at 6’6 and got to the rim for some nice finishes. Thin frame but showed he’s not afraid to get physical at times around the rim. Another intriguing prospect long-term for this team. [player_tooltip player_id="958816" first="Akeem" last="Nelson"] (6’ 2023 PG)- Akeem showed he can bang in the post against opposing point guards using a quick shoulder turn to get to the rim and finish. Does his best work attacking the basket and is great at reading bad closeouts and blowing by them to get to the rim and finish. [player_tooltip player_id="1205160" first="Arop" last="Arop"] (6’9 2022 SF)- It’s not every day that you see a 6’9 player handle the ball like Arop can. He keeps it low and has a very quick handle allowing him to beat opposing forwards off the dribble and get to the basket. Didn’t play much but showed that he can make some big plays with the ball in his hands. A high upside prospect moving forward, Arop holds D1 offers from a handful of high academic schools. Brenden Moss (6’5 2022 SG)- Brenden absolutely blew up at the mid-major level over the summer, as the 6’5 guard is a lights out shooter from beyond the arc. When he wasn’t knocking down tough shots and showcasing some improved explosiveness, Brenden also looked to be one of the leaders on the floor for this team. Made sure the energy was there for the whole 2.5 hours. Donovan Bratton (6’1 2024 G)- Donovan was a reliable shooting option for his teams throughout the open runs. Has a little bit of length at 6’1 and moved without the ball to get himself into open space. Was particularly dangerous shooting from the corners.