Minnesota Top 250 Expo: 2023 Stock Risers

<p>Who are the 2023 players that saw their stock go up at the Expo this weekend? I run through ten of those names now!</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1226395" first="Baiden" last="Bean"] of Farmington (6’0 Guard).  Not a clone but there is some [player_tooltip player_id="958681" first="Brayden" last="Williams"] (just committed to Bemidji State) in Braiden Bean.  Touch, crafty playmaking, shake on the separation, plus Bean looked bigger than the listed six feet. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="962223" first="Khalif" last="Bettis"] of Burnsville (6’5 Wing). After this weekend I feel good about saying Bettis is a division one level player.  Love how he mixes the work around the paint with face-up ability.  Shot the ball well this weekend and if that shot continues to fall, Bettis will be an even better prospect. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1288666" first="Henry" last="Eliason"] of Eastview (6’5 Wing).  I was so impressed with Eliason this weekend that I feel he should be on the radar of scholarship schools.  I maybe hitting the gas a bit too fast off of two viewings in the past couple months but that skill and the way he uses his frame is impressive. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1201757" first="Spencer" last="Hall"] of Wayzata (6’2 SG).  I’ll wait until I see Spencer play with the Trojans another couple times but I love his work rate combined with skill work.  He’s a dependable two way player that has already made a lot of clutch plays in his time and I look forward to seeing him take that next step. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="962243" first="Austin" last="Josephson"] of Southridge (6’9 C).  Josephson spent his Saturday clearing space for some of the better guards/wings in the 2023 class.  He wasn’t rewarded with the ball very much after the screen but the screens were money and his steps to the basket for a catch and finish or a post touch were often there, just not delivered.  Potential to be a scholarship five, reminded me of a young Simon Krych at times.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="962212" first="Boden" last="Kapke"] of Holy Family (6’10 C). There’s a reason that Minnesota and Xavier were the latest two schools over at Holy Family, because Boden is on the verge of being a nationally rated talent.  The all around skill and size are what you look for in the modern five.  A player that can set that high ball screen and have the ball go through him. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1161947" first="Joshua" last="Ofori"] of Prior Lake (6’5 Wing).  It’s taken me some time to step forward and feel like Ofori is next up, but I am now convinced after seeing a full run of his potential.  Ofori has the prospect status of a scholarship kid.  The build is there, the agility is there, the straight line and lateral mobility is there, and next up with consistent production we could be talking about the next major stock riser in this class (stock riser now, major stock riser later?). </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1288685" first="Micah" last="Thompson"] of Perham (6’5 SG).  Perham has skilled players that know how to play.  They always have versatile talents that can play several spots.  Thompson fits that mold but what is more unique about him is that Micah can handle some, he can go at the rim, and he can do some things at the four as a Class AA talent that make him even more versatile. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1226375" first="JT" last="Thornton"] of Lakeville North (6’3 Wing).  Thornton could be a good winter of quality Lakeville North coaching away from big things.  Defensively he can be a game changer and going at the rim he could become one of the more explosive players the Panthers have had in recent time.  The potential looks to be there, we look forward to seeing the jump JT makes this winter. </p>