Breakdown Fall League - Max's Week 1 Standouts

The annual four-week fall league hosted by Breakdown Sports kicked off on the boy’s side over the weekend, with plenty of the state’s top teams competing. These are some of the top performers that I watched compete on Sunday! [player_tooltip player_id="1284147" first="Jack" last="Robison"] (6’5 2024 W, Lakeville North)- Although Hopkins ended up coming away with the win, they just didn’t seem to have a way to slow [player_tooltip player_id="1284147" first="Jack" last="Robison"] down. Already holding a pair of high major offers, Jack attacked one of the most talented teams in the state and made it look easy putting up some strong scoring numbers. Whenever he got the ball he seemed to be one step ahead of the defense, as he utilizes footwork and change of speed to create separation or get between gaps to attack the basket. Jack showcased a nice turnaround jumper and a dangerous spin move that he can use to create shots in the 5-10 foot range. With a skillset this advanced as a 10th grader, Jack has the potential to develop into one of the best scorers in the state. Donavhan Cain (6’3 2023 G, Cretin-Derham Hall)- Playing alongside one of the best point guards the state has seen over the past few years, Donavhan showed he can excel playing off the ball. He was the Raiders’ top scorer in the game I saw, and did so without dribbling much. He found space along the arc for kick-out passes leading to open threes, and was an above-the-rim threat in transition as he could leak out and pick up some open dunks. Cain also provided a threat with his backdoor cutting, as on one occasion the Raiders simply needed to toss the ball near the rim and Donavhan showed he can out-jump everyone on the floor to tip it in. Impressive performance in my first view of him in a CDH uniform. [player_tooltip player_id="962200" first="Jack" last="Janicki"] (6’4 2023 G, White Bear Lake)- Jack showed why he’s one of the top 2023 prospects in Minnesota, as he helped lead White Bear Lake to a win over Edina. In crunch time Jack dribbled up the floor in confidence, and knocked down a turnaround jumper from the baseline at the buzzer to give his team the win in a close contest. Although his shot wasn’t falling in the first half, he showed off his athleticism with a baseline drive into a one-handed slam, followed up by an open dunk in transition after he stole an inbounds pass. He’s so dangerous creating space off the dribble with a quick crossover or stepback, but also showed some flashes of getting into the paint and locating the open man. [player_tooltip player_id="1284083" first="Andy" last="Stefonowicz"] (6’ 2024 PG, Minnetonka)- Even as just a sophomore, you won’t find many floor generals that are as smart and skilled as Andy is. Even as one of the smaller players on the floor he could get to the rim whenever he wanted, and he’s so good at getting defenders into the air with a quick headfake before going up to finish against size. From the perimeter he’s a dangerous outside shooter, but also has the vision to locate cutting teammates and hit them right in the hands as they get to the rim to finish. Coaches can feel confident when Andy has the ball because he always makes smart reads, and finds high percentage shots for both himself and his teammates. Daniel Molhoek (6’7 2025 PF/C, Edina)- Really liked the improvements that Daniel has shown since I last saw him over the summer. He has a solid frame at 6’7 and I liked how he ran the floor hard against upperclassmen competition. On multiple occasions he beat the White Bear Lake defense up the floor in transition for easy finishes. He also showed some pick & pop potential as the freshman post knocked down a pair of threes in the second half in what was a very close game. In the post he works hard to get a seal on his man to provide for easy entry passes, and he made sure to go up balanced to finish at a high percentage. Finished with 14 points by my count. [player_tooltip player_id="850729" first="Muja" last="Burton"] (6’4 2022 W, Columbia Heights)- On a team loaded with experienced prospects, Muja stood out with his scoring ability against CDH. He’s evolved into more than just a shooter, as he was getting physical for offensive rebounds that led to strong finishes through contact inside. He played with an intensity that showed he simply wanted it more than others, as he was getting every shot off the rim in his area, and showed no fear finishing against size. Muja also showed the signature shooting touch from outside with multiple threes, and his quick release makes it so difficult to contest his shot. [player_tooltip player_id="1143863" first="Jamal" last="Ambrose"] (6’10 2022 C, Eastview)- Park Center ultimately picked up a huge win over Eastview, but [player_tooltip player_id="1143863" first="Jamal" last="Ambrose"] was a bright spot for his team. In the first half the Pirates just didn’t have an answer for Jamal inside. He was too big and strong for everyone they threw at him, allowing him to receive and entry pass and turn over that left shoulder for a high percentage look. Whether it’s in the paint or beyond the arc, Jamal has one of the best scoring touches in the state among post players, making him a threat to score from anywhere in the half-court when given too much space. [player_tooltip player_id="850710" first="Braeden" last="Carrington"] (6’4 2022 G, Park Center)- Braeden has continued to improve each year I’ve been watching him, and yesterday he was at his best as defenders didn’t stand a chance at slowing him down. Even when they played what would be near-perfect defense on most players in the state, Braeden’s elevation and release on his jumper led to three points on the board and one distraught defender jogging back on defense. Not only is Braeden one of the best shooters in the state, but he can do it without pounding the air out of the ball. A quick catch-and-shoot three or utilizing one or two dribbles to create space was all Braeden needed to get off a clean look. He also showed off some athleticism with a few dunks in the open floor. [player_tooltip player_id="850737" first="Maddox" last="Alipate"] (6’1 2022 PG, Benilde-St. Margaret’s)- Maddox was one of the top defenders I saw all day, as is typically the case with him. He’s a relentless on ball defender who doesn’t give opposing point guards a second of rest. All game long he was sitting deep in a stance tight on his man, and moving his feet to make things difficult for them. He knows how to play physical while also avoiding fouling in most cases, and he forces low percentage shots continuously. Even against a Minnetonka team filled with talented guards, Maddox was making things difficult for them with his physical and hard-working style of defense.