Breakdown Fall League - Max's Week 4 Standouts Pt. 2

With the Breakdown fall league officially wrapped up and the season set to get kicked off this month, I’ll be going over some more of my standouts from the final week of fall league play! [player_tooltip player_id="796947" first="Caleb" last="Siwek"] (6’2 2022 G, Rosemount)- Caleb had an uncharacteristically quiet first half against Spring Lake Park, but took over in the second to force overtime, and eventually pick up the win. His outside shot wasn’t falling early, so he showed off his versatile scoring ability by getting to the rack for some tough finishes in traffic. Siwek also showed some killer instinct, knocking down a three to close the gap to four points, then stealing the inbounds pass before hitting another three pointer to cut it to one. Caleb would then go on to force overtime with free throws with a minute to play. Dangerous scorer who’s continued to get more athletic and versatile each season. [player_tooltip player_id="850738" first="Antonio" last="Bluiett"] (6’2 2022 PG, Buffalo)- From what I hear Antonio has emerged as a strong football prospect this fall, but he’s also one of the top returners in the loaded Lake Conference. Against White Bear Lake he showcased his ability to create for himself and his teammates in a number of ways. Antonio muscled off a defender on one play before stepping back into a mid-range jumper for two points. In the first half he was getting to the paint whenever he wanted to, using his strength to maintain possession while defenders reached in, and then maintaining his balance to go up off two feet and finish at the rim. He dished out a number of assists finding cutting teammates around the rim, and also throwing an impressive full-court pass that hit his teammate perfectly in stride. Boona Morke (6’7 2024 PF, Columbia Heights)- Columbia Heights just keeps getting deeper, as Boona Morke is another promising piece in the program. At about 6’7 with a strong frame for his age, Boona provided an inside threat against Park Center. Playing with a high level passing point guard, Morke was getting set up with some high percentage looks around the basket and finishing them well. He sets hard screens and does a nice job of rolling to the rim and catching while on the move. He’s coordinated enough to catch in stride and then get off the floor to finish inside. I also liked how he competed on the glass against the upperclassmen talent that Park Center has. With a couple of Heights’ usual starters showing up late, Boona did a great job of filling in for them. [player_tooltip player_id="962200" first="Jack" last="Janicki"] (6’4 2023 SG, White Bear Lake)- Jack proved why he’s one of the best guards in the state regardless of class on Sunday, as he seemed to score whenever he wanted to against Buffalo. He’s much more than just a three point shooter, as his off ball movement led to a handful of looks at the rim where he finished with either hand. Jack has a tight handle that he can use to create space to get off a jumper from deep, or freeze his man before blowing by and getting to the rim where he can finish through contact. Jack added in a dunk after he jumped a passing lane, and also made some impressive passes. He showed he can accurately hit an open man while moving full speed, or pass over smaller defenders from the perimeter to hit his teammates around the rim. [player_tooltip player_id="1139192" first="Dylan" last="Omweno"] (6’1 2023 PG, Eastview)- Eastview came out hot against Cretin-Derham Hall, leading by as much as 29 at one point. While it was a balanced team effort that got them the win, I thought Dylan had a strong performance particularly in the second half. He once again showed that he’s one of the fastest players in the 2023 class, and was extremely dangerous getting to the rim. Once he got his man shifted just a little bit in one direction, he could quickly change directions with a crossover dribble and fly by his man to the basket. That speed allows him to take off and glide to the rim for some smooth finishes with either hand. Dylan is also a threat in transition as he can take off after a missed shot and beat opposing guards up the floor for easy buckets. [player_tooltip player_id="1180206" first="Payton" last="Thomsen"] (6’2 2022 G, Spring Lake Park)- I really like how Payton uses his physicality to his advantage at the guard spot. He knows he’s strong enough to get into the paint using his handle and body, and once there he makes smart reads deciding whether to finish or kick it out to the open man. Against Rosemount he made plays off two feet, using his pivot foot to get good angles to score or reposition his body to make a pass to a cutting teammate. Had a handful of tough finishes at the rim and also competed on the defensive end. [player_tooltip player_id="850701" first="Tre" last="Holloman"] (6’2 2022 PG, Cretin-Derham Hall)- CDH struggled early on before starting to rally towards the end of the game, and it was Tre scoring just about everything for them through the first 2/3 of the game. He was a threat from beyond the arc all game long, hitting a couple of step-backs and firing off threes any time his defender sagged off. Tre made a handful of tough shots in the first half, including some acrobatic lay-ups in traffic to try to help his team rally. It was an impressive scoring performance from Tre despite an off day for Cretin-Derham Hall. [player_tooltip player_id="1139741" first="Logan" last="Kinsey"] (6’6 2022 SF, Spring Lake Park)- Logan continues to show why MSU-Moorhead fans should be excited about their next recruiting class, as he’s such a versatile scorer. With his length and quick leap off the ground, his turnaround jumper is almost automatic at the high school level. He can curl off screens and catch the ball in the 10 foot range, and even facing the opposite direction of the hoop he has the ability to plant, elevate, and get squared up in mid-air to get off a high percentage shot. Logan was knocking down those jumpers consistently, and got to the rim for a few more finishes in a tough match against Rosemount. [player_tooltip player_id="962204" first="Lincoln" last="Palbicki"] (6’10 2023 C, Maple Grove)- We’ve already talked about Lincoln for his performance on Sunday, but I think it’s worth bringing up again as he’s arguably the best low-post scorer in the state. Even going against a 6’8+ defender, when he caught the ball on the block it was almost an automatic two points. He has a vast array of post moves and shot fakes that he uses, and when combined with his strength and finishing ability with either hand, he’s extremely difficult to stop down low.