Baird Gusman Shootout Prospect Standouts

<p><strong>KAUKAUNA -- </strong> The top individual standouts from the 2021 Baird Gusman Shootout at Kaukauna High School...</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1240336" first="Amari" last="Allen"]  - 2025  - SF - Kaukauna</p> <p>As he usually does, Allen lived up to the hype despite a lopsided loss to Marshfield. The Ghosts were shorthanded and without two of their three best players, leaving Allen to carry the load. The promising freshman didn’t disappoint, pouring in 25 points, while  facing a pack-line defense. Allen is a big, athletic wing, which leads opposing coaches to believe that if you keep him away from the rim, you’ll stop him. Problem is, Allen is a terrific outside shooter and also has playmaking skills on the ball as well.  He’s a little reminiscent of former Sun Prairie/Nicolet/Duke star  Jalen Johnson just with his size, versatility, and ability to impact the game across the board. Allen also had six rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks. Having seen him run through the Las Vegas Classic over the summer, feels safe to say that Allen is a top 50 prospect nationally and he’s got a chance to be the next great one out of Wisconsin. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="761407" first="Luke" last="Haertle"] - 2022 - SG - Lake Country Lutheran</p> <p>The Wisconsin walk-on commit poured in 30 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and four steals in a tremendous individual effort. With his team trailing late, Haertle came up with a huge 3-pointer and an assist to help get the game to overtime. Haertle came out like an assassin, scoring 17 points in the first half, showcasing a deadly mid-range game. Haertle was able to knock down shots while falling away from the rim and with a hand in his face. The 6-foot-4 senior also has an advanced post game for a guard and does a really good job of getting defenders off their feet and/or scoring through contact.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1203243" first="Grady" last="Geiger"] - 2024 - PF - Brillion</p> <p>With [player_tooltip player_id="1017916" first="Jeremy" last="Lorenz"] being smothered offensively, Geiger took advantage and stepped up during a win over Wrightstown. The 6-foot-6 forward did a nice job of sealing his man deep in the post, catching in high percentage areas, giving his guards an easy target, and scored powerfully under the rim. Geiger finished with a game-high 16 points in a balanced effort for Brillion.  Geiger has a very advanced frame for his age, some bounce, and is a good athlete in the open floor. Didn’t do a ton away from the paint, but Geiger certainly showed over the summer he can slash form the high post and pull his defender away from the rim at times.</p> <p><strong>Chase Hinson</strong> - 2022 - G - Marshfield</p> <p>Felt like every time Kaukauna made a run, it was Hinson who made a big shot to turn the tide back in Marshfield’s favor. The senior guard is a terrific spot-up shooter, who’s had three games with three triples or more this season.   Hinson has very quick feet as well. He may not attack the bucket a ton, but Hinson made defenders respect him with hard jab steps that  forced a backpedal.  Hinson also moved without the ball exceptionally well. While he spend a lot of time on the perimeter, Hinson isn’t a guy that likes to  remain stagnant.</p> <p><strong>Blake Kortz</strong> - 2022 - SG - Freedom</p> <p>Thought Kortz had a very good defensive effort on Saturday against Lake Country Lutheran. The senior guard had three steals, two blocks, and got better as the game wore on, helping Freedom take a strong lead late that they just couldn’t hang onto as Kortz generated a number of stops. Kortz also poured in a team-high 15 points on just nine shots and dished out two assists. A sneaky athlete with some length, Kortz has a quick first step, able to rip and go right to the rim in limited dribbles.</p> <p><strong>Carson Kvernen</strong> - 2022 - F - Marshfield</p> <p>Really like what Kvernen did against Kaukauna. The senior had 14 points, but he did a lot of different things that make Marshfield a dangerous offensive team. The 6-foot-4 forward can play a lot of different roles. He’ll go inside and out for the Tigers and can defend multiple positions. Kvernen  caused a lot of problems for the Ghosts with his ability to catch on the perimeter, put the ball on the deck, and either drive to the hole or dish it out to an open 3-point shooter. Kvernen is also a really good passer out of the post. When he catches on the block,  Kvernen  did a great job of surveying the floor and finding cutters. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1244808" first="Brooks" last="Hinson"] - 2025 - G - Marshfield</p> <p>Hinson is a really good system fit for Marshfield and he’s going to help them win a lot of games. A high-IQ, high-level shooter, that  moves the ball, defends, and is a great teammate to play with, Hinson’s got a natural basketball feel. Love his unselfishness. He’s a kid that could get 15+ points every night right now, but Hinson constantly passes up his own good shots if it means his teammate gets a great one. Seeing Hinson over the summer as well, he’s a dead-eye shooter with a clean, smooth stroke. On Saturday, Hinson proved to be more of a combo guard than I anticipated, dishing the ball at a high level. Hinson finished with 16 points and a handful of assists during a 20-point win over Kaukauna. Love the way Hinson carries himself too. Definitely doesn’t feel like a freshman with how confident and assertive he plays. Yet, he’s not surprised by the success he’s having by constantly celebrating everytime he does something well. Hinson’s also usually the first one to congratulate a teammate when they do something right. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1017916" first="Jeremy" last="Lorenz"] - 2023 - F - Brillion</p> <p>Love these types of efforts. Wrightstown decided they weren’t going to let Lorenz beat them. They doubled him on the block and put everyone else in the paint or the gaps when he caught on the perimeter. Lorenz was only able to get 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting. However, it didn’t deter the 6-foot-8 forward from impacting the game and you never saw him get frustrated with the lack of opportunities on the offensive end. Flirting with a triple-double, Lorenz racked up 17 rebounds and also dished out eight assists and had two blocks in Brillion’s win. This season, Brillion looks more like a combo forward and has really tightened up his handle, able to handle in traffic or bring the ball up the floor. His face-up game in the mid-range also opened some eyes as Lorenz was able to just rise up and shoot over the top or slash from 12-18 feet when he got a rare 1-on-1 opportunity. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1190650" first="Keegan" last="Spees"]</strong> - 2023 - SG - Wrightstown</p> <p>Spees cooled off in the second half, but had Wrightstown right there in the opening period with Brillion. The Tigers shoot a lot of 3’s and Spees really runs their system well.  Spees understands that in order to free himself up, he needs to set good screens and relocate. Spees has no problem working 30-40 seconds a pop to get himself a look if needed. The junior guard finished with a team-high 13 points, connecting on three triples and also recorded two steals. Spees has good positional size (6-3) and a clean, smooth stroke from distance.</p>