Week 10 Rivalry Standouts

I was able to catch a couple of crosstown rivalries early in the week. These games had some great atmospheres and some standout prospects, here are my top seven. Osseo (57) vs Park Center (76) [player_tooltip player_id="958757" first="Cody" last="Pennebaker"] of Park Center (6’4” Wing - 2022) Cody has continued to prove this season that he is one of the top uncommitted seniors left in Minnesota. His game is so dynamic and could not be stopped on Monday. He dropped a game-high 26 points in the convincing win over #7 Osseo, scoring in many different ways. Cody scored the majority of his baskets in transition using his speed and strength to out-run and finish over/through defenders. Along with that, Pennebaker showed off his perimeter scoring, connecting with a corner three-pointer and a tough pull-up mid-range jumper. Cody has been fantastic this year and I would not be surprised if he is on the top 10 list for Mr. Basketball. [player_tooltip player_id="850721" first="Benard" last="Omooria"] of Osseo (6’0” Guard - 2022) Benard kept the Orioles in it early, but ultimately fell to the #1 team in AAAA. Omooria knocked down 4 three-pointers on his way to a team-high 15 points. He has a very quick release and can shoot off-balance or with his feet set. The Osseo guard also has very deep range, as he was pulling up from around the volleyball line consistently. He was not just scoring, he had a couple nice passes and took a charge in the first half giving his team the momentum. Benard has had an impressive season so far and is one of the top shooters still available in this senior class. [player_tooltip player_id="958729" first="Ayouba" last="Berthe"] of Park Center (6’4” Forward - 2022) One of the best “glue guys” in the state, Ayouba has been a key contributor for the Pirates this season. Being one of the best defenders in the state, he is able to guard positions one through five with his great frame and athleticism. He is a knockdown shooter with a pure shot who can make a team pay for leaving him open. Berthe is a player I would definitely want on my team and does so many things that often go unnoticed. He will be a major piece of this Park Center squad ready to make a run at a state championship.   Chaska (60) vs Chanhassen (53) [player_tooltip player_id="850714" first="Brady" last="Nicholson"] of Chaska (6’9” Forward - 2022) Brady took over on Tuesday night, scoring a game-high 30 points and securing the rivalry win over Chanhassen. The senior big man is so skilled and was making the right decisions all game. He did a great job using his size to his advantage, grabbing offensive rebounds and finishing through contact, sometimes with multiple defenders on him at once. Brady’s ability to shoot the ball with consistency makes him almost unstoppable when he is hot from the perimeter. He also showed off his passing vision and accuracy with some very impressive passes out of the post. Nicholson has been a scoring machine this season, currently averaging 23.6 points per game. He is easily a low D1/high D2 prospect that needs more recognition. [player_tooltip player_id="1288716" first="Maxwell" last="Woods"] of Chanhassen (5’10” Guard - 2024) Quick, fast, shifty, unpredictable, those are the first words that come to mind when describing Maxwell’s game. Only a sophomore, he did a great job facilitating and conducting the offense all game for Chanhassen. He was very effective in the pick & roll and in isolation, being able to blow by defenders or find open teammates for easy looks. Woods’ shots were not falling from the outside, but he still kept his team in the game with his ability to drive to the basket and with his advanced playmaking. He is also a standout football prospect, ranked as the #1 running back and the #2 overall player in Minnesota’s 2024 class. [player_tooltip player_id="1288805" first="Jakobe" last="Lyles"] of Chaska (6’4” Forward - 2022) Jakobe was very efficient in Chaska’s Tuesday win. The 6’4” senior has great size, using that to grab rebounds and protect the paint. Lyles was also able to show off his scoring abilities, as he knocked down a pair of corner three-pointers. Another aspect of his game that I really liked was the work he did in the post. He had a really impressive no-look bounce pass to a cutting teammate for an easy layup and also converted an and-one off of an inbound play. Jakobe was a very intriguing prospect that I did not know a lot about going into Tuesday, but the front court of him and [player_tooltip player_id="850714" first="Brady" last="Nicholson"] were unstoppable! [player_tooltip player_id="1155893" first="Jaxon" last="McDonald"] of Chanhassen (6’0” Guard - 2022) Jaxon provided a spark for the Storm, finishing the game with 12 points. He did all of his scoring from beyond the arc, connecting with 4 three-pointers. He has a lightning quick release, making it very hard for defenders to get a hand in his face. He specialized in the catch-and-shoot and was almost automatic all night. He also handled the ball a little bit, showing his playmaking abilities. He scored a season-high 17 points against both Eden Prairie & BSM and has been a key piece for Chanhassen this season.