Jack's Week 12 Standout Prospects

I was able to catch three games this past week! Mound Westonka took down St. Peter on Monday in a non-conference matchup, Hiawatha outlasted Metro Schools College Prep on Wednesday, and Holy Family dominated Delano on Friday night. St. Peter (52) vs Mound Westonka (67): [player_tooltip player_id="1144113" first="Jake" last="Dallman"] of Mound Westonka (6’2” Guard - 2022) Mound Westonka is heating up at the right time of the season, currently on a ten-game win streak. They continued their dominance on Monday with a double-digit victory over St. Peter behind a game-high 22 points from Jake. He scored in a variety of ways, knocking down shots from beyond the arc and attacking the rim, finishing through contact and drawing fouls. He also showed his advanced court vision with some great passes resulting in transition baskets. The Whitehawks are a scary team to matchup with as we get into section play. [player_tooltip player_id="1267324" first="Bennett" last="Olson"] of St. Peter (6’6” Forward - 2022) St. Peter struggled to get things going at times offensively, but Bennett was consistently a problem around the rim. The senior forward contributed a team-high 19 points on Monday, scoring the majority of his buckets inside the paint area. Olson also knocked down a three-pointer from the top of the key in the first half. He was able to use his size to his advantage as well, grabbing rebounds and picking up a couple blocks. Bennett could be a great addition for a school looking for a tough big man with three-level scoring ability.   Hiawatha Collegiate (77) vs Metro Schools College Prep (66): Jessye Lewis of Hiawatha Collegiate (6’2” Guard - 2023) I have wanted to see Jessye play for some time now and I was finally able to catch a game this past Wednesday. Lewis took over the win with his perimeter scoring abilities, creating shots for himself with a plethora of different moves and combinations. Most of the shots he was making were off balance and off the dribble, making it very hard for defenders to contest. He also showed off his speed and body control with a double-clutch layup in transition in the second half to give his team the momentum. Jessye is one of the elite scorers and shot creators in this junior class. Khadar Mohamed of Metro Schools College Prep (6’0” Guard - 2023) Khadar is a very scrappy guard who can conduct the offense for his team. On Wednesday, he came up with at least 6 steals (not sure on the exact number) which led to many easy baskets on the other end. Mohamed is very quick and possesses great court vision, finding teammates for open looks very often. He also has elite stamina and is a fiery competitor, playing all 36 minutes in their matchup with Hiawatha. He plays the game very fast and very confident. Despite the loss, Khadar and MSCP impressed me a lot and I look forward to seeing some of these guys play during the AAU season.   Delano (70) vs Holy Family (83): [player_tooltip player_id="962212" first="Boden" last="Kapke"] of Holy Family (6’11” Forward - 2023) Boden had an amazing performance on Friday night. The junior big man scored a game-high 33 points, scoring from all three levels, even throwing down a thunderous one-hand dunk in the second half. Kapke is a special prospect, he is very skilled with the ball in his hands and can stretch the floor with his range. He was also able to use his size to his advantage, scoring multiple baskets in the post. Other aspects of Boden’s game that really impressed me were his basketball IQ and court vision, as he was constantly finding teammates out of the post and down the floor with long outlet passes, seeming to always make the correct decisions. Boden has had a very impressive junior season, averaging 27.3 PPG and picking up numerous Division 1 offers. [player_tooltip player_id="1284231" first="Will" last="Strandemo"] of Delano (6’0” Guard - 2023) Despite the Friday night loss, Will kept the Tigers in the game with a team-high 21 points. He loves to work in the mid-range area, pulling up off the dribble and fading to avoid his shot from being altered. He is also very shifty, making it incredibly difficult for defenders to stay in front of him. A result of this was Strandemo constantly being fouled and getting to the free throw line. Will has been a scoring machine this season, averaging 25.6 points per game, with several 30+ point performances. He is easily one of the most slept-on sophomores in the state of Minnesota. Will Kirsch of Holy Family (5’10” Guard - 2026) Will does not play like an 8th grader and looks much improved from this past summer, which is the last time I saw him play. He often brought the ball up the floor for the Fire, playing at different speeds and blowing by defenders. After passing an opposing player, he can finish at the rim or kick out to open teammates. He also knocked down a catch-and-shoot three-pointer in the second half. I will look forward to seeing Kirsch play this aau season alongside Delano 8th grader Max Iversen who has also had an impressive season on varsity.