Madness In The Midwest: Frontcourt Standouts

<p>Seven of the top frontcourt prospects I saw over the weekend in Appleton at Madness In The Midwest!</p> <p><strong>Matthew Merlo (6’5 2023 F, Chapman-North)- </strong>In one of the last games on Sunday, Matt really impressed with his versatility at 6’5. Chapman-North started off the game throwing Matt a backdoor alley-oop pass where he showcased some athleticism and impressive coordination to catch and finish in mid-air. Over the course of the game he showcased good hands to catch in traffic and go up to finish at a high percentage. Whether it was from pick &amp; rolls, offensive rebounds, and even a few attacks from the wing, he found ways to get good looks inside. Merlo also picked up two steals, both leading to dunks on the other end.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1324901" first="Antwaun" last="Hathcock"] Jr. (6’6 2023 PF, Hopson Elite)- </strong>Nothing flashy about Antwaun’s game, just a forward who goes out and works to dominate in the paint. He has a long frame that allows him to play even bigger than his 6’6 height, and he’s a quick leaper which allows him to get off the floor quickly to grab rebounds. In the game I saw he did a nice job of taking dump off passes and quickly elevating to finish at the rim. Ran the floor hard for a transition dunk, and used his length to alter a handful of shots around the rim on the defensive end. </p> <p><strong>Alex Gyarmaty (6’5 2023 F, Minnesota Lightning)- </strong>Alex had a really productive showing on Sunday morning. Really impressed with his play out of the high post, able to catch and face up into a short/mid-range jumper, a quick drive to the hoop, or a nice pass to a cutting teammate. High effort player who would be the first on the floor for a loose ball, and wasn’t afraid to get physical down low when defending taller opponents. Does a nice job of hedging screens and is mobile enough to switch and defend guards when needed. All around strong showing from the Rochester Mayo prospect.</p> <p><strong>Tyler Lessard (6’3 2025 F, Playmakers Showcase)- </strong>Tyler showcased plenty of versatility over the weekend as one of the more intriguing 15u players. Out of Hudson, Wisconsin, the 6’3 freshman has a solid frame to work with which allowed him to play through contact down low. He also showcased some impressive mobility, which really benefits him defensively as he’s able to guard just about every spot at the 15u level. Offensively he can play on the block, stretch the floor with his shooting, and at times ran the point because he can handle the ball well under pressure and has impressive passing vision. Even if he doesn’t score much, he can contribute in so many other ways to help lead his team to wins.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1045804" first="August" last="Maurer"] (6’4 2023 F, All Wisconsin AAU)- </strong>Playing alongside a handful of talented passers, August was that hard working forward down low who would battle for good low-post position to receive dump off passes and go up for high percentage finishes. His strong frame and hard working attitude allowed him clear out space and attack rebounds on both ends of the court, and he does a good job of making sure he secures possession and doesn’t cough up the ball to the other team.</p> <p><strong>Jordan Ebert (6’4 2023 PF, E2E Elite)- </strong>It was the backcourt of E2E Elite that got most of the attention over the weekend, but Jordan Ebert was quietly making big plays inside. He’s a strong forward with some bounce off two feet, and he showcased that making a quick cut from the dunker spot and elevating for a two hand slam on the baseline. Grinder down low who rebounded well and defender hard every minute he was on the floor.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1289017" first="Dominic" last="McRoberts"] (6’6 2023 F, Playmakers South)- </strong>Really like the versatility that Dominic offers at 6’6. He has a long and lanky frame, with some mobility to step out on the perimeter. McRoberts showed he can knock down outside shots, but also fight down low for put-back buckets. Really like his passing vision from multiple areas on the floor, as he can hit cutters from the block or use his height on the perimeter to see over his defender and deliver accurate passes to shooters. Handles the ball well and uses his length to get up in passing lanes on the defensive end.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>