The Stage: Night One Standouts
Eight prospect standouts from night one at The Stage: Oskar Kangas — PF — Wisconsin Crusaders 2025 Kangas is a post prospect to track. The 6-foot-5 power forward moves really well and he has a deep bag of post moves…
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Continue ReadingEight prospect standouts from night one at The Stage:
Oskar Kangas — PF — Wisconsin Crusaders 2025
Kangas is a post prospect to track. The 6-foot-5 power forward moves really well and he has a deep bag of post moves he can go into on the block. Solid as a rebounder and not afraid of contact on either end, Kangas made a major impact on both ends of the court. On the offensive end is where he really shines, though. He combines craftiness and skill with pure power in the paint. Kangas scored 19 points in a Crusaders in.
Keegan Vankauwenberg — SG — Wisconsin Crusaders 2025
After the Crusaders fell behind a little bit early, Vankauwenberg was the spark plug to get his team going. The shooting guard out of Kaukauna is an absolutely lethal shooter that opposing teams can’t afford to leave open. And if they do let him get off a clean look, there is a very good chance that it finds the bottom of the net. It is still very early, but Vankauwenberg has shown a lot of promise. He could develop into one of the best shooters in Wisconsin’s 2025 class.
AJ Lieuwen AJ Lieuwen 6'0" | CG Bay Port | 2023 WI — CG — Team 1848 2023
After Team 1848 got off to an extremely slow start on the offensive end, it was Lieuwen who caught fire and brought his team back. The combo guard out of Bay Port is a proficient ball handler who can blow by his defender when he wants to. When he gets to the rim, Lieuwen is a very gifted finisher that has a knack for creating space and converting on difficult layups. He is also a very good shooter and distributor. Lieuwen was able to tally 22 points in a close loss to Minnesota Heat.
Myles Barnette Myles Barnette 6'2" | PG Wayzata | 2023 State MN — G — Minnesota Heat 2023
When the game was on the line, it was Barnette who Minnesota Heat turned to. The 6-foot-1 guard out of Wayzata was able to tally a couple of buckets down the stretch to really put the game out of reach. Tallying ten points, seven of which came in the final minutes, Barnette proved to be an unstoppable go-to guy. I really liked how Barnette was able to get to the hoop and convert on tough shots when his team needed it most.
Jake Fiegen Jake Fiegen 6'3" | SG New Trier | 2023 State IL — SG — Full Package 2023
It seemed like nothing was falling for Fiegen in the first half of Full Package’s game vs the Iowa Barnstormers. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard is one of the elite shooters in Illinois’ 2023 class, though. And he wasn’t going to stay quiet for the whole game. In the second half, he really started to get going. One of the better catch and shoot shooters that you will see and this level, Fiegen was a standout performer in front of many college coaches.
Nikola Abusara Nikola Abusara 6'5" | SF Benet | 2023 State IL — SF — Full Package 2023
I was super impressed with how Abusara played in Full Package’s big win over The Iowa Barnstormers. The 6-foot-4 small forward is a very good ball handler who knows how to get to the rim and score. Also capable of making shots from beyond the arc, Abusara is a well-rounded player on the offensive side of the court. He is not a slouch on defense, either. He does a really nice job of using his length to disrupt whatever the opposing team is trying to run.
Tim Franks Tim Franks 6'5" | SG Homestead | 2024 State WI — SG — Chapman Basketball Academy 2024
I really liked how Franks was able to use his size and finish at the rim in a win Saturday over World Hoops Elite . Normally an almost automatic three-point shooter, Franks couldn’t convert on any threes in the first half. But this didn’t stop him from dominating. Currently ranked as a top 15 prospect in Wisconsin’s 2023 class, Franks’ performance in a blowout win only raised his stock. Playing for a very good Chapman squad, look for Franks to really breakout and make a name for himself this spring.
Nolan Minessale Nolan Minessale 6'5" | SF Marquette | 2024 State WI — SF — Chapman Basketball Academy 2024
It was all on display for Minessale on Saturday night. The 6-foot-4 small forward did everything. He scored, defended, rebounded, passed, and blocked shots. He scored from the outside. He scored from the inside. He played tough defense outside of the paint. He played even better defense in it. This was simply an excellent start to the live period for Minessale.