Battle at the Lakes: 16U Saturday Afternoon Standouts

<p><strong>C Asher Wade (Iowa Barnstormers Gold | Bettendorf, IA)</strong></p> <p>Going up against a 6-10 big man from Mac Irvin Fire who holds an offer from TCU, Wade did a great job holding his ground on the defensive end, walling up and not letting his opponent get any ground on the block. He’s a big, physical center who isn’t afraid to bang around in the paint, but he has the athleticism and smarts to defend out on the perimeter occasionally as well. Offensively he has good, soft hands and is a quick decision-maker on his post touches. He rebounds the ball well on both ends of the floor and will make a pretty high debut when the state rankings are re-done later this month. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Caden-Wilkins-PHC-KC.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1437272" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Caden-Wilkins-PHC-KC-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>SF [player_tooltip player_id="1171682" first="Caden" last="Wilkins"] (Iowa Barnstormers Gold | Bettendorf, IA)</strong></p> <p>It’s easy to see why Wilkins is so highly regarded and why he may be on the verge of becoming a nationally ranked prospect. He’s a high IQ scorer with excellent size at 6-6 who moves incredibly well off the ball, cutting to the rim and using off-ball screens to free himself up for open looks from deep. He pairs a smooth perimeter stroke that is always balanced and under control with a strong handle and frame that can absorb contact around the bucket. He did a great job getting to the free throw line throughout their game against Mac Irvin en route to a team-high 18 points. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>PF Calvin Robbins (Mac Irvin Fire EYBL | Kenwood, IL)</strong></p> <p>Robbins is an eye-popping, jaw-dropping athlete who looks to dunk everything in sight. He’s an explosive leaper who gets off the floor incredibly fast with a dynamic second jump. He provides versatility on the defensive end with his length, physical frame, and athleticism, and he rebounds the ball at a high level. Robbins is a prospect on a major upward trajectory.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>PG [player_tooltip player_id="1089678" first="Tayshawn" last="Bridges"] (Mac Irvin Fire EYBL | Milwaukee Academy of Science, WI)</strong></p> <p>A top-3 player in Wisconsin’s 2024 class, Bridges is moonlighting with Mac Irvin this weekend and he made a major impact on both ends of the floor. A 6-2 lead guard with outstanding athleticism, he provided a few highlight-reel plays on the defensive end with a pair of major chasedown blocks. He’s a good ball-handler who can break down the defense and get to the bucket where he’s a good finisher with either hand and a really good passer. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Jalen-Langsy.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1430173" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Jalen-Langsy-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>PG [player_tooltip player_id="1288706" first="Jalen" last="Langsy"] (Minnesota Heat PBJ | Shakopee, MN)</strong></p> <p>Langsy shined as a scorer and facilitator in PBJ’s win over Team FVV, showing his ability to score from all three levels. He can break down the defense and get to the rim where he’s a solid finisher with either hand and a good passer. He moves his feet well on the defensive end and gets his hands into passing lanes. He’s capable of playing effectively both with and without the ball offensively.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Jonathan-Mekonnen.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1430220" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Jonathan-Mekonnen-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>SF [player_tooltip player_id="1287440" first="Jonathan" last="Mekonnen"] (Minnesota Heat PBJ | Eastview, MN)</strong></p> <p>An intriguing prospect with immense length, Mekonnen has the look of a college player already with his size, wingspan, and athleticism. He moves really well and has fantastic body control around the rim. He can score inside and out, is a good passer, and a versatile defender. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>PG Coy Kipper (Iowa Mavericks Grey | Pleasant Valley, IA)</strong></p> <p>Kipper is a prototypical Pleasant Valley guard - he’s tough, physical, and a lockdown defender who takes pride in his work on that end of the floor. He does a great job sitting in his stance and moving his feet, making the opposing ball handler really work hard to get the ball up the court or initiate the offense. His toughness translates to the offensive end as well, as he does a good job absorbing contact and finishing through it around the rim. He’s a reliable ball-handler and decision-maker whose impact on the game goes well beyond the stuff that is going to show up in the box score.</p>