Battle At The Lakes: Minnesota Frontcourt Standouts

Eight of the top Minnesota frontcourt prospects I saw competing at the Prep Hoops Battle at the Lakes over the weekend! [player_tooltip player_id="1339196" first="Aeron" last="Stevens"] (6’6 2023 PF, MN Lightning Ellerbusch)- Aeron rose his stock tremendously in the two games I saw, as he went at high level opponents and produced in a variety of ways. Even when he was outmatched in height, his combination of strength and agility made him a mismatch nightmare. He can back defenders down into deep position and power through some contact to score, but also stretch them to the perimeter where he’s a three point threat who can also put the ball on the floor and attack bigger defenders off the dribble. Defensively he has the strength to compete down low while also being able to defend wings due to his lateral mobility. [player_tooltip player_id="962212" first="Boden" last="Kapke"] (6’11 2023 C, D1 Minnesota 3SSB)- After a slow start against Mac Irvin Fire, Boden responded with a pair of impressive showings. Against P.L.U.T.O Prospects he was going back and forth with a top 100 ranked big man. Boden used his size to establish deep position around the rim, and once there it just took a simple turn over his left shoulder to finish with his right hand. In a matchup against Team 1848 I liked how hard he ran the floor which resulted in some transition scoring opportunities, including a highlight dunk over the top of a defender. He wasn’t just hustling on transition offense though, he was also sprinting back to defend the rim and even caught a guard from behind which resulted in a chase-down block off the backboard. [player_tooltip player_id="1221177" first="Rolyns" last="Aligbe"] (6’8 2023 PF/C, Sizzle McDonald)- You can tell Rolyns has been putting in a lot of work on his game. Not many post players in the state can handle the ball like he can, and that handle allowed him to blow by opposing forwards to get to the basket on multiple occasions. He also has no problem playing with his back to the basket where he’s a strong and physical player who can move defenders out of the way to result in high percentage finishes. Scores with either hand, secures rebounds with authority, and doesn’t give up an inch when defending on the block. Helped lead his team to four blowout wins. [player_tooltip player_id="962233" first="Matthew" last="Bothun"] (6’9 2023 PF, Minnesota Fury Antl)- Matthew has already showcased his ability to stretch the floor with his shooting range this spring, but he really impressed on Sunday by putting the ball on the floor and attacking off the dribble. Bothun utilized a shot fake to get his defender off guard before attacking the basket and finishing hard at the rim. Even through some contact he did a nice job of keeping his eyes at the rim which allowed him to score at a high percentage. Also showed some agility to slide into spots to contest/block shots around the rim on defense. Intriguing prospect with his blend of size and skill. [player_tooltip player_id="958666" first="Donnavin" last="Hinsz"] (6’6 2022 F, The Next Level Basketball Academy)- Hard to categorize Donnavin into a position as he just does a little of everything. He can play as an undersized big due to his strength, but also has no problem defending against smaller players on the wing. In the game I saw he got three quick scores around the basket, including two with his back to the basket and one off the dribble. Throughout the game he continued to find ways to get to the rim and finish at a high level, and even took flight down the lane for an impressive dunk in the second half. During the high school season he was more of a facilitator, but with his team needing scoring over the weekend he had no problem putting points on the board. Collin Mulholland (6’10 2023 C, Minnesota Heat MacDonald)- Collin has the tools to develop into a high level prospect. At 6’10 he clearly has the size to man the block, but he has solid mobility as well to get up and down the floor and probe the perimeter on offense. He showcased some major pick & pop potential on Sunday morning, knocking down three 3’s early in the first half. Two of those came off the catch while the third was off the dribble from the top of the key. You won’t find many bigs in the state with the type of shooting stroke Collin has, and it makes him an important piece of this Heat team. [player_tooltip player_id="962204" first="Lincoln" last="Palbicki"] (6’10 2023 C, Minnesota Select Mantey)- Lincoln was playing a bit banged up in the game I saw Sunday, but still managed to make some plays to help lead Select to a win. In the first half he showcased some impressive footwork in the post, getting his man in the air and pivoting in the opposite direction to lay it in. He also added in a pair of hook shots that he seems to make at such a high rate. His low-post footwork ranks among the best in the state, and it allows him to go up against more athletic players and find ways to score. Rebounds well in his area, and you can tell he’s been putting in work to become a more mobile player defensively as well. [player_tooltip player_id="1149729" first="Sam" last="Koopmeiners"] (6’7 2023 PF, Sizzle McDonald)- Thought Sam had some nice moments for his Sizzle team in the two games I watched. Sam showed he can stretch the floor from three when given too much space, but can also use his strong frame to power through traffic and score at the rim. Made some nice passes from the perimeter with his ability to see over the top of the defense and deliver some hard passes inside. I also like how he ran the floor hard which resulted in a two hand dunk on Sunday morning. Really scrappy player who gets after it defensively and is going to fight for rebounding position after every shot goes up.