Battle At The Lakes: Saturday’s Sleeper Standouts
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The Battle at the Lakes has brought together a mix of big name prospects as well as new names looking to show what they can do on the court. I was in the gym all day and these are seven…
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Continue ReadingThe Battle at the Lakes has brought together a mix of big name prospects as well as new names looking to show what they can do on the court. I was in the gym all day and these are seven under-the-radar prospects who made their presence felt!
Ben Diang (6’5 2023 SF, Minnesota Hoopers)- A handful of Austin prospects have been making their presence felt this weekend, and Ben Diang was one of them. At 6’5 he has a very long and lanky frame that allowed him to play as the 3 or the 4 for his team. When he gets out in transition he’s so dangerous because of his explosiveness that allows him to finish above the rim with ease, but also his body control that allows him to score with touch. He added in an explosive put-back dunk after his teammate’s miss that got the crowd fired up. He’s not just an athlete though as Ben has a nice looking stroke from deep that makes him an inside-out threat. Like his defensive potential as well as you can throw him in a variety of areas and have him make an impact with his length.
Jackson Fowlkes (6’4 2024 G, Sizzle Simmons 17u)- Playing up a year, Jackson impressed with Sizzle yesterday. He saw some time on varsity as a sophomore at Park Center, and looks ready to breakout as a junior. Jackson looks to have grown a bit and seems to be in the 6’3-6’4 range, and he’s a skilled/versatile player. He knocked down threes, fought for offensive rebounds leading to put-backs, and was an unselfish player who kept the ball moving on offense. Defensively he blocked a handful of shots, excelling at moving into good help-side position to contest around the rim. I liked how he communicated after substitutions as well, making sure everyone on his team knew who they had on defense.
Raoul Vaidya Raoul Vaidya 6'0" | PG Maple Grove | 2023 State MN (6’ 2023 PG, Northstar Titans)- I like the way that Raoul runs the show for the Northstar Titans. He’s extremely unselfish, and multiple times he passed up on decent looks for himself to set his teammates up with wide open shots. His facilitating was a big reason why his team came back and won big against Minnesota Heat. On one occasion he cut to the basket for a lob pass, and while in mid-air he had the body control to toss it back into the lane for an alley-oop dunk for his teammate. Raoul places his passes accurately and times them perfectly to set his teammates up to succeed.
Sam Massaquoi Sam Massaquoi 5'11" | PG Robbinsdale Cooper | 2023 State MN (5’10 2023 PG, Minnesota Grizzlies)- You won’t find many players quicker in Minnesota’s 2023 class than Sam Massaquoi Sam Massaquoi 5'11" | PG Robbinsdale Cooper | 2023 State MN . He’s so shifty with the ball and changes directions on a dime to get past his initial defender and put himself into dangerous spots in the lane. Has the body control to elevate and finish but can also dish it off at the last second to a cutting teammate around the basket. With his quickness he also has the ability to get up under his man on defense and make things difficult for them.
Lorenzo Levy (5’9 2024 PG, Sizzle Simmons 17u)- Lorenzo is another 2024 prospect playing up for Sizzle Simmons, and he made his presence felt as an outside shooter in the game I watched. He shoots with a wide base which I’ve noticed catches defenders off guard at times as they start to sag off thinking he’s about to drive before he lets it fly from three. Levy knocked down his shots at a high percentage, even mixing in a few from well beyond the arc. He also has a shifty handle that allows him to create space for himself, or get into the lane before kicking it out to an open shooter.
Clyde Lee III (5’10 2023 G, Minnesota Hoopers)- Clyde could have a nice senior season at Cooper next year, as he put together a strong performance for the Minnesota Hoopers. He has a ton of confidence in his game, and it shows as he was knocking down some tough shots all game long. Clyde has a bit of flair to his game, as he has a quick handle and showed a knack for making the occasional flashy pass. Clyde has an explosive first step to blow by his initial defender, and the body control to hang in the air and finish off some difficult looks at the rim. Puts points on the board in a hurry.
Aidan Higgins Aidan Higgins 6'2" | SG De La Salle | 2023 State MN (6’2 2023 G, Minnesota Heat PVR)- Aidan just gets after it on the defensive end of the floor. He’s going to fight over every screen, pressure the ball, and has no problem getting scrappy when he gets switched onto a post player. If there’s a loose ball near him, you can expect him to be on the floor in a hurry trying to get his team possession. Offensively he’s active cutting off the ball, and is also a threat to knock down shots beyond the arc with consistency.