Buckets In The Big Red: Max’s 15u Standouts

<p>The Buckets In The Big Red brought teams from throughout the Midwest to Lincoln, Nebraska to compete. I was in the gym both days, and these are some of the 15u prospects who stood out in the games I saw!</p> <p><strong>Liam Lubkeman (6'8 2025 C, [program_tooltip program_id='2078838' first='World' last='Hoops Elite'])- </strong>Liam's size at the 15u level will immediately catch your eye. He now stands at 6'8 and has some strength to play through contact down low. Liam showcased good hands to catch in traffic, and the IQ to recognize what to do based on what the defense threw at him. If left isolated he has the footwork to turn over either shoulder based on his defender's positioning and then finish at the rim with either hand. If the defense doubles he's quickly able to find an open shooter and kick it back out. Strong rebounder and showed the ability to alter/block shots in the paint. Nice tools to work with moving forward.</p> <p><strong>Lee Gamez (6'3 2025 SF, Team Iowa)- </strong>Strong showing from Lee on Saturday morning. He came out strong showing his ability to change speeds and attack the basket. Has some crafty footwork around the rim to get defenders in the air, and the touch to finish off the glass in a variety of ways. Really active without the ball, using screens and hard cuts to get open looks. Showed some range beyond the arc as well. Gamez has some solid positional size which bodes well for his growth as a prospect moving forward.</p> <p><strong>Mari Shumaker (2025 PG, NRE)- </strong>Mari is a tough point guard out of the NRE program. He's a tough defender who likes to pressure the ball hard and force turnovers so he can get out in the open floor. Possesses a shifty handle to create his own shots off the dribble both going at the rim or from beyond the arc. One thing that really sticks out about Mari's game is his willingness to pass the ball ahead in transition. He keeps his head up and is always scanning the floor for opportunities to toss it ahead and get his team good looks in transition. Possesses an impressive lay-up package as well.</p> <p><strong>DJ Carr (6' 2025 G, [program_tooltip program_id='2078838' first='World' last='Hoops Elite'])- </strong>Coming into this weekend I knew that DJ was an impressive athlete, but was eager to see what his all-around game was like. Throughout the two games I saw he showcased a smooth looking jumper that he hits off the catch or dribble. Comfortable scoring at all three levels and is so smooth attacking the basket. He's listed at 6' but plays even bigger than that due to his size and bounce. Showcased his athleticism with a transition dunk in Sunday morning's game. DJ is a threat to score or facilitate, which is a reason why he was able to play either guard spot for [program_tooltip program_id='2078838' first='World' last='Hoops Elite']. One to watch coming out of Racine St. Catherine's in Wisconsin.</p> <p><strong>Isaac Beauchamp (5'9 2025 G, The Next Level Basketball Academy)- </strong>Isaac was one of the top scorers I saw at the 15u level this weekend. He has a long and wiry frame as a guard, and is absolutely fearless attacking the basket against size. Uses his long frame well to extend and finish around size to avoid getting his shot blocked. Has a ton of confidence in his jumper too, but wasn't forcing up any bad shots, and instead would work hard to earn open looks that he knew he could knock down at a consistent rate. Spent time handling the ball as well as playing on the wing to keep the defense on their toes throughout the game.</p> <p><strong>Ashton Koehn (6'2 2026 PF, Next Generation Kings)- </strong>Playing up an age group, Ashton showed on fear against the older competition. Even against a 6'8 defender Ashton had some nice takes to the rim, showing off some mobility at 6'2. Was able to put the ball on the floor to attack the basket, while also scrapping for rebounds on both ends of the floor. Good mobility for a young big getting up and down the floor, and that speed also allowed him to switch off and guard on the wing when needed. Nice showing from the 8th grade forward.</p> <p><strong>Carsen Eeg (5'11 2025 PG, [program_tooltip program_id='2078838' first='World' last='Hoops Elite'])- </strong>Carsen saw solid minutes at the varsity level as a freshman at The Prairie School, and it's no surprise with his feel for the game. He just sees the floor so well and it allows him to make a variety of plays with the ball in his hands. Defender sagging off? He can create even more separation and knock down the long jumper. Pick &amp; roll situation? He makes the right read just about every time with the ability to thread the needle to his big, get his man on his hip and attack the rim, or kick it out to an open shooter. Really dangerous in transition with his quick decision making as well. Carsen was turning defense into offense all weekend long for [program_tooltip program_id='2078838' first='World' last='Hoops Elite'].</p>