Metro Tournament: AM Impressive Players

Fargo, ND - The annual Metro Tournament went down on Friday at Fargo Davies High School. All the teams were from North Dakota except one (Pelican Rapids). They had 4 courts running at the same time. The First round of games began at 9:00 AM and the last started at 5:00 PM. It was a full day of hoops with many talented players and teams showing up. I was in attendance in the morning. Today we are looking at the impressive players from the AM at the Metro Tournament. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/06/ImpressivePlayers.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1487735" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/06/ImpressivePlayers-300x187.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="187" /></a> <h5>Metro Camp (Fargo Davies) 6/17/2022</h5> <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1487751" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/06/zachkraftmetrocamp-crop-3916x2571-1655522744-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="1115649" first="Zach" last="Kraft"] (2023) |6’2 PG| Grand Forks Red River The Red River Rifle showed up and showed out at the Metro Tournament. Kraft was hitting jumpers from beyond the arc and all over inside the arc. Zach showed off his range will a J from NBA depth. He also made a very nice step-back 3-pointer. I really like the looks of his mid-range game. He has great timing, Kraft elevates well, and he completes the shot with a flawless release. Zach looked good coming off screens, catching, and knocking down 3’s in a fluid motion. His footwork was impressive. Kraft is not just a shooter, he has turned himself into a creative scorer. I loved his clever backdoor cut for a layup and he executed perfectly on a "horns" set. Zach showed off his athleticism with an all-oop reverse layup. As always, Kraft did a nice job of handling the rock. He was phenomenal at setting up his teammate Rowekamp. Those two played amazingly well together. Kraft and Rowekamp are going to be a daunting 1-2 punch in the EDC next season. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1487754" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/06/reisrowekamp-crop-3916x2571-1655522857-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="1138811" first="Reis" last="Rowekamp"] (2023) |6’4 SG| Grand Forks Red River This was the best that I have seen Rowekamp shoot the rock. In the first game of the day, Reis must have made 7-10 three-pointers. Reis was feeling it! I was very impressed with how he moved without the ball, spaced, and found his spots for shots. You have to give his Roughrider teammates credit for constantly finding him in a timely manner. His footwork looked good. I like how his hands are always ready and Reis steps into the pass ready to fire. He is not just a catch-n-shoot player, Rowekamp also did damage with his pull-up game. He was deadly after catching, attacking with 1 or 2 dribbles, and sticking the J. I liked Reis’s elevation and his high release. When he gets going, his jumper is almost impossible to stop. He was hot, but he did not live behind the arc. Rowekamp was aggressive off the bounce and he scored at the cup. He truly was a 3-level scorer. Reiss and Zach are a dynamic duo and they will have RR ready to compete for a top spot in the EDC in the winter. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1487763" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/06/danyorke1-crop-3169x2081-1655523127-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="1161524" first="Daniel" last="Yorke"] (2024) |6’0 SG| Fargo Davies This was the best that I have seen Yorke shoot from 3-point land. In the game that I watched, Dan was the best player on the court. He played a complete game with scoring, assists, steals, and rebounds. He spaced and shot the 3-ball with precision from the wing and top of the key. His jump shot from 15-feet was also looking good and on-point. When handling the ball, Yorke was crossing defenders up and getting deep penetration. He showed excellent vision when attacking, he was kicking out to shooters all game long. With his deep penetration into the lane, the defense had to collapse, and Dan found the open shooter. His quick hands swiped the ball on defense. Yorke showed insane elevation when going up for rebounds. When Dan was in the game he took it over with his athleticism. I really liked when he slashed into the paint and scored with a 2-foot finish. It was another great showing from Mr. Yorke. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1487760" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/06/timmyguler-crop-3024x1986-1655523013-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="1284216" first="Timmy" last="Guler"] (2024) |5’11 PG Pelican Rapids He and the Vikings went 3-0 on the day and beat 3 EDC teams. That is impressive when you compare the size of Pelican Rapids to Fargo/WF/GF schools. Who was the player that led them? [player_tooltip player_id="1284216" first="Timmy" last="Guler"]! When not winning games with the Vikings basketball team, Guler has been busy with the MN Comets in AAU hoops. He is also a stud in football and baseball. At the Metro Tournament, Timmy showed off his perfect pull-up jumper game in and game out. He was also slashing and scoring at will. Every time I looked at his court, Guler was finishing with a smooth finger roll or a sweet jumper. He also looked good catching and shooting from behind the arc. Timmy runs the point for the Vikings, pushes the tempo, and he makes his teammates better. The Vikings are going to scary squad in 8AA next season. Coach John Gullingsrud has his squad looking tough and it’s only June! Ian Fahje (2023) |6’8 PF| Pelican Rapids He helped the black & orange pick up three wins over Class A ND teams. Fahje looked good scoring AND1 baskets. He is an opportunistic scorer that can hit triples and Ian has a crafty fall-away jumpshot inside the arc. Fahje looks to be a productive and deadly "stretch 4". His long arms and length help protect the rim and aid the big Viking in grabbing boards. Fahje and Guler will be a dangerous duo in AA Minnesota basketball next year. [player_tooltip player_id="1487955" first="Ethan" last="Thomas"] (2024) |6’5 PF| Grand Forks Central You can tell that he is a bit raw yet, but Thomas certainly has potential with his length, size, and strength. He played very well in the game that I watched. Ethan showed very nice footwork with a drop-step move from the block. He power helps create space when moving towards the basket. Thomas’s long arms allow him to shoot over defenders and grab rebounds. He was solid on the boards all game. Ethan is a hardworker and I love the way he sprints the floor. [player_tooltip player_id="1401336" first="Erick" last="Paye"] |6’5 PF| Grand Forks Central He is a physical monster that looks like a college linebacker. Paye finished well around the basket with both hands. When scoring at the cup, I like how Paye keeps his shoulders parallel to the backboard. This way, the ball is protected by his body. If you want to block his shot, you will have to go through Erick’s body and foul him. When Erick grabs a rebound, nobody else is getting the ball out of his hands. He snatches the ball like it’s the most precious gem on the earth. He runs the floor with speed and he can protect the rim. Paye is an impressive athlete with a bright future in hoops. [player_tooltip player_id="1219802" first="Andre" last="Austin"] (2025) |6’1 G| Bismarck He stood out with athletic finishes at the rim. Andre can slash through the defense like a hot knife through butter. Once he gets to the basket, Austin elevates very well. For only being a 6’1 incoming sophomore, he can really get up. When going up and down the court, Andre is super fast. The Demons like to play fast and that suits his style. Austin also did a nice job of dishing assists in transition. [player_tooltip player_id="1487956" first="Teysean" last="Eaglestaff"] (2024) |6’7 SF| Bismarck He impressed me with his finishing, the newest member of the Demons had multiple AND1 finishes. Teysean is the younger brother of Treysen Eaglestaff, the former BHS great and recent Mr. Basketball winner. The younger Eaglestaff is very skilled, much like his big brother. Teysean showed a phenomenal hesitation moves with a mix of many other nice moves. You can tell that he plays a ton of basketball, Teysean has a great feel for the game. He showed smooth finishes with both hands and sharp passing ability. He is going to be a DUDE for the Demons. Talk about good luck for coach Wilhelm. He loses an Eaglestaff and he gained an Eaglestaff all in the same summer! Expect Teysean to have the ball in his hands a ton next season, he is going to be a great playmaker. Later in the day, Eaglestaff knocked down six 3-pointers and it was by far the best overall game that he has played since joining the Demons this summer. [player_tooltip player_id="1141521" first="Dylan" last="Beyl"] (2023) |6’3 G| West Fargo Sheyenne Hey made a few splashy plays. Dylan had a monster-blocked shot. The opposing player looked to have a clean layup and Beyl came out of nowhere and swatted the ball. Dylan also showed off his shooting ability while knocking down 3-pointers. Beyl is a nice athlete, it’s easy to see why he placed at the State T&F meet in the triple jump. I am expecting him to be one of the top players for the Mustangs in the coming year. Barry Kpeenu (2024) |5’9 G| West Fargo Sheyenne This was my first time watching the young Kpeenu and he reminded me a lot of his older brother who plays football for NDSU. Barry may not be the tallest player on the court but he certainly is strong and explosive. I saw him drain a 3-ball and make plays off the bounce. Kpeenu is a very good athlete with potential. Omar Aly Ahmed (2024) |6’4 SF| Fargo South I really like this player’s effort and energy. Ahmed did a nice work with scoring around the basket. He showed a slick spin-move finish and many other scores in the paint. He can also stretch the floor and cash in triples. His length and mobility allow Omar to play inside and out. Ahmed is a Bruin to keep your eyes on next season.