Prep Hoops Freshman Showcase Gamechangers

Simply put, Joel Saah Joel Saah 6’1″ | PG Park Center | 2026 State MN was electric. When the ball was in his hands you never knew what was going to happen, but it was likely going to result in two points for his team. He’s a maestro in the pick & roll, able to patiently read the defenders and then act accordingly. Joel has a quick burst to turn the corner and get all the way to the rim, but can also slow down, get his man on his hip, and then extend to finish at the last second. He wasn’t just a scorer though as he had some impressive passes slipping it into his bigs rolling to the hoop or getting into the paint and dumping it off to a teammate on the block. Joel plays fast but not rushed, and is someone that excelled at beating the defense up the floor which resulted in good looks for his team.

If you had lined up every player in the gym to sprint the length of the floor and back, I’m not sure anyone would’ve beaten Camar. He’s so quick and explosive, and it was allowing him to make plays all over the floor. Defensively he can jump lazy passes to pick up steals while also applying constant ball pressure to his man. On the other end, defenders had a hard time staying in front of him because of how quick he is with the ball. And don’t let his size fool you, Blades has no fear attacking the basket. Once around the rim he gets some impressive elevation to hang in the air and help him finish in a variety of ways. He was at his best attacking downhill and getting paint touches, but also flashed an outside shot in the second half of the game I watched.

I loved the way that Kyler went out and competed, even in the final game of the day when players were likely starting to get tired. He doesn’t care who’s in front of him, Kyler has the confidence and determination to go out there and compete at a high level. Right from the jump he was taking his man off the dribble and getting to the rim for some tough finishes, even converting on a few and-ones that got him and his teammates fired up. After scoring he’d get locked back in on the other end where he has the athleticism to move his feet with guards his size, but the strength and intensity to defender bigger wings when needed. Kyler just has the type of toughness that not a lot of freshmen have.

Don’t let his looks deceive you, Dominic isn’t simply a 6’4 player you throw on the block because he’s the biggest player on your team. At a physical 6’4, Dominic obviously has the size to impact a game inside, but he also has the skills to make plays on the perimeter. In the game I saw Webster stretched the floor with a pair of threes, but was also putting the ball on the floor and beating his man to the rim off the dribble. He was always under control and used hesitation moves rather than quickness to get an edge on his man. In the paint he showcased some solid footwork as well as excellent touch to finish off the backboard from a variety of positions. Had one bucket in which he caught the ball rolling to the basket and showed the coordination to catch and finish all in one smooth motion. One of a few up-and-coming names to know at Elk River.

Speaking of up-and-coming prospects at Elk River, Levi Harris Levi Harris 5’9″ | SG Elk River | 2026 State MN put me on notice with his play on Saturday afternoon. He’s extremely athletic and it allows him to make plays that other guys his age can’t. Harris was able to hang in the air and finish in impressive fashion with a variety of reverse lay-ups, and was comfortable converting with either hand. He doesn’t just rely on his athleticism though. Levi is very good at changing his speeds, slowing his defender down before blowing by to get to the basket. His change of speed was among the best I saw all day, and it allowed him to get to the rim just about whenever he wanted to. I don’t have an exact number, but Levi finished with a high scoring total in the game I watched.

At 6’3 Ryker is a long and athletic slasher who has a nose for getting to the rim. One thing that sticks out about him is his ability to get downhill. A lot of guys waste time dribbling the ball without going anywhere, but when Ryker puts the ball on the floor he does so with a purpose. When a gap appeared he was quickly on the attack, and with his size at 6’3 he was tough to stop around the rim. I think he has the potential to be a versatile defender because of how well he moves at his size, and he’ll be a prospect to keep an eye on moving forward at Washburn.

I’ve seen him do it with Team Tyus, playing JV as an 8th grader, playing in varsity summer events, and most recently at the Prep Hoops Freshman Showcase dominating games. Cedric Tomes Cedric Tomes 6’0″ | PG East Ridge | 2026 State MN has a feel for the game that you won’t even find in a lot of upperclassmen point guards, let alone an incoming freshman. It’s like he sees the game in slow motion and knows how to react to anything the defense throws at him. Tomes is so smooth with the ball in his hands and effortlessly creates space to get off shots from three. Able to facilitate or score out of pick & rolls as he has good passing vision but can also get into the lane and hit floaters at a high percentage. I think his skill level and feel for the game will allow him to quickly adapt to the varsity level as a freshman.