The Next Level Basketball Academy 16U: Breakdown

Today we are looking at the 2024's from The Next Level Basketball Academy (NLBA). This team is from the Fargo-Moorhead surrounding area. Nine of the players are from North Dakota and one player is from Minnesota. They have two class B schools represented from Oak Grove and Kindred. The rest are Class A players from North Dakota and Moorhead is a 4A school in MN. NLBA was part of the Prep Hoops Circuit and they saw some stiff competition and they played in great events. This NLBA team is full of high NRG & scrappy players. They play hoops with a ton of passion. Read below for information on the NLBA players.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/08/NLBA15Uteampic.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/08/NLBA15Uteampic.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1534493" width="164" height="118"/></a></figure>   NLBA 16U Roster   [player_tooltip player_id="1432619" first="Duwayne" last="Mitchell"] |5'10 G| Fargo South   He handles the ball well and he is scrappy on the defensive side. Duwayne is a sit-down on-ball defender. Mitchell is creative off the bounce and he can score at the rim. He stood out this AAU season with many impressive AND1 finishes. Duwayne might be under 6-feet tall but has no problem scoring against bigger defenders.   DJ Smith |6'3 G| Moorhead   He is a matchup nightmare for the opposition. Smith is a tall, big, and strong guard. I was impressed with his strength in the paint and his mid-lane pull-ups. DJ has no trouble finishing around the rim through contact. He shot the ball well during catch-n-shoot situations in transition. DJ can create his own shot and will also good generate looks for others. He is an exceptional rebounder for a guard. DJ is a solid defender that can lock up on-ball. He is a playmaker that was always ready to step up when NLBA needed a bucket or a play to be made.   [player_tooltip player_id="1310077" first="David" last="Kanega"] |5'8 G| West Fargo Sheyenne   He has impressive handles and David is super creative. On the Prep Hoops Circuit, David showcased his old-school NY Rucker Park handles. He has ball-on-a-string type handles. Kanega is a fun and entertaining player to watch. Throughout the AAU season, David had many blow-by drives and he is a scary player when he gets going. When shooting the ball, Kanega's range extends out to the VB line. It will be interesting to see where David fits into the rotation at Sheyenne this winter.   Aiden Prince |6'3 G| Fargo North   He is an athletic Spartan. Aiden worked hard as a perimeter defender. He runs the floor hard/fast in transition and he can make plays in the open court. Prince is a good teammate and a great player to have in the program.   Alec Wendorf |5'9 G| West Fargo   He stood out as a catch-n-shoot player that is knockdown from 3-point land. Wendorf is the definition of a scrappy player. He makes plays on the wing and is an opportunistic scorer.   [player_tooltip player_id="1534510" first="Luke" last="Johnson"] |6'5 F| Oak Grove   He has favorable size and is a strong player. Johnson is a bit raw but has loads of potential. I could see him being a nice interior presence for the Grovers this winter. Luke is a workhorse and a team player. He is a tough post defender that gets after it on the boards. Luke has broad shoulders and is an underrated athlete. He can get up and dunk it and is just scratching the surface when it comes to his potential.   [player_tooltip player_id="1510904" first="Owen" last="Hoyme"] |5'11 G| Kindred   This Viking is a serious shooting threat from beyond the arc. Hoyme was the best 3-point shooter on this 2024 team. He not only shoots it well from deep but he figured out when to attack and get to the rim. Hoyme is a hard worker and an admirable perimeter defender. He will defend 94-feet and will do the dirty work. When a 50/50 ball is on the floor, it was his, and Owen always came up with the extra possession for his team. Kindred lost a good amount of talent this past year and Owen could step right in and be a nice player for the Vikings.   [player_tooltip player_id="1534507" first="Michael" last="Hamilton"] (2026) |5'9 G| Fargo South   He was a youngster playing up two age divisions. Much like his older brother, Hamilton has a ton of potential. Michael has skilled handles and he shoots the 3-ball well. He also did a nice job of defending older/stronger players.   [player_tooltip player_id="1534522" first="Ted" last="Monari"] |6'4 F| Wahpeton   This Wahp kid has an excellent attitude is a great listener, and is super coachable. Ted is a fluid finisher around the rim. Monari looked good running the floor while making hustle plays.   [player_tooltip player_id="1406908" first="Keech" last="Bior"] |6'9 C| Fargo North   First of all, there are not many 6'9" players in North Dakota. Bior is super long and his athleticism increased over the AAU season. He dunks smoothly and easily with his length and super long arms. Keech is a solid rim protector that alters many shots. Saying that Bior has a ton of potential is an understatement.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/08/NLBA15Uteampic.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/08/NLBA15Uteampic.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1534493"/></a></figure>

Today we are looking at the 2024's from The Next Level Basketball Academy (NLBA). This team is from the Fargo-Moorhead surrounding area. Nine of the players are from North Dakota and one player is from Minnesota. They have two class B schools represented from Oak Grove and Kindred. The rest are Class A players from North Dakota and Moorhead is a 4A school in MN. NLBA was part of the Prep Hoops Circuit and they saw some stiff competition and they played in great events. This NLBA team is full of high NRG & scrappy players. They play hoops with a ton of passion. Read below for information on the NLBA players.