Northeast Minneapolis Open Run Standouts
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High school prospects from across the metro area gathered in Northeast Minneapolis last night to get in some runs. From known names to players looking to breakout at the varsity level, these are some of the prospects who impressed! Dylan…
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Continue ReadingHigh school prospects from across the metro area gathered in Northeast Minneapolis last night to get in some runs. From known names to players looking to breakout at the varsity level, these are some of the prospects who impressed!
Dylan started off the night absolutely on fire as he drained four straight threes, mixing in shots off the catch with some he created on his own off the dribble. He’s one of the fastest players in the state with the ball in his hands, able to fly up the floor in transition or create a ton of separation between him and his man on the perimeter. I liked how even in an open run setting he was making some hard cuts off the ball, passing it off and then slashing to the rim which led to multiple easy lay-ups. Omweno has deep range, a really shifty handle, and can put up points about as quickly as anyone in the state when he gets going.
Highlights
One of the more versatile bigs in the state, Kyle was doing a bit of everything last night. He was hitting pick & pop threes as well as a couple off the dribble, he was fighting for offensive boards and put-back buckets, and even had a few nice attacks off the dribble. If him or a teammate missed a shot inside, Kyle was always fighting to tip it back in and was able to pick up a lot of points just with that effort. He also ran the floor well at times and was able to pick up a pair of dunks because of it. Jorgensen has solid footwork around the basket but is really good as a passer from the block, able to spot his teammates cutting to the rim and hitting them in stride for easy lay-ups.
Micah will be one of the early frontrunners for Minneapolis City Conference Player of the Year after averaging 20.6 ppg as a junior, and last night he showed off his impressive scoring ability. At 6’3 he’s an explosive athlete who threw down a few nice dunks off both one and two feet. He’s one of the best in the metro area at hitting shots with a hand in his face, because with the way he releases the ball it’s almost impossible to block allowing him to remain unfazed by the defender’s presence. He was creating his own shots off the dribble in a variety of ways, scoring the ball at all three levels on the floor. There weren’t many players his size in attendance meaning he spent most of the time defending smaller guards or fighting on the block against 6’6+ forwards and he held his own against both.
Highlights
Poet had the ball on a string last night, pulling off some impressive moves to maneuver his way to the basket to score. Even though he doesn’t have a ton of size, he’s dangerous as scorer because you have to step out well beyond the arc to defend him. He has deep range and isn’t afraid to pull-up for NBA range threes, but when you guard him tight his handle allows him to beat you off the dribble and get to the paint. Poet averaged 11.7 ppg as a sophomore for Minneapolis South and that number will likely increase this year as the ball will be in his hands a lot more.
Jordan is an imposing presence inside, as he has a strong frame with height to match. Despite that size he’s light on his feet and showed some handle allowing him to attack out of the high post and at times even from the wing. Hurd has excellent touch around the basket and even though he’s not the quickest, he’s still able to change his speeds to catch his defender off guard before finishing inside. He had a couple of big blocks early on in the night, and showed he can quickly get off the floor for some powerful dunks.
Nate Wunderlich Nate Wunderlich 5’9″ Lakeville | 2023 MN was a prospect I wasn’t familiar with who caught my eye. He’s extremely quick and keeps the ball low and tight allowing him to handle the ball under pressure without turning it over. Nate was really aggressive attacking the basket, and in particular excelled at attacking baseline where he was always scanning the floor looking to kick it back out to open shooters. Tough finisher against taller players because of how he hangs in the air and controls his body, but can also pull up from three point range. Lakeville South graduated a strong 2022 class, and I think Nate could carve out a solid role as another ball handling option this winter.
Eli is the top returning scorer for Apple Valley, and the 2023 guard looks ready for a solid senior season. He’s a composed player on the ball who never really looked sped up even when looking to attack the basket. Does a great job of playing off two feet in the paint allowing him to pivot and remain under control so that he has options to finish or pass in a variety of ways. Showcased a nice turnaround jumper where he got his defender leaning one way before spinning back in the opposite direction to shoot from about 8-10 feet. When on the perimeter he always had his hands and feet set allowing him to catch and shoot all in one smooth motion.