Breakdown Fall League: Max’s Week 1 Standouts
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The Breakdown Fall League got kicked off this past weekend, and I was in attendance catching the games at Hopkins and Minnetonka. These are seven of the prospects who impressed in the games I saw! Ibrahim El-Amin MN #51 PG…
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Continue ReadingThe Breakdown Fall League got kicked off this past weekend, and I was in attendance catching the games at Hopkins and Minnetonka. These are seven of the prospects who impressed in the games I saw!
Even while missing some time in the second half after coming down awkwardly, Ibo put up some impressive scoring numbers against Totino-Grace. He’s one of those players who becomes nearly impossible to stop if his shot is falling in any given game. Ibo is such a gifted shot creator who can pick his spots anywhere in the half-court and get to them. Even against the length of TG he was able to get wherever he wanted to on the floor, elevate, and knock down contested jumpers like there was no one there. With so much talent around him Ibo is able to get into a lot of isolation settings which is a scary thought for opposing defenses heading into his senior season.
Brayden was one of the most productive players in a tough matchup against Park Center. At about 6’8-6’9 he moves well, has good hands to catch in traffic, and displayed excellent touch around the basket. The bulk of his scoring came from the paint where he was earning opportunities with his effort on the offensive glass as well as in pick & roll situations. Uses his strong frame to set a hard screen, then has the coordination to catch and finish all in one smooth motion. Brayden does a great job of getting two hands on the ball to secure rebounds in traffic, and on one occasion he slid over to take a charge in transition defense.
Highlights
After a quite first half, Vincent scored five 2nd half field goals to help push Hopkins past Holy Family. Even against a pair of 6’10 defenders he was demanding the ball on the block, and scoring just about every time he got a low post touch. At around 6’6 Vincent proved he has some of the best post footwork in the state as he mixed in a variety of pivots and shot fakes to get the taller defenders in the air before finishing. He showed he can score with either hand around the basket, and even knock down a short turnaround jumper when the option is there. Really gritty performance from the 2023 forward going up against a high level frontcourt.
After missing his junior season with an injury, Will is looking to come back better than ever. In a matchup of two of the top teams in Class AAA, Will was playing at a high level to lead Mahtomedi past Orono. He’s so crafty with the ball in his hands, and with the ability to both score and facilitate at a high level he’s very unpredictable. Had a highlight play in transition as he faked a behind-the-back pass to open up an easy lay-up. Underwood was hitting the three ball at a high level while also opening up shots for his teammates by driving and kicking it out.
Patrick asserted his will against a guard-heavy Minnetonka team. In the high scoring matchup it was Patrick giving his team the edge and eventually the win. Yes he’s a strong and explosive 6’9 player, but he also possesses a high motor and is relentless on the glass. It seemed like every missed shot was ending up in his hands as Patrick has a quick second bounce to secure a rebound and then go right back up for two points. Bath threw down a few explosive dunks as well to help lead Totino-Grace to two close wins.
It’s easy to forget that Jayden Moore Jayden Moore 6’0″ | PG Hopkins | 2026 State MN is just a freshman as he’s already entering his third season of varsity basketball. Despite his age he’s showing no shortage of confidence taking over as the focal point for Hopkins. Against Holy Family he started off strong getting to the rim where he has excellent body control to hang in the air and finish against bigger players. Even as a freshman he’s extremely quick and can blow by his initial defender to get into the lane. Does a great job of drawing in extra defenders and then locating open shooters to pick up assists. Gets after it on the ball defensively where he can act as a pest with his elite level of quickness.
Highlights
JJ will make the jump into a key role at the varsity level for Eden Prairie as a sophomore. He’s a bit taller than last season, and has good basketball instincts combined with a nice skillset. The lefty guard is the type of shooter that has to be accounted for at all times, and even though Totino-Grace knew this he was still able to break free and get off some clean looks from deep. Along with a few other strong performers, JJ helped keep Eden Prairie in it with Totino-Grace until the final minute of the game.