Max’s Midweek Prospect Standouts
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So far this week I’ve seen Minneapolis North hold off Minneapolis South in a thrilling game, as well as Edina hold on to win against Bloomington Jefferson. These are seven of the prospects who impressed in those two games! Zashon…
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Continue ReadingSo far this week I’ve seen Minneapolis North hold off Minneapolis South in a thrilling game, as well as Edina hold on to win against Bloomington Jefferson. These are seven of the prospects who impressed in those two games!
Zashon Rich
Zashon Rich
I don’t think Zashon gets the recognition he deserves, as he’s been one of the best 2024 wings I’ve seen this season. He’s a lockdown defender who can sit deep in a stance and pressure the ball the length of the floor, but also has great instincts off the ball to jump long passes or slide into position to take a charge/contest shots under the rim. It doesn’t really matter their size, you can just throw Zashon on the opposing team’s best player and he’ll likely hold them below their scoring average. Offensively he excels at getting to the basket off the dribble. Has the strong frame to power his way to the rim, but also knows how to avoid a charge with euro-steps and a soft left-handed floater. Hit the game winning floater with one second left to give his team the win over South.
Larry Perkins
Larry Perkins
Larry has probably been the breakout player of the Minneapolis City Conference at this point of the season. At 6’3 he’s an explosive wing who can make things happen with his athleticism alone. Had one of the highlights of the day jumping a pass and taking two dribbles into a dunk. Found a lot of success getting to the rim attacking from the wing, and recognizes when to play off two feet allowing him to go up balanced when the lane isn’t there to elevate for a dunk. Was also able to take South’s smaller wings into the post, turn over his left shoulder, and just elevate for a pair of easy finishes over the top. Defensively has the versatility to guard a number of spots at the high school level, and is a high energy player who can pressure the ball and scrap for loose balls.
In what was a very balanced game for Edina, it was Josiah who got them off to a strong start and allowed them to build a double-figure lead in the first half over Jefferson. He’s a skilled and composed junior wing who also spent time handling the ball for his team. Started off with a pair of threes showing his shooting range, but also picked up two steals that he took coast-to-coast for finishes. In the first half he showed his passing vision with a dime out of the pick & roll, and in the second he showed he can take smaller guards into the post as he caught, ripped the ball through as he faced up, and then exploded to the basket to finish. Ended the game with a team high 12 points in a hard-fought win.
South lost a ton of talent to transfers since last season, but the addition of Mykelti looks to have helped pick up on some of that lost production. Against North’s high pressure defense he was one of the few players staying composed on the ball and confidently looking to score. He has a strong frame and it allowed him to power his way to the basket, scoring off the drive as well as off of some offensive rebounds. Late in the second half he hit a key stepback three to help pull South back into the game and give them a chance late. Finished the game with 21 points pushing North down to the final seconds.
Daniel put up nearly 20 points in the second half trying to will Jefferson back into the game, and even giving them a chance to tie or win it late, but ultimately fell just short. The explosive guard was finding ways to get to the rim, utilizing his ability to change directions while keeping momentum downhill to blow by defenders. He showcased his impressive lay-up package with his ability to hang in the air and contort his body to finish in a variety of ways. I like how he’s not afraid to use his football frame to take opposing guards into the post, get deep position, and simply elevate over the top of them to finish. His effort combined with ability to read the ball makes him very good at rebounding long misses, and if there’s a loose ball he can accelerate quickly to win possession for his team.
Highlights
The 6’7 sophomore showcased a versatile skillset in the win over Jefferson. Daniel possesses a soft shooting touch which allows him to catch away from the block, face up, and if the space is there just elevate for a mid-range jumper. Active and mobile player off the ball with good coordination to catch and finish out of the pick & rolls, or hunt down offensive rebounds and go right back up with them. He’s a smart player and student who seems to always make the right play, is willing to pass up a good shot for a great shot, and finishes at a high percentage because of his patience around the basket.
North was locked in on trying to stop Poet Davis Poet Davis 5’11” | SG Minneapolis South | 2024 State MN on Monday night, and he still managed to score 21 points while nearly having one of the most clutch moments of the season. With under 20 seconds to go Poet went coast-to-coast for a lay-up to cut the North lead to 3. On the ensuing inbounds play he intercepted a deep pass and dribbled into a pull-up three to tie the game up with five seconds to play. North ended up hitting a last second shot to win, but Poet’s efforts on both ends nearly made history against a North team that hasn’t lost a conference game in years. Davis displayed excellent body control finishing at the rim against taller players, and was calm handling the ball against constant pressure and traps. Competes with an edge on defense with the quickness to cut off opposing ball handlers and force them to change directions.