Prospect Standouts From Wednesday And Thursday
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Seven of the prospects who impressed in the two games I saw on Thursday and Friday! I watched Hopkins defend their home court against Minnetonka, followed up by Eagan defeating Apple Valley. Vincent Hillesheim MN #69 PF #8 HEIGHT 6'6"…
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Continue ReadingSeven of the prospects who impressed in the two games I saw on Thursday and Friday! I watched Hopkins defend their home court against Minnetonka, followed up by Eagan defeating Apple Valley.
Vincent continued to be a threat in the paint, as the 6’6 senior put up 24 points to help lead Hopkins past Minnetonka. Tonka doesn’t have a true big, so Hopkins was looking for Vincent in the post early, and he started off the game by hitting a turnaround jumper from close to the free throw line. He had the size advantage but was being defended by scrappy guards/wings who were throwing numbers at him. Despite some of the contact he was able to stay balanced and power his way up for strong finishes. Was dangerous out of the pick & roll because he sets a hard screen that is difficult for defenders to get over, and he then possesses the coordination to catch and finish in traffic. Has consistently been one of the most productive 2023 posts in Minnesota this season.
Emmanuel put in a nice two-way performance last night to lead Eagan past Apple Valley. Had an exciting sequence in the second half where he got over a screen, swatted a shot off the backboard, handled the ball up the floor and kicked it out to the wing, then got the ball back after a ball reversal before hitting a three. Emmanuel showcased his outside shooting touch, but also his ability to attack gaps in the defense and use his explosiveness to get all the way to the rim. He’s such a versatile defender with his size and speed, and is so good at getting over screens. Rebounds well for a guard and also had plenty of success creating open looks for his teammates with drive-and-kick passes. Finished with a team high 15 points.
Anthony had some electric moments on Wednesday night helping lead Hopkins to a win over Minnetonka. With such a quick release you never know when A3 is going to pull up from deep, and because of how far he can hit shots from, it forces defenders to step way out beyond the arc and guard him. With that he’s able to create separation out of isolation settings to create his own shots, while also excelling at firing off the catch. Does a great job of squaring up with the rim off the move allowing him to catch and shoot in one fluid motion. Along with his 24 points he also had success as a playmaker for his teammates, using his shiftiness to get past his initial defender and into dangerous areas on the floor before zipping it in to his big man. Battled with foul trouble down the stretch but still made some key plays to help his team get the win.
Jordan was the biggest offensive threat on the night for Minnetonka. The 6’3 wing excels at getting to the rim where he has the strength to finish through contact, and also the explosiveness to finish above the rim as he showed with a transition dunk. He’s such a gritty player inside who scraps for rebounds and second chance points. Was really impressed by his growing confidence from outside as well as he had no hesitations taking jumpers when the defender sagged off, and he was making them at a good rate. Made smart decisions in the open floor and finished the game with 23 points.
Joseph has been one of the most productive freshmen in the state this season, especially at the AAAA level. Against a tough Eagan defense he finished with a game high 19 points, giving his team a chance down the stretch. There were moments where he was forcing his offense a bit too much, but he’ll have plenty of time to work on his efficiency/shot selection over the coming seasons. Opposing defenses know Mitchell is his team’s main option, and despite that he’s still able to put points on the board because of how skilled he is. A majority of his buckets were coming from deep where he has a smooth shooting stroke, but he also showcased a nice change of speed off the ball to attack and get to the rim. Had a few nice assists as he started to drive, noticed a second defender sliding in, and quickly kicked it out to wide open shooters. Apple Valley has struggled this season, but they have a nice group of young talent looking to turn things around.
Highlights
Daveion Hart
Daveion Hart
Daveion may not have scored a point on Wednesday night, but I thought he provided crucial minutes off the bench for Hopkins. He’s an incredibly long player, and I loved the fight he showed on the glass. Despite his slender frame he was competing for every ball that came off the win, and wasn’t afraid to compete physically with bigger players. Was able to secure key rebounds to end possessions, and if he wasn’t able to secure the ball he did a nice job of tipping some boards out to give his teammates a chance to secure it. Also came up with a huge block off the glass in transition that ended up leading to a three for his team on the other end.
Also scoring 15 points for Eagan was Max Buslee Max Buslee 6’3″ | PG Eagan | 2024 State MN , who started the game out on fire. He hit a handful of early threes to counteract the quick start from Apple Valley. Max ended up knocking down four 3’s on the game, as he’s an outside shooting threat that has to be accounted for at all times. Has no shortage of confidence when it comes to letting it fly, and defensively has some length to get up in passing lanes or block some shots at the rim.