Minnesota Prospect Camp: Impressive Underclassmen
In this article:
Some of the underclassmen at Sunday’s Prep Hoops Minnesota Prospect just came off productive varsity seasons and others are looking to break out and make a name for themselves this spring and summer. These were the seven freshman and sophomores…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingSome of the underclassmen at Sunday’s Prep Hoops Minnesota Prospect just came off productive varsity seasons and others are looking to break out and make a name for themselves this spring and summer. These were the seven freshman and sophomores that stood out to me over the rest.
Micah Curtis
Micah Curtis
I have heard and seen things about Micah’s game this high school season, but was never able to see it in person. Sunday made me realize how talented he is and how much potential he has as a prospect. He has great size as he already stands at 6-foot-6 and moves extremely well. The sophomore wing was nearly impossible when he had a full head of steam attacking the basket and used his athleticism to rise up and dunk the ball home. Curtis has a nice handle as well and served as the main ball handler for his team in the game I saw. He knocked down several shots from the outside off the dribble and is truly an all-around player. He was an all-conference player as a sophomore.
Isa was so fun to watch on Sunday and was getting whatever he wanted offensively. His jump shot is super pure and had no problems hitting tough shots off the dribble. Most of which came in transition situations. He is so crafty with the way he can weave through the defense, especially if they are pressuring full-court. Minnetonka has several key seniors, but will also be talented again next year. Look for Isa to be a key player on the Skippers’ 2023-24 roster who could start, but will likely be a spark plug off the bench with his lights out shooting and facilitating.
Highlights
I was able to see Azayah play last AAU season and I did not even recognize him at first on Sunday because of all the improvements he made to his game in the past six or seven months. His explosiveness is what stood out to me from the beginning, as he rose up for a huge and-one dunk in transition. He also did a great job of setting his defenders up in isolation to create some high percentage shots for himself. The sophomore guard was the lead scoring option for St. Cloud Apollo this season and had a week where he was averaging 40 points per game (he had 39 in one game and 41 in the other).
Temi used his physical advantages to dominate on Sunday. He is great around the basket on both ends of the floor, converting some contested layups inside and altering opposing players’ shots. Along with that, he is a difference maker on the boards and impressed me as a rebounder. He also showed what he can do in the mid-range, which would be huge if he could master that 12-15 footer. I saw him throw down a couple dunks as well, making it look so easy and effortless. Omotoyinbo was a major contributor off the bench for Osseo as a sophomore and will have an even larger role next season.
Camar is the definition of shifty and was so fun to watch fly around the floor and make big plays on both sides of the ball on Sunday. He came away with numerous steals, was poking the ball loose, and was just making life difficult for opposing ball handlers. He is a threat to score from beyond the arc and attacked the rim very well for size. He went to a smooth pull-up shot in the mid-range as well that I saw. Blades is another standout guard in the Park Center system and has the potential to see some varsity minutes off the bench next year as a sophomore.
Highlights
Mareng Kang
Mareng Kang
I was not familiar with Mareng’s game coming into Sunday, but he caught my eye right away with a dunk coming from an alley-oop pass off the backboard in the first minutes of the game I saw. He has great size and matched that with his explosive athleticism. He was also comfortable shooting from the perimeter, connecting with a couple shots off the dribble. He went to a turnaround fadeaway jumper after getting cut off on his way to the basket as well. The 2025 prospect is originally from New Prague but is playing his high school ball at Premiere Prep in Arizona.
Eli continued to impress with his outside shooting again at Sunday’s camp. His mechanics are incredibly smooth and he has the ability to get looks off very fast with his quick and reliable jumper. His range extends very deep and he took advantage of defenders not consistently having a hand in his face. He is not just a shooter, as he was also creative with the way he used his dribbles and found open teammates. Shakopee is always deep with talent and Schroeder will add to the pool of guys who are likely to break out very soon.