Chi-Town Tip Off: Max’s Minnesota Standouts
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Seven of the Minnesota prospects who impressed in Chicago at the Prep Hoops Chi-Town Tip Off! Hanif Muhammad HEIGHT 5'10" POS PG CLASS 2024 Hanif Muhammad School: Breck Club: Real Phenom Hanif helped lead his Real Phenom team to a…
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Continue ReadingSeven of the Minnesota prospects who impressed in Chicago at the Prep Hoops Chi-Town Tip Off!
Hanif Muhammad
Hanif Muhammad
Hanif helped lead his Real Phenom team to a 4-0 record with his play on both ends of the floor. He may be one of the smallest players on the floor in most games, but he has elite quickness that he uses to constantly pressure the ball defensively. Hanif was able to mix in some full-court pressure with some scrappy half-court defense as he was fighting over screens and using his off-ball positioning to pick up steals as well. On the offensive end he was hitting threes off the catch, as well as using his quick first step to beat his man and attack the basket. He’s incredibly shifty with the ball and can create his own shots with a limited amount of dribbles. If a shot wasn’t there, he wasn’t letting the ball stick and it was that type of ball movement that helped Real Phenom win games.
Fresh off of a Class AAAA state title with Wayzata, that experience has helped Ben as he’s in an expanded role now with Real Phenom. On Friday night his three point shot wasn’t falling at first, but he made up for it with tough defense, and by creating shots for his teammates with his drive and kick game. He’s the type of player that is constantly moving off the ball which makes him difficult to cover and allowed him to get some open looks from three throughout the weekend. After the initial slump he started hitting his shots at a high rate. Whenever Ben caught an outlet pass he was looking to push the tempo for his team, where he had a few transition finishes as well as some last second dump off passes leading to finishes for his teammates.
Highlights
Finn helped lead Real Phenom to a win over NEBC with a strong performance on both ends. Defensively he was very disciplined and stayed on his feet when defending in the paint, allowing him to contest everything while avoiding fouling. Rebounded the ball with two hands and then had the skill to put it on the floor and bring it up himself if there wasn’t an immediate option to outlet. In the half-court he was active off the ball finding spots to catch in the short corner where he was a threat to hit the mid-range shot, or pump-fake and then attack off the dribble. Showcased solid footwork in the paint and soft touch to score off the glass even over size.
Highlights
De’von Irvin
De’von Irvin
De’von may have had just 3 or 4 buckets in the two games I watched, but he’s such a difference maker on the defensive end that he still catches your eye immediately. Even playing up a year, he shows no fear and was picking up full-court on his own just about every minute he was on the floor. He’s so quick laterally that he was even able to force a 10 second call as he was constantly cutting his man off with every dribble he made. The type of player you can just throw on an opposing team’s top guard and expect him to limit their production. Offensively he made some plays getting two feet in the paint and kicking it out to open shooters.
Charles has the type of frame at 6’4 and skillset that allows him to play on the wing or as a smaller post. On the offensive end he has a buttery smooth jumper that allows him to stretch the floor from three, forcing opposing forwards to chase him out around the perimeter. Also has the strength to compete in the paint for rebounds and putback buckets. Duncan made some big shots down the stretch that put the game out of reach in the closing minutes as Real Phenom came away with a win.
There was a stretch against the ET21 Buckeyes on Sunday where Grayson was just about unstoppable from getting to the rim. If he caught the ball in transition with a bit of space to run, it was almost a guarantee that Grayson was going to get to the rim and finish. He does a good job of playing off two feet which allows him to go up balanced and withstand a bump on his way to the basket. Did the bulk of his scoring around the basket but showed he can hit threes off the catch and even create in the mid-range at times. Was a major offensive weapon for a Real Phenom team that went 4-0 on the weekend.
Highlights
DeLaSalle has a nice group of 2025 guards ready to step into bigger roles next season, and Andrew could be one of them. Against Real Phenom he was making plays on both ends as he brings that DeLaSalle toughness to the defensive side of the game. He used his quickness to pressure the ball, but also had the toughness to defend against bigger wings when needed. Andrew did a nice job of handling the ball under pressure, and was often times able to use his speed to get by his initial defender and give Real Phenom a numbers advantage going forward. Had a few tough finishes at the rim but was at his best as a playmaker getting his teammates involved.