Hard Work Region Kick Off: Minnesota Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Prep Hoops Circuit got underway over the weekend with the Hard Work Region Kick Off. A couple of Minnesota teams made the trip over to Appleton, and these are seven of the prospects who impressed!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1560857"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The freshman guard was lighting it up from beyond the arc in the two Northstar Titans games I watched over the weekend. He has a lightning quick release, and if he caught with some space on the perimeter he was likely going to let it fly. Because of this, defenders caught on pretty quickly that he was a shooter, and were expecting him to take shots as soon as he caught it. Zach took advantage of that and continuously got defenders in the air with a quick shot fake before attacking. This either forced an extra defender to step in on him, or he was then able to score with a floater. Has good positional size as well as he's now listed at 6'3.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2118481' first='Brody' last='Lakanen']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"77247","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Anoka","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"Northstar Titans","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Northstar Titans didn't really have a true u0022bigu0022, so at 6'4 Brody spent a lot of time defending in the paint. Particularly in the Sunday game I watched his effort down low really stood out, as he wasn't budging an inch when his man tried to establish deep position, and he utilized his long frame really well to contest shots around the basket. Lakanen rebounded the ball hard, and was looking to immediately outlet to one of his guards to get out in transition. Offensively he showed the touch to finish around the basket through traffic.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1560811"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Collin impressed in the second Northstar Titans game I watched, as he's an intelligent point guard who kept the ball moving on offense. He was making smart reads, and was able to carve the defense up with some quick passes into gaps to set his teammates up for good looks. During a stretch he also took over on his own as he drained in three after three to help his team pull away. The 5'9 freshman could really handle it under pressure, and looked like the type of point guard a coach can trust to not make silly mistakes with the ball in his hands.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1574220"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Monteff was just physically dominant in the game I watched. He's a strong but agile 6'5 forward who was a force on the defensive end. Dixon had a lot of success in the full-court press as he was able to pressure the ball hard, and also made plenty of plays jumping passes to pick up steals. Once he was in possession of the ball there was never any question on what he was going to do with it, as he showed off his explosiveness with a handful of dunks throughout the game. In the half-court he's a very good rebounder with strong hands to secure possession, and he used his physical frame to establish deep post position for high percentage looks around the rim.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Covid Dean","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Minnesota Prep","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"Team Supreme","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Dean impressed with his quickness on the ball in a big win for Team Supreme. In transition he was pushing the tempo with his ability to weave in and out of defenders or pass the ball up the floor leading to easy buckets. In the half-court he was able to get to his spots off the bounce, finding success getting into the paint for pull-up jumpers or kick out passes to open shooters. He's a very quick guard who was pressuring the ball hard on the defensive end. Team Supreme was always looking to play fast and force turnovers on the defensive end, and he fit that playstyle perfectly.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"Jairus Appleton","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Wayzata","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"Northstar Titans","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Jairus plays with great change of speed, as he's very quick but knows how to lull his defender to sleep before blowing by. Against an All Wisconsin team that at times had 6'9, 6'6, and 6'5 on the floor at the same time, Appleton was fearless getting into the paint and attacking the basket. He's very explosive off of two feet which allows him to hang in the air and contort his body to finish. Also knew when to come to a jump stop and hit a cutting teammate or kick it back out if he didn't have a good look inside. Defensively he uses his quickness to pressure the ball and fight over screens on the perimeter.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2090661' first='George' last='Norsman']","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"6'5u0022","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"77247","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"Minnehaha Academy","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"Team Supreme","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_6_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"George provided a nice spark off the bench for Team Supreme. He has some size at 6'5, with the athleticism that allows him to play in the paint or the perimeter. George moves better laterally than I knew, and has some pop around the basket to elevate and finish. Wasn't getting a ton of looks, but was efficient with the opportunities he did have around the rim, and was making hustle plays as a rebounder and defender. Ran the floor hard looking for transition opportunities.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-642b3687a873f"} /-->