If you were lucky enough to get a seat in the Wayzata back gyms you saw some special performances by top players. And you noticed both baselines lined with college coaches that brought an open period like atmosphere. Here are the elite of Friday night!
Bradey Henige
Bradey
Henige
7'0" | C
Cactus | 2024
State
#166
Nation
AZ
of D1 Nation Arizona (6’10 big from Cactus). I’ve been watching high level AAU/Grassroots basketball for 20 years now regularly and last night I think
Bradey Henige
Bradey
Henige
7'0" | C
Cactus | 2024
State
#166
Nation
AZ
had the most memorable single game individual performance that I have seen in that time period. At this level in a 16 minute game, a 20 point game is like a 30+ game in high school. Minnesota Select is a top program and they were helpless against Bradey (and Select won the game!). Henige’s low block touch off the turn was purely unstoppable. Even when the defender got him higher off the block he placed shots in off the glass. When Select doubled Henige, Bradey just physically moved through it to score. When he caught on the opposite block Henige turned into the touch mid-lane. Bradey scored on the offensive glass constantly regardless of how many people tried to stop him. He was like Nio in the Matrix throwing off Mr. Smith’s getting to the offensive glass. He scored 48 points. I will say that again FORTY-EIGHT points on 18 of 25 shooting (72 percent for the math challenged crowd) with 22 rebounds! Shot a strong 11 of 16 from the foul line as Select tried to tie him up often. An incredible performance by a future high major player.
Will Hornseth of Wisconsin Blizzard (6’7 forward from De Pere). I watched Will dominate a talented group of 16 year olds last night and I could help myself from thinking….. is he going to be under recruited out of high school and then chased down as a transfer a couple years into college, or is the high level just going to grab him early and work with him? Simply put, the sophomores did not have the strength to deal with this strong, active and agile low post player. His shoulder turns cleared space like Thor clearing bad guys with his hammer. I loved his strong post turns after good position and even more, I loved his cuts after the pass, or cuts after the screen to get to the rim quickly and finish strong. Hornseth had 22 points on 11 of 16 shooting with seven boards.
Isaiah Johnson of D1 Minnesota (6’6 wing from Totino-Grace). We’ve all seen the offers come through and locals got their first chance to see why this spring. Isaiah is a strong three man who we know has improved defensively this winter and is quite skilled. But is he athletic enough at the three for the high major level? If you saw him defend, run the floor, and explode to finish last night it was an obvious yes. Can he shoot it? Shot 44 percent at the arc this winter taking a couple threes a game and last night made a three and a pretty lifting pull-up. Does he have that competitive dog in him? Isaiah has shown that now for at least four straight months. Scored 15 points on 7 of 8 shooting setting the tone for his team to beat Sanford Sports Academy (UA Rise) handily.
Jaden Morgan
Jaden
Morgan
6'4" | SG
DeLaSalle | 2024
State
MN
of Minnesota Select (6’4 from DeLaSalle). I’m a very honest person and I will tell you when I was late to the party. I have been late to the party on
Jaden Morgan
Jaden
Morgan
6'4" | SG
DeLaSalle | 2024
State
MN
but after some shoulder nudging by people I trust and then watching last night, I am sold. His 21 points on 10 of 21 shooting was an array that the Arizona opponents (he was defended often by a top 12 kid in Colorado) just could not move with. Morgan shoots it from the wing with feet set and has the pull-up, he’s active off the ball to score, and he’s explosive going to the rim. He’s the next Islander that’s going to be recruited strongly and it was UMD that made the first impression.
Chase Thompson
Chase
Thompson
6'8" | PF
Alexandria | 2025
State
MN
of D1 Minnesota (6’7/6’8 from Alexandria). I can’t tell you exactly how tall is but I can tell he is taller than the last time I saw him and I can tell you he’s got a very tall father and a seven foot brother (Treyton Thompson). This kid is growing and I think he will be the modern day high major stretch forward. He’s a great passer, a competitive battler, and the
Chase Thompson
Chase
Thompson
6'8" | PF
Alexandria | 2025
State
MN
stroke is beautiful. This is your modern day stretch forward that the colleges love to have and right now he’s the Minnesota 2025 with the clearest path to the high major game. Scored 15 points in a loss to the Blizzard last night hitting five triples.
