NLBA 15U & 16U: Season Update

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are taking a look at [program_tooltip program_id='2135832' first='Next' last='Level Basketball Academy'] and giving you an update on how the grassroots season has been going. PHD will specifically be looking at NLBA's 15U &amp; 16U teams. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Do not forget, [program_tooltip program_id='2135832' first='Next' last='Level Basketball Academy'] is an official member of the Prep Hoops Circuit, so we have to give them a shout-out for that!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1927084,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NLBAcircuit.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NLBAcircuit.jpg?w=995" alt="" class="wp-image-1927084" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">NLBA 15U Team Comments</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They will be playing in Omaha this coming weekend. This 9th-grade group has a good amount of talent with athletes, toughness, and size. NLBA has not had all of the guys at one event yet, but they should this weekend down in Nebraska. Once this group starts playing as a unit and they all have confidence, look out, they will be a tough squad! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">NLBA 16U Team Comments</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They will be playing in Omaha this coming weekend. This team is improving with every practice and has improved by leaps and bounds in every tournament. The chemistry is starting to build and that is the key ingredient. This NLBA team has nice shooters and some quick athletes. Coach Bledsoe says that this is a fun group to coach. When they start clicking, this team could really string together a quality win streak. Now it is just a matter of putting it all together! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1927092,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NLBA15Uteampic.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NLBA15Uteampic.jpg?w=720" alt="" class="wp-image-1927092" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">15U Player Comments</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2134129' first='Brennen' last='Gable'] (2026) |5'11 G| Sheyenne</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is tough as nails and plays with reckless abandon. If the ball is on the floor, Gable is going to be diving for it. He is also super-physical when matched up against bigger players. Brennen is the heart of this NLBA team. Gable is a fiery player but also listens, responds, and is coachable. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zion Unarse (2027) |5'11 G| Calvin Christian</strong> (Winnipeg, Canada)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is a quick kid with nice handles and is a three-level scorer. Zion will drill the 3-ball, stick the mid-range jumper, and finish at the cup. The Canadian is playing up an age group and he has looked solid this spring. Zion plays the role of a floor general and playmaker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mason Bjerken (2026) |5'10 G| DGF</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is another leader and floor general. You can tell that he is a DGF kid because Mason is impressively TOUGH! Bjerken will sit in a stance and pressure the ball for 94 feet. He scores timely baskets and is a great passer. Mason also rebounds from the PG position and he is extremely coachable. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Caden Weum (2026) |5'10 G| Moorhead</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When he is cooking, look out! Weum is a knockdown shooter that had a 30-point game earlier this spring. Caden is a communicator and leader. Weum is a fun teammate. Caden has also shown some maturity at that young age by asking questions and he wants to learn. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1541563' first='Sean' last='Le'Shoure'] (2026) |5'9 G| Red River</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This Roughrider is a scrappy player that loves to press/pressure on defense. Sean is the fastest guard on this team and he finishes well in transition. Le'Shoure is speedy quick and he changes gears quickly. The RR kid has solid handles and he can create after the bounce. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Parker Berg (2026) |5'11 G| Davies</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The young Eagle has a solid all-around game. He can play in the post or on the perimeter. If given space, Berg can hit the triple. He has shown gradual improvement this spring. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1560802' first='Kayson' last='Bernstien'] (2026) |6'4 F| Sheyenne</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is tall and can be a rim protector at times. Kayson is a matchup problem that rebounds and can lead the break. He can stretch the defense and hit 3's. He can also handle it on the perimeter. Depending on the matchup, Bernstien will play inside or out. Once Kayson realizes how talented and athletic he is, watch out!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1531969' first='Shawn' last='Kotrba'] (2026) |5'10 G| Shanley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The "Muscle Man" has really improved recently. Fun fact: Shawn is in the 1,000-pound club at Shanley for weightlifting! At Battle at the Lakes, Kotrba hit a game-winning shot, so we know that he is clutch! He can hit 3's but will also bang inside no matter how big his opponent is. Kotrba is a strong and scrappy player. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2447451' first='Marvale' last='Murphy'] (2026) |6'4 F| Moorhead</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At his young age, Murphy is one of the most athletic players that coach Bledsoe has seen in a few years. Marvale has grown-man muscle! Recently, Murphy grabbed a defensive rebound, led the team in transition, dribbled through traffic, went coast-to-coast, and finished it with a SLAM. Murphy is a serious athlete.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wyatt Zimmy (2026) |6'4 F| Sheyenne</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He is a wiry player with length. Wyatt will block shots and throw down dunks. He is another fiery player that can make plays in transition. Wyatt has impressive athleticism and size. Zimmy is always having fun on the court with his teammates and he is a great kid to have in the NLBA program. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"large"} --> <p class="has-large-font-size"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">16U Player Comments</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2135828' first='Mag-Audries' last='Cummings'] (2025) |5'10 G| West Fargo</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The quick PG can be an effective floor general. Cummings is creative off the dribble. Has the potential to be a really tough defender. When Cummings is locked in he is excellent at applying perimeter pressure. When he picks up fullcourt, he is great at getting turns in the backcourt. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1267636' first='Brodie' last='Runck'] (2025) |6'3 G| Central Cass</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This Squirrel is a knockdown shooter. He has been running the floor and shooting well this spring. Brodie is confident on the court and he is always anticipating the next play. He is a great teammate and an enjoyable player to have on your team. Keep track of Runck next winter, he should be making some noise on the varsity. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1967169' first='Ryker' last='Bergee'] (2025) |6'6 F| West Fargo</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With his height and long arms, Bergee provides a presence on the interior. His physicality and toughness inside are improving. Ryker has shown good footwork around the hoop. He can step out and hit 3-pointers and is a good passer. If he keeps improving, coach Bledsoe believes that Bergee could be a sleeper in this class for the Packers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1477113' first='Alex' last='Wetterlin'] (2025) |6'4 F| West Fargo</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As Alex goes this team goes! Wetterlin has turned into a dawg on the basketball court. This past summer, Alex had a productive summer. This summer his skill has improved but his athleticism is where you will really notice a difference. Wetterlin is now going up and WHAMMING with two hands. He is still scrappy and Wetterlin is now using his athleticism to go over and around people for rebounds. Alex has been handling and passing well, posting up for buckets, and nailing threes. Keep track of Wetterlin throughout the summer</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1465341' first='Joseph' last='Gomez'] (2025) |5'8 G| Wahpeton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He did not start the season with NLBA but Gomez is back and things have improved for the team. Gomez has helped with the chemistry and overall team play. He is super unselfish on the court and that has rubbed off on other guys. Joseph is willing to make the extra pass and he plays with a heart full of energy. He is an awesome player to coach and have on your side.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1967160' first='Stellen' last='Nelson'] (2025) |6'4 G| Fargo North</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He shoots it well! Nelson can put up points but he is also excellent at moving the rock and sharing the ball. Besides being a threat shooting the ball, Nelson is surprisingly athletic. He is also a scrappy player that will do the little things.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1617735' first='Demarje' last='Hill'] (2025) |6'4 F| Detroit Lakes</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This lefty has plenty of potential. Hill is a matchup problem because he can bang inside and also step outside to hit triples. He plays with fire and the team feeds off his emotion. Hill has favorable size and is a good rebounder. As the summer progresses, look for Demarje to become an effective two-way player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1497487' first='Carter' last='Rahn'] (2025) |6'2 F| West Fargo</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He provides the team with a post presence. Rahn plays strong &amp; tough interior defense. He also runs the court hard. Carter is a great kid to coach. Rahn always shows up with the attitude to get better with each practice, game, and tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1927092,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NLBA15Uteampic.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NLBA15Uteampic.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1927092" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->