#PHStompingGrounds Saturday Studs
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It was a fantastic day at the Sanford Pentagon! Before we talk about the ballers, we must give the PENTAGON a big shout-out! Amazing facility & venue. Who looked good and who stood out? PHD has many 15U, 16U, and…
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Continue ReadingIt was a fantastic day at the Sanford Pentagon!
Before we talk about the ballers, we must give the PENTAGON a big shout-out! Amazing facility & venue.
Who looked good and who stood out? PHD has many 15U, 16U, and 17U players that you need to hear about.
Jeremiah Sem Jeremiah Sem 6'3" | SG Fargo North | 2024 State #303 Nation ND (2024) |6’3 G| Sanford Sports UA 2024
That DUNK alone puts him on this list! Sem is a freak athlete. He glides down the court and jumps like few can. Jeremiah also showed the ability to hit the triple. The State Champ put on another show at Stomping Grounds! He picked up his first D1 offer last weekend and the sky is the limit for this Spartan.
Alec Squires Alec Squires 6'10" | C Sioux Valley | 2024 State #280 Nation SD (2024) |6’10 PF| Sanford Sports UA 2024
The SDSU commit was a star in the Saturday nightcap. Squires dunks like most people put in layups. The lanky and tough kid from Sioux Valley finished his post touches and ground on the glass. Alec proved to be a stout defender against a talented forward from MN Chill. If you called him a great defender, that would be an understatement. Squires was efficient from the line and the field. Great performance from Mr. Squires.
Jacoby Mehrman Jacoby Mehrman 6'4" | PG Harrisburg | 2024 State SD (2024) |6’4 G| Sanford Sports UA 2024
Every time I looked he was making a positive play for his team. Jacoby has the strength and size to be a forward but his handle and skill mirror an elite PG. He scores in transition and also strokes the 3ball. Mehrman is a team player but can also break you down off the bounce. I think he has a large amount of potential on D as well.
Lee Brooks (2026) |5’10 G| Starks Elite 2026
He is a fast and quick guard. Handles the ball well and controls the tempo. Brooks has no trouble alleviating pressure. He had many slash-n-score and slash-n-dish plays. Lee also picked off passes and created. Duluth Dunfeld has a talented up-n-coming lead guard.
Ray Brau (2027) |6’6 F| Starks Elite
He was tough around the basket. Brau scored with a baby hook on the block. I was impressed when he took a hit in the chest and still scored. Ray is talented in the screen-n-roll game. I know he is young but his length and skill set should get him on the radar with college coaches. Keep track of this BIG from Hibbing.
Brooklan Bruce Brooklan Bruce 5'10" | CG Grand Forks Central | 2026 State ND (2026) |5’10 G| Bears Tail 15U 3SGB
He made a great first impression this morning. Bruce is not the biggest guard out there but he is resilient and skilled with the rock. The young Knight looks to be a serious shooter and he is masterful when it comes to handling the ball. It looks like GFC has another talented guard coming up the ranks.
Josh Barjolo Josh Barjolo 6'0" | CG Fargo South | 2026 State ND (2026) |5’11 G| Bears Tail 15U 3SGB
He does not look like a frosh. This young Bruin is cut up and built like a senior. I like how he changed speeds and his hesitation move was noteworthy. He has no problem shaking defenders. Josh has a sweet & soft floater game. He can also knock down the deep ball. Barjolo weaves through traffic with ease and he looked good scoring with his inside hand at the hoop.
Bryon Laue Bryon Laue 6'9" | PF Castlewood | 2025 State SD (2025) |6’8 F| Sanford Sports UA 2025
Big, strong, beast, nobody could match that. I was impressed with how he attacked the ball off the rim. Laue has great instincts. He is not afraid of contact and will score through the defense. I loved how he shared the ball out of the post, a few times I thought he should have attacked. It is rare to see a big as unselfish as Bryon!
Ben Brooks Ben Brooks 6'9" | SG Madison | 2025 State SD (2025) |6’7 G| Sanford Sports UA 2025
He is the #1 ranked prospect in the SD 2025 class for a reason. He is actually more gifted and bouncy than I realized. Ben had a sweet back cut that he finished with a ridiculous reverse 2-handed dunk. He can also shoot it from deep and his mid-range game is impressive. The sky is truly the limit for Brooks.
Myles Meyer Myles Meyer 6'7" | PF Parker | 2025 State SD (2025) |6’7 PF| Sacred Hoops Edman
This was my first time watching him and Meyer was impressive. I thought his baby hook going to his left shoulder was fantastic. He is big but his touch is feathery soft. Myles can also score after contact. He scored with O-board tip-ins and his high release was impressive.
Blake Ellwein Blake Ellwein 6'8" | SF Huron | 2026 State SD (2026) |6’6 F| Team Warwick 15U
Super long arms. Ellwein is an amazing passer. He threw crisp passes and threaded the needle, Blake also deliver backdoor dimes, and soft touch passes. He scored in transition and finished at the rim. Ellwein has a great understanding of the game. He uses shot fakes and jab steps to manipulate the D. Warwick was great today and Ellwein was fantastic.
Max Engebretson Max Engebretson 6'3" | SG Sioux Valley | 2024 State SD (2024) |6’2 G| Sanford Sports White
He is a high-IQ kid the knows how to play the game. Max had many slash-n-scores. He went through the D like a hot knife through butter. His finishing package is complex. He can also space and hit from the outside. Engebretson is a natural baller that makes the game look easy. Besides from scoring deep and at the rim, he also hit mid-range J’s. Sioux Valley has a good one with Engebretson.