The Last Dance: The Stock Risers
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What players did we see that we think could make for better college basketball players than we thought coming in? Germaine Benson Germaine Benson 6'0" | PG Hyde Park | 2024 State IL of Illinois Hoops Stars (2024, guard, Hyde…
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Continue ReadingWhat players did we see that we think could make for better college basketball players than we thought coming in?
Germaine Benson Germaine Benson 6'0" | PG Hyde Park | 2024 State IL of Illinois Hoops Stars (2024, guard, Hyde Park). Benson took the ball with the attack mindset and forced the scorekeeper to add points consistently as the Stars tried to keep up with Starks Elite . He combined threes with physical attacks using that strong frame to hit and touch after the defender was cleared with a bit of space. He mixed in threes, attacks, and foul shots for 25 points.
John Clemmons of NEBC (2024, guard, Winchendon). At 6’5, 6’6 with guard skills, a strong frame, agility, and a step to do damage, John Clemmons has a chance to be a very good division one college basketball player. There is experience needed making decisions with the ball but he is getting there and he almost led his team over a good Minnesota Fury team. Clemmons has dribble separation ability and the pop off the separation to score with a touch. The strength to rebound and defend big wings but the agility to move with them too. He has the chance to be versatile on both ends and we saw some of that sprout last night.
Matas Gaidukevicius Matas Gaidukevicius 6'5" | SG Lemont | 2025 State IL of Lituanica Acadmey (2025, SG, Lemont). One of my favorite players from Friday night was Matas Gaidukevicius Matas Gaidukevicius 6'5" | SG Lemont | 2025 State IL . Matas scored on a back cut off a timed pass within a set and threw down a dunk that really caught the eye. This got him going to then knock out three threes with a great touch, cut to the rim to score a couple more times, and then get in the open floor and throw down in a way that caught everybody off guard. The wing touch and the ability to slash and finish above the rim as a 2025, it’s something that could really translate.
Christian Hooge Christian Hooge 6'6" | PF Pillager | 2025 State MN of Starks Elite (2025, Forward, Pillager). I think we found a new player to chat about in terms of strong potential in that 2025 class, and his name is Christian Hooge Christian Hooge 6'6" | PF Pillager | 2025 State MN . At about 6’6 with a good frame and a good floor run, Hooge has the potential to take some big steps. His activity on the glass (11 rebounds) was solid as was his finishing with 14 points on eight shots, but I liked the floor push when he had the ball as well as the outlets and the “next pass” efforts. Hooge has the chance to be a versatile forward that can do some things at each of the front three spots.
Isaiah Kastern of Starks Elite (2024, Forward, Solen Springs, WI). It’s time. Time for what you ask? Time for us over here in Minnesota to say HEY, WISCONSIN, if you want to tell us how “elite” our Minnesota guys are off a couple views we are going to tell you off of several views that Isaiah Kastern should be on your list! This strong, agile, and active 6’5 big man opened the Last Dance with 29 points on 12 of 15 shooting relentlessly rim running. It wasn’t just deep finishes, it was the short jumpers mixed with the 5 of 6 foul shooting. Isaiah Kastern is going to be a steal for somebody at D3 or maybe even a sneaky candidate for a D2 partial.
Owen Waldoch Owen Waldoch 6'7" | PF Forest Lake | 2024 State MN of Minnesota Fury (2024, PF, Forest Lake). Each year there is a top 25 level player that realizes as a 17u kid, if he simply plays harder than everybody and mixes that with the other things he can do, he will impress college coaches. And last night Owen impressed college coaches with his constant work rate. He had nine rebounds in the first seven minutes of the game and totaled 15 for the contest. He powered in scores, touched in buckets with activity, and did it within the framework forcing nothing. At least a partial D2 guy? I think that could be in his future.
Dylan Zimmerman Dylan Zimmerman 6'5" | SF Moorhead | 2024 State MN of ECI (2024, wing, Moorhead). I have been a fan of what Dylan can be as a college basketball player but yesterday the place he played in the ECI win over Real Phenom really put me over the edge. For starters, his ability to explosively finish at the rim off a cut or floor run had cameras popping. But it was the other things that caught me: the jumpers made, the length on a smaller but quicker guard limiting that top 50 Minnesota player to one score, good rebounding from the wing, and the constant floor run, and the right passes made, Dylan Zimmerman Dylan Zimmerman 6'5" | SF Moorhead | 2024 State MN is a stock raiser.