NLBA 17U: Season Review
PHD is looking at Next Level Basketball Academy 17U in this Season Review. NLBA plays out of Fargo/Moorhead and are official Prep Hoops Circuit members. This group had some intriguing talent. Three of the players will be hooping in college…
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Continue ReadingPHD is looking at Next Level Basketball Academy 17U in this Season Review. NLBA plays out of Fargo/Moorhead and are official Prep Hoops Circuit members. This group had some intriguing talent. Three of the players will be hooping in college this coming season and the rest of the guys are seniors. It will be fun to see how the coming year plays out for these ballers. Best of luck in the hoops season!
This was a mature group of young men and the leadership from the older players went a long way. NLBA built chemistry, competed against stiff competition, won plenty of games, improved over the spring/summer, made great memories, and had fun throughout the season.
Highlight: Going 4-0 at Battle at the Lakes
Player Comments
Aiden Prince Aiden Prince 6'3" | SG Fargo North | 2024 ND (2024) |6’3 G| Fargo North
He was a good guard and teammate for NLBA. Prince made plays as a slasher and he always ran the floor with heart. He also knocked down his fair share of outside shots. Aiden was a great complimentary player for NLBA. He knew his role and was a great kid to have on the team.
Bryson Rainbow Bryson Rainbow 6'3" | SF New Town | 2024 State ND (2024) |6’4 F| New Town
He stretched the defense with his outside shooting but could also get physical inside the paint. He built some good chemistry with Senske. Those two thrived in the PNR game, Senske always seemed to find Rainbow for a good look. Bryson is an underrated rebounder, is a good kid, is always smiling, and is extremely coachable. Expect a big year for Bryson with the Eagles.
Hayden Hong Hayden Hong 6'1" | CG Grand Forks Red River | 2024 State ND (2024) |6’1 G| Grand Forks Red River
He was excellent in the catch-n-shoot game for NLBA. Hayden improved his athleticism and overall quickness on the court. When Hong set his feet, he was knock down from beyond the 3-point arc. His confidence has grown and I am intrigued to see how this winter goes for him. It looks like he is crushing it in the football season. Last Friday in the win over Jamestown, he went for 127 receiving yards with 5 catches and 3 TD’s!
Luke Johnson Luke Johnson 6'5" | PF Oak Grove | 2024 ND (2024) |6’5 PF| Oak Grove
He had a very nice season with NLBA. Luke and Trey had a special connection and chemistry with each other. They hooped together at Oak Grove, so this comes as no surprise. Trey and Luke were effective in the pick-n-roll game. Johnson scored with the pick-n-pop and when rolling to the rim. He was great at finding a gap in the defense and exploiting it. Luke was comfortable and effective as a catch-n-shoot player but also got the job done inside with hard work and hustle. He worked his tail off for rebounds and gave full effort on defense. Luke improved his athleticism during the grassroots season and he started dunking in tournaments. Towards the end of the summer, Johnson suffered an injury. PHD wishes him luck in his recovery.
Marcus A. Lofton (2023) |6’3 G| Fargo South
He improved as an athlete this spring/summer. Marcus is a noteworthy athlete who was no stranger to dunking on people. He was a fun player to have on the squad and his teammates enjoyed playing with him. Marcus has come a long way over the years. With his length and athleticism, he still has a ton of potential to his game. Best of luck to Mr. Lofton with his collegiate career at Western Iowa Community College!
Owen Hoyme Owen Hoyme 6'1" | SG Kindred | 2024 ND (2024) |6’1 SG| Kindred
His nickname was “Larry Bird” because he never backed down from anyone. It did not matter who NLBA played, where the opponent was from, how tall or how athletic they were, Hoyme refused to give an inch. Owen set the standard for toughness on this team. He is a scrappy player who always gets after it. Hoyme is the type of guy that you hate playing against but love having him on your team. Owen is also a legitimate shooting threat from beyond the arc.
Riley Opheim Riley Opheim 6'4" | SF Fargo North | 2024 ND (2024) |6’4 G| Fargo North
He is a long and extra-athletic wing/guard. Riley is a fiery baller who hoops with passion. He is a 3-level scorer that can put up serious points but he can also scrap it up and do the dirty work. Opheim is a tough and hard-nosed kid. After a successful summer, I am excited to see how the high school season goes for Riley.
Sam Senske (2023) |6’5 G| Hawley
Senske had a phenomenal career for the Nuggets and he had a monster season with NLBA. He was a floor general this spring/summer and he had splashy performances. Senske demanded the attention of the defense, one defender was not enough to slow Sam down. Senske had multiple 30 and 40-point games throughout the grassroots season. Sam excelled at getting to his spot, getting his shot off, and it was all nylon most of the time. He might have had a bigger or more athletic defender on him, but if he got to his spot, Senske was going to score. Best of luck to Mr. Senske with his collegiate career at Concordia in Moorhead!
Trey Hatfield (2023) |6’5 SG| Oak Grove
He had a fantastic senior season and that level of play continued onto the court this spring/summer. Hatfield was a nightmare of a matchup that scored from every level. He drained triples from the VB-line and NLBA encouraged him to shoot because Hatfield is such a fire shooter. Trey would also go inside and score when he had a smaller guard matched on him. He crushed against zone defenses from the high post. He is known as a shooter and a scorer but Hatfield also dunked on people this summer. He is a coachable baller with a deep passion for the game. Best of luck to Mr. Hatfield with his collegiate career at Northwestern in St. Paul!