Prep Hoops Iowa Freshman Showcase: Team 4 Evaluations
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The first ever Prep Hoops Iowa Freshman Showcase took place in Des Moines on Sunday afternoon, with 64 players from the Class of 2027 competing. Throughout the next few days, myself and Jeremy Brooks will be running through some of…
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Continue ReadingThe first ever Prep Hoops Iowa Freshman Showcase took place in Des Moines on Sunday afternoon, with 64 players from the Class of 2027 competing. Throughout the next few days, myself and Jeremy Brooks will be running through some of the standout performers from the event, and providing full evaluations of all 64 players who were in attendance. This article will take a look at each player from Team 4.
Austin Joens Austin Joens 5'10" | SG Prairie | 2027 State IA
Austin Joens Austin Joens 5'10" | SG Prairie | 2027 State IA
A high IQ player who can score from all three levels, Joens does a good job letting the game come to him, not forcing anything. He didn’t shoot it very well during game action, but his form looks good and it may have just been an off day with a few wayward bounces. He can finish around the rim with either hand and isn’t afraid to attack against bigger defenders. He showed that he can play with the ball in his hands, but I think he’s a more dangerous weapon when he’s operating without it. He moves really well without the ball, finding open spaces in the defense to either cut to the rim or get himself an open shot. Defensively he competes and moves his feet. He has a ways to go in terms of physical development, as did a significant chunk of the players in the event, but there is a solid base of skills here to continue to build upon.
Keagen Winterfeld Keagen Winterfeld 5'11" | PG Unity Christian | 2027 IA
Keagen Winterfeld Keagen Winterfeld 5'11" | PG Unity Christian | 2027 IA
A pass-first guard who loves to get his teammates involved, Winterfeld did a great job facilitating the offense when he was on the floor. He sees the floor at a high level and puts his teammates in positions to succeed. He can get to the rim and finish with either hand, but at this stage, he certainly looks to pass more than he looks to get his own shot, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. He could be an immediate impact player at Unity Christian.
Nicare Cavil Nicare Cavil 5'9" | PG Johnston | 2027 State IA
Nicare Cavil Nicare Cavil 5'9" | PG Johnston | 2027 State IA
A 5-9 lead guard, Cavil has a similar skill set as his older brother Trovary. He has the ball on a string and thrives playing in ball screen action, where he’s a threat to turn the corner and get all the way to the rim, find the roll (or pop) man, or pull up and knock down a jumper. He shoots it better off the dribble than he does off the catch at this point in his development. He’s a good passer who sees the floor well, and he has quick hands on the defensive end of the floor.
Bryan De Meyer
Bryan De Meyer
De Meyer is an active defender who fights through screens and does a great job talking on that end of the floor. He sits in his stance, moves his feet, and has quick hands that he uses to keep opposing ball handlers on their toes. Despite being listed at just 5-6, he wasn’t afraid to defend bigger players throughout the afternoon. Playing at CBAL, he’s going to get great coaching on that end of the floor. Like Winterfeld, he’s a pass-first guard who sees the floor well.
Evan Kinzenbaw
Evan Kinzenbaw
Kinzenbaw is a good combo guard who showed that he can play with or without the ball in his hands throughout the afternoon. He’s a good finisher around the rim who absorbs contact and can finish through it, and he runs the floor hard in transition to get easy buckets. On a team filled with other good ball handling options and shot creators, he didn’t touch the ball as much as he probably would have liked to, but he made the most of his opportunities and played a solid all-around game on both ends of the floor, finding other ways to contribute.
Carver Fritchen
Carver Fritchen
A sharpshooter from South Dakota, Fritchen will play his high school ball at Dakota Valley, one of the top programs in the state. He’s a smart player who can really shoot it, especially off the dribble and he does great job using a combination of his ball-handling and footwork to help create a bit of space to get his shot off. When he’s attacking the rim, he does a good job shielding the ball from the defender, getting them on his hip, and then absorbing contact on his way to the bucket. He’s a good all-around offensive player who can do a little bit of everything on that end of the floor.
Jack Wells
Jack Wells
Wells is a good athlete with a little bit of burst and a good first step that he uses to blow by defenders and get to the rim. He played well in ball screen action, turning the corner and getting all the way to the bucket for finishes or to find a cutting teammate. He has good length that he uses to impact the game on the defensive end, getting into passing lanes and contesting shots on the perimeter, and he sticks his nose in on the glass.
Note: Darren Grandon Darren Grandon 6'4" | SF Johnston | 2027 IA (Johnston) was also on Team 4, but was previously written about in the First Team All-Showcase article.