Concordia St. Paul Fall League Standouts
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Seven prospects who stood out over the weekend at the Concordia St. Paul Fall League! Ari Gooch MN #47 SG #10 HEIGHT 6'1" POS SG CLASS 2024 View Profile Ari Gooch Instagram Twitter State: Minnesota School: Park Center Ari comes…
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Continue ReadingSeven prospects who stood out over the weekend at the Concordia St. Paul Fall League!
Ari comes into Park Center after playing in New Jersey last season, and if fall league is any indication, he looks ready to make a big impact. Right from the jump he was making an impact with his high ball pressure, including picking up full-court against one of the best 2025 point guards in the state. Caused a handful of mistakes with his effort on defense, and was able to get out for a couple of transition buckets in the process. Showcased impressive explosiveness with a transition dunk as well as some impressive finishes in the half-court.
JJ looked more aggressive searching for his own shots than I had seen out of him before. If he had some space beyond the arc, there wasn’t any hesitation putting a shot up, and it resulted in big scoring numbers against Forest Lake. He was moving off the ball to create good looks from three, but could also go at his man off the dribble to get to his spots in the mid-range. When he was able to get out in transition he kept his composure and was able to finish at the rim consistently.
It may not always be the flashiest, but Jalen produces at such a consistent level. He’s already a 1,000 point varsity scorer, and against two of the top AAAA teams in the state he was scoring consistently in the paint. Showcased his post footwork including a quick spin move that left his defender frozen. Looked a bit more explosive than last season as he got out for back-to-back transition dunks to seal the win against Hopkins. Will once again play a key role for one of the top teams in Class AAA.
Owen Waldoch Owen Waldoch 6’7″ | PF Forest Lake | 2024 State MN had his team in it until the very end against a tough Eden Prairie team. Playing on his future college court, Owen was working harder than any other player I saw on the day. If there was a loose ball anywhere remotely close to him, Owen was diving on the floor to fight for possession. He did a great job of securing position on the block allowing his guards to feed him in the post, and from there he was relentless looking to finish through contact. Teams had no answer for him when he was able to catch anywhere near the rim. Also showed some touch beyond the arc with a few threes in the two games I watched.
Highlights
Abu looks to have taken another leap forward heading into his junior season. He’s always had an edge to his playstyle, as he’s willing to scrap for rebounds, play physical defense, and fight his way to the rim for some tough finishes. His physical tools combined with effort alone allow him to produce consistently. But he’s also looked more comfortable on the perimeter now, able to step out and provide a shooting threat from three, forcing opposing forwards to defend him at the arc. Really versatile defender as well as he can move his feet on the perimeter and defend bigger than his size in the paint.
Highlights
Max had defenders in a blender trying to stay in front of him on the ball. His ability to change direction is effortless, and he covers so much ground with a single stride that allows him to create separation for pull-up jumpers. Against Forest Lake he was consistently creating that space needed to elevate for mid-range shots, and was knocking them down at a high rate. With the type of elevation he’s able to get on his shot defenders have such a hard time getting a good contest on him. Will combine with JJ Sullivan to form a dangerous 1-2 punch in the Eden Prairie backcourt.
Highlights
DeLaSalle was very balanced in their big win over Forest Lake, and I thought Dorian provided a nice spark off the bench for them. He’s a long and lanky wing who can handle it a bit, and showed he can be an extra scoring threat when called upon. Was able to get to the rim off the dribble, and has a nice high release to get off his shots. Saw minutes in 11 games as a sophomore and will look to step into a consistent varsity role as a junior.