Max’s Week 2 Midweek Standouts
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Seven prospects who have impressed in the games I’ve watched so far this week! Charlie Gustafson HEIGHT 6'1" POS CG CLASS 2024 Charlie Gustafson School: Minneapolis Washburn Charlie put up 21 points helping lead Washburn past Mound Westonka on Monday…
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Continue ReadingSeven prospects who have impressed in the games I’ve watched so far this week!
Charlie Gustafson
Charlie Gustafson
Charlie put up 21 points helping lead Washburn past Mound Westonka on Monday night. He did a great job of getting into the paint in both half-court and transition settings, and was able to capitalize on those paint touches with a number of buckets and assists. Showed he has the touch to score over the top with a floater, and could also change up his speed to catch defenders off guard with a euro-step. Floor stretcher from three as well. Kyle Jorgensen Kyle Jorgensen 6’9″ | C Minneapolis Washburn | 2024 State #308 Nation MN wasn’t having his best game scoring the ball, so Charlie’s ability to step up and fill in that scoring void was key for Washburn in their win.
Max was keeping Mound Westonka in the game until the very end with his 24 point performance. At 6’5-6’6 he’s a difficult matchup because he has the physical strength to take opposing forwards into the paint, but also has the touch on his jumper to step out to college distance and knock down threes. Did a good job of working for post touches off the ball, out of pick & rolls, and even taking his man from the wing and driving into a post-up. Utilized a right handed hook shot to finish at a high percentage over the top of defenders. Does a nice job of using his strong frame to clear out space before attacking missed shots right off the rim.
There wasn’t much Zavier wasn’t doing on Tuesday night. The Richfield senior was blocking shots, pulling in rebounds, handling the ball coast-to-coast, finding open teammates for good looks, and scoring the ball in a number of ways. Zavier has a strong frame for a guard, and with that he was looking to post up whenever possible. He could back his man down and just finish over the top, utilize a quick spin move to open up a shot, or spot a double team and locate an open teammate with a pass. Showed some shot creation ability on the perimeter as well. On a BLOB play in the second half Zavier threw the ball of a defenders back and went right up with it for an and-one finish. Brought a ton of energy to the floor for his team that helped them pull off the win over DeLaSalle.
Highlights
CJ was facing constant double-teams against DeLaSalle, but the state’s leading scorer still went on to finish with 30 points. At 6’3 he’s a long and lanky guard who can create his own shot off the dribble. Was able to get that bit of space to pull-up from mid-range, and was working hard off the ball to open up some three point opportunities as well. Off the ball he always seemed to be moving to get into space. Good looks were hard to come by against a tough DeLaSalle defense, but CJ’s work-rate and ability to draw fouls helped him pile up 30. Knocked down key free throws down the stretch to complete the win for his team.
Highlights
De’Von’s effort on the defensive end constantly stands out. He’s going to pick up his man full-court just about every possession, and pressure the ball relentlessly the length of the floor. He combines that effort with a lateral quickness that makes him so tough for offensive players to shake off. He’s no slouch offensively either, as he has the quickness to get to his spots off the dribble. Irvin is an unselfish player but has no problem getting his own shots when needed. Is a good mid-range scorer who gets great elevation on his pull-up jumper.
Totino-Grace didn’t have an answer for Brock in the first half. At 6’7 he was stretching the floor from three, scoring in transition, and working his way to the basket to finish strong at the rim. Really like the comfort Brock moves with at 6’7, showing some fluidity with his ability to finish at the rim, and even threw down a dunk in transition with a contesting defender nearby. He came into the game averaging roughly 26 ppg, and matched that average against one of the most stacked teams in the state. Totino-Grace ended up pulling away in the second half to win comfortably, but I liked the fight that Brock showed in this game.
You don’t often see freshmen coming in and immediately playing big minutes for a team as loaded as TG. As one of the first off the bench Malachi provides a calm presence at the point guard spot, able to handle it under pressure and see the floor well to make quick decisions. Dropped a dime off the drive to one of his forwards waiting at the dunker spot, showed he can stop and pop for a jumper, and got all the way to the rim for a tough and-one finish in the second half. Defensively his quickness and ability to sit deep in a stance allow him to pressure the ball hard and force some errors from opposing guards. The freshman finished with 9 points in the big win.