Rochester JM 68 Austin 66: Five Things to Know
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The Rochester John Marshall Rockets have some quality prospects and we saw them win a game against Austin. Here are five things to know. One. Uncovered Prospect? Rochester JM has a 6’10 big man named Deng Lueth who has about…
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Continue ReadingThe Rochester John Marshall Rockets have some quality prospects and we saw them win a game against Austin. Here are five things to know.
One. Uncovered Prospect? Rochester JM has a 6’10 big man named Deng Lueth who has about a 7-foot-2 wingspan, huge hands, and some of the longest legs I have ever seen in a prospect. Size wise he reminded me of a longer armed Bryce Webster at the same age. Lueth is a raw player with a long ways to go as he has been playing junior varsity much of the season. He is still learning how to play, how to work in the offense, and how to handle things when they do not go his way. That said, as a young talent just learning, Lueth had 14 points on six of eight attempts with eight rebounds. His positioning is good, hands were solid, and touch was decent. He is raw but he is a prospect with as high of a ceiling as just about anybody in this class in the long term future. But Deng has to put the work in for that to happen.
Two. Chan Goes Off! Chan Malith Chan Malith 6'4" | SG Rochester JM | 2024 State MN is a 6’3/6’4 active guard that has been scoring over 20 points a game this year. But what we saw against Austin was different. It was active, it was 100 percent effort and it was all out energy. The race back block, the numerous offensive boards, and some creations to others getting him five assists. Chan grabbed 16 rebounds and scored his 26 points on 11 of 21 shooting. Malith’s greatest strengths are his activity and agility and those things were everywhere for this senior last Friday.
Three. JM Juniors. The Rockets are 9-6 and I have seen them once so it’s tough to project what their players will be and how good this team can be. But I like this junior class. Deng Lueth is their center with all of the potential. Angok Kucha Angok Kucha 6'7" | PF Rochester John Marshall | 2025 MN is about 6’7 with a ton of length and a really nice shot. He only took five shots but made three threes and sunk all of his foul shots. Six-foot-3 Brayson Sawyer is another solid JM shooter. He scored 14 points on six of ten shooting and has a tough that I think could make for a nice D3 player. Eliah Ladu is the point guard and he is a ball pressuring, attacking, shot creating guard that was a good 16u player last spring and summer. This is a nice junior crew.
Four. Austin Youth. Austin is going through a struggle right now as they had to replace an entire rotation. That said the Packers are putting up a fight each night and getting better. They were much better this Friday than when I saw them in December. They have a sophomore in Cole Hebrink who has the confidence and touch of a player that could eventually be a 20 point per game scorer. Another sophomore named J’dan Stevens gave his team a chance down the stretch with five threes made. And yet another sophomore Banyaan Omot Banyaan Omot 6'5" | PF Austin | 2026 State MN may not have had big numbers but he flashed potential in the way he ran the floor, in the way he bounced for boards, in the way he two hand swatted a shot above the rim, and in the way he attempted to finish. When he learns Omot has a shot to be a nice prospect. In all the Austin V/JV has seven solid player prospects that could make them a nice program. Junior Mikah Christopherson Mikah Christopherson 6'2" | PG Austin | 2025 MN hit three triples in the first half and then made two long jumpers in the varsity game.
Five. The Atmosphere. Basketball is loved in Austin. You could see it in the first cheerleaders I have seen all season and you could see it in the corner where there were a group of excited recently graduated players were too energized to sit. You could see it in the free t-shirt giveaway and you could see it in the raffle drawings. You could see it in the Ove Berven Gym for the younger program games and you could see it in the Competition Gym where the main games are played. And maybe the biggest thing, you could see it not just in the families of the players and the current students, but in the townsfolk and alumni that showed up to support their team.