NEXT Midwest Melee: Noteworthy Performers This Weekend (14U)
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The Prep Hoops NEXT Midwest Melee event brought a bunch of solid programs under one roof to compete for a weekend in Chicago, Illinois. In this event there were multiple prospects that stood out for their effort and production. In…
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Continue ReadingThe Prep Hoops NEXT Midwest Melee event brought a bunch of solid programs under one roof to compete for a weekend in Chicago, Illinois. In this event there were multiple prospects that stood out for their effort and production. In this article we highlight a few prospects that really stood out more than most the past few days. Each player is someone that showed their worth, their future potential, and what they do best all weekend long.
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Tyler Kowal Tyler Kowal WI of the Wisconsin 26ers was someone that we mentioned earlier this week due to his competitiveness on the hardwood but he also had a specific standout performance against Kessell Heat 2028 during this event. Kowal ended this contest with over 30 Points (9-20), 7 Rebounds, 3 Assists, while also going 10/12 from the free throw stripe. This was one of the most dominant performances of the weekend by any prospect at the 14U level. He not only showed that he can score the ball at a high rate from all three offensive levels, he also hit his teammates with some solid Assists and he went up to Rebound more than most. Kowal has the potential to be very good when everything is said and done in the future. He is skilled and knowledgable about the game, he just needs to keep on working towards his goals.
Cooper Friedman Cooper Friedman 6'0" | SG IL
Cooper Friedman Cooper Friedman 6'0" | SG IL
Fundamental U 2028 Black won the 14U Championship this weekend by going undefeated. In one of their first contests of the weekend, Fundamental U beat the Wisconsin 26ers in a big comeback victory at the end of the game. One of their best players, who really put on in the second half during this one was #34 – Cooper Friedman Cooper Friedman 6’0″ | SG IL . Friedman knocked down a three pointer in the first half to get himself going and it was down hill from there. In the second half, Friedman hit multiple three pointers in the last five minutes to help his team take the lead and keep it to seal the Victory in the end. Overall, Friedman is a solid overall prospect that clearly knows what he does best. With his confidence at an all time high it seems like, he is someone that showed out as one of the best shooters in the gym this weekend at the 14U level.
Cade Kendhammer
Cade Kendhammer
Cade Kendhammer is a physical presence off of the dribble and a handful to deal with when he gets down hill. He is very good at searching for his 1v1 opportunities on offense, so that he can take advantage of them with his size and athletic ability. He does a great job rebounding on both sides of the floor and he has a consistent style of that standouts throughout the duration of a contest. Defensively, he was just as good in several contests this weekend, really helping him standout on that side of the ball.. He is a prospect that can get up and pressure the ball or he can wall up against someone that might be bigger in size. All in all, he could truly be an X factor for a lot of teams out there if used in the correct ways and he plays to his strengths.
I would categorize Giovanni Sanderlin Giovanni Sanderlin 6’1″ Benet | 2028 IL as a prospect with a crafty style of play. He is 6’1, he can stretch the floor with his offensive ability off the catch or dribble, he can recover if he ever gets beaten on the defensive side, and he can change the outcome off a game with his performance alone. This weekend there were a few games that Sanderlin showed out as one of the best on the floor with the highest ceiling looking into the future. His smooth rhythm and upbeat tempo that he competes with makes him a tough prospect to stick in front of. As in, it’s very hard to time what he is going to do. Other than all of this ability, I would say that he also does a great job of letting the game come to him. He takes what the defense gives him and it usually works out for the best. It sure did throughout these past few days.
Deonte Phillips Deonte Phillips 5’6″ | PG WI is another prospect coming to us from the state of Wisconsin, who happens to have some impressive game. Phillips is a shifty ball handler, that can attack his defender from the top or the wing. All weekend long he has his defender on skates when he was going toward the rim for a finish. He also demonstrated that he can catch and shoot from behind the three point line when someone else is creating for him in the half court. The advantage his team possesses when he has the ball in his hands is different though. He can keep tempo, make nifty passes with either hand, and at least control a little more of the game as a whole. This Spartans team had trouble finding some offense at times this weekend but it wasn’t due to a lack of effort. They showed out, Phillips played consistent every game and they all left it all on the court. Which is all you can ask for from a coach perspective.