UW River Falls Falcon Shootout: Standouts 6'5"+

On Saturday, June 15, I traveled to River Falls to take in the UWRF Falcon Shootout. This event included twenty-one varsity and nine junior varsity teams from Minnesota and Wisconsin. As I usually do, I placed my focus on the teams from Wisconsin. I will have two parts to my coverage. This first is for players who stand 6'5" and greater.    After stopping to watch a little action on another court, I went directly to the matchup that included [player_tooltip player_id='2406142' first='Jayden' last=''] and his Grantsburg team. It didn't take long for me to identify him, as he immediately drove hard and converted. Shortly thereafter, he brought the ball up, penetrated to the elbow and hit a pull-up jumper. He continued to make plays, including a baseline take and finish and a quick cross-over move with a spin and deuce in the lane. I watched him again later in the day and he jumped a pass on the opening possession and took it to the other end for a bucket. Once he gets dialed in, he can hit from beyond the arc as well. [player_tooltip player_id='2406142' first='Jayden' last=''] could add a bit more mass, but I understand from talking with him that he is working on that. As he does so, it will be important that he keeps his athleticism and quickness.       Clausen is a solid 6'5" left-hander who showed a lot of senior leadership on the court. He was constantly communicating with his teammates and led by example, playing intense defense especially when on-ball. Evan led his team in scoring last season and showed his ability to continue to do so, but there were many other parts of his game that stood out as well. He appears to be a team player, making solid and unselfish passes from the perimeter or on the drive and kick. He also moves well without the ball, finding open spaces at which he can spot up for threes. Evan brings the ball up the court and I would put him down as a combo guard who could also play more internally with his frame, should a coach at the next level have a need.     While Eli has already announced his commitment to join the Iowa Hawkeyes football program - "Tight End U" - at that position, I would be remiss if I didn't mention his ability on the hardwood as well. Unsurprisingly for a Power Five tight end, Eli is strong and can convert through hard contact at the hoop. He is aggressive on the glass, rips rebounds from opponents and wins battles for 50/50 balls. He has ample athletic ability to pair with his stout frame and displayed it with an easy two-hand dunk on a run-out. Johnson works hard on both ends of the floor and will most certainly be an asset for a potent Wildcats team this winter.     There must be something in the water in Grantsburg, because they certainly have plenty of height for a small school. At 6'7" Caden will grab your attention when you approach the court. After learning he is an incoming junior, I spent some time dialed in on his game. Matheny plays primarily in the post and can convert inside on this level. He will battle against similar sized players for rebounds and can step out and hit from the outside, although that is on a limited basis. Caden will need to add mass to his frame if his desire is to play beyond high school, but he does have good coordination and solid basketball instincts. With that said, if he continues to get stronger over the next two years, Matheny appears to have the tools to be a prospect to keep an eye on.     I've had a chance to watch Trevor play at a couple of events this summer. My impression has been the same at both. He is young (an incoming sophomore) and has great potential to become a top player to watch. He flashed good comfort with his handle, putting it behind his back when he brought it up. While he doesn't bring it up often, it was good to see that he can put it on the floor effectively when he needs to. You'll mostly find Trevor in the paint where he can utilize his size and length on both ends of the court. He plays with an easy flow, which suggests there is a smooth athleticism waiting to emerge. My impression is that he is still developing and, as such, he does not have the confidence to be a more aggressive player. Should he add a layer of tenacity to his game in the next few years, he could be a handful.

On Saturday, June 15, I traveled to River Falls to take in the UWRF Falcon Shootout. This event included twenty-one varsity and nine junior varsity teams from Minnesota and Wisconsin. As I usually do, I placed my focus on the teams from Wisconsin. I will have two parts to my coverage. This first is for players who stand 6'5" and greater.