The Last Dance: Saturday Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What players caught my eye as high level standouts at the Last Dance on Saturday? Here is my list!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Olmstead at MVP Level</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] guard [player_tooltip player_id='1560807' first='Isaac' last='Olmstead'] is having one of the best summers I have ever seen a player have. Just about every July game for Olmstead has been a once-in-a-year type of game, but he's doing it contest after contest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last weekend he beat [program_tooltip program_id='2075431' first='D1' last='Minnesota'] 15u with one of the hottest shooting hands you will ever see and was dishing out several assists. He then did it again in the 16u final, and then had two or three more of those games in Chicago. Against Team Rose he hit two from mid-range and then reeled off seven threes with the final one of the hot streak coming from the volleyball line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In preparation for this article I kept thinking about high level comparisons so people understand how amazing Isaac has been. This is what I got...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Olmstead's only competition for 16u player of the year in Minnesota is fellow high school teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1560867' first='Christian' last='Wiggins'] of [program_tooltip program_id='2075431' first='D1' last='Minnesota']. And Olmstead has to do more for his team than Wiggins so he might be the leader. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>To explain his high level of play I want to say Steph Curry type of hot hand and range, but that's not really it. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Olmstead is creating for others consistently while scoring and doing it in a Jason Williams type of way (the guy on the shirt that Max Wagner aka Fresh Coast Hoops regularly wears) but that don't work, Olmstead is shooting too high of a percentage. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Then I thought.... honestly, it's like a Caitlin Clark at Iowa type impact of hitting shots and creating for others in a 16u boys basketball type of way.. I actually like that one of the most. No Isaac is not Caitlyn and he won't be drafted first in a professional draft, but that is the type of control he has on basketball games right now leading his team to a 9-0 July record. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I look forward to watching Olmstead this weekend against the various talented 16u teams that will be in the Twin Cities this weekend from different areas of the extended Midwest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">North Dakota's Latest Elite Shooter</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When Treysen Eaglestaff was knocking down threes in a way that could only be seen to believed a few summers ago, I thought that was the best shooter I had seen in North Dakota in recent years (mind you I don't cover North Dakota high school hoops so obviously it's a statement of summer basketball). However, I think we have a new player to talk about. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1169148' first='Parker' last='Falcon'] hit several threes in a row in a May contest we covered and I don't think his hot hand has cooled since. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past weekend with the North Dakota Phenom, Falcon was seemingly on fire every game. Just look at the various comments from various Prep Hoops Scouts:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"[player_tooltip player_id='1169148' first='Parker' last='Falcon'] is absolutely locked in for North Dakota Pheom right now! 6-5 sniper banging in 3 after 3 with such a quick and effortless release. 17 points in the first half" - Scott Burgess</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"[player_tooltip player_id='1169148' first='Parker' last='Falcon'] continuing his hot shooting this summer. The 6'6 2025 guard already has a handful of 3 point makes early in this game for [program_tooltip program_id='2075741' first='ND' last='Phenom']." - Max Wagner</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Goodness, [player_tooltip player_id='1169148' first='Parker' last='Falcon'] is a special shooter on a 6-5 athletic frame for [program_tooltip program_id='2075741' first='ND' last='Phenom']" - Jonathon Gilbert</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Falcon has since committed to Minot State who watched all of his games the past two weekends. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Is Wherley Next? </strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lucas Wherley is playing the best basketball of his high school life right now. Wherley is a 6'6 forward from [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] and Shakopee High School, and I am starting to wonder if some of the college coaches are seeing some of the same things I have been noticing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are three items that stand out to me the most:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One. The shooting touch. Wherley has always been a player I had high thoughts of but the way he is shooting the basketball right now, it's a whole new element to what he can do. He made four threes against the Illinois Bears and four threes against Mac Irvin Fire combing to shoot 17 of 27 in those two games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two. Active in the flow. If you have seen the Fury play, and if you are reading this website, you have, they have a lot of activity within their offense and Wherley does a fantastic job scoring not only in space with jumpers, but scoring at the rim on cuts, and helping others do the same with his play off the ball or passing the ball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Three. Defense! Wherley plays for good basketball teams that move the ball and defend (Fury and Shakopee). Never did I think he was a bad defender, but I never really thought about how good of a defender he is, until he completely shut down a 2026 from Chicago that has 13 division one scholarship offers. And did it by moving and keeping his player in front of him. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1886972' first='Amari' last='Nobles'] Shows His Versatility</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another name that is surfacing from the 2026 class is [player_tooltip player_id='1886972' first='Amari' last='Nobles'] of [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select'] (Mankato East HS). He's in that group of stock risers with [player_tooltip player_id='1560807' first='Isaac' last='Olmstead'], [player_tooltip player_id='1560739' first='Max' last='Iversen'], [player_tooltip player_id='2118495' first='Talan' last='Witt'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1560778' first='Nolen' last='Anderson'] that have D2 schools really talking (and hoping several of them can be had at the D2 level). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nobles has always looked the part: he's 6'5, moves well, has a good frame and plays his role consistently for good teams. Nobles has always been a prospect I thought highly of. But things have taken a turn. Or shall we say, he's taken a big step forward! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What has improved? The defense. Nobles is strong and agile with good lateral feet. Also, he played some point guard! And Nobles did it exceptionally well dishing out eight assists in the game I saw. And it wasn't the type of "dribble as much as I can and kick it to somebody and hope they score" type of assists, it was smart ball movement and making life easier for teammates type of assists. I also feel like he is shooting/scoring with more confidence. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Score from a Triple Double</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The fact that [player_tooltip player_id='1575348' first='Cole' last='Wilcek'] of the Fury didn't total a triple double against Mac Irvin Fire might say more about him than if he actually did. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Farmington power forward likely had no idea what his numbers were (unless he has a math brain that totals things without him even caring) when he had seven points against Mac Irvin Fire on three of four shoot at the end of the game. But as the Fire were fouling down three scores possession after possession late, Cole could have held the ball to get to the foul line, but he moved it intelligently every time. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Because that is what Cole does.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wilcek might be the perfect player for the Fury offense because teams have to guard him with a big and he plays in the high post meaning a sizeable player has to step away from the rim. And that leaves Wilcek to pick apart teams in the high post hitting cutters and shooters with regularity. The type of regularity I've never seen from a frontcourt player in summer basketball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a seven assist game game against the Bears, Cole then had 11 assists against the Fire. And 11 rebounds (because he plays tough in the paint). If he had scored three, or some foul shots, or a field goal and a foul shot, he would have had a triple double. But Cole is a player that was good with his four field goal attempts (and a couple free throws) for the betterment of the team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->