Max's Week One Prospect Standouts

Seven of the top performers I saw during the first full week of boys basketball in Minnesota!    Daveion got his senior season off to a strong start on Wednesday, putting up 22 points in a win over Totino-Grace. The athletic wing was flying up and down the floor in transition, throwing down a pair of dunks and a few acrobatic lay-ups. In the half-court he showed a smooth stroke from beyond the arc as he went 3-5 from three point range. Does a nice job of covering on the glass when his team goes with a smaller line-up, and also got up in passing lanes for three steals.     Andrew didn't put up any huge scoring numbers on Thursday night, but his energy and effort was infectious as DeLaSalle took down Oakland Tech in their season opener. Provided a huge spark late in the first half as he drew a pair of charges in the lane, while also scoring a put-back bucket off a teammate's missed free throw. Andrew is a poised finisher off two feet around the rim, and defensively has that Islander toughness with the quickness to move his feet laterally and pressure the ball hard.     Jaeden exploded for a career high 36 points in his sophomore season debut on Thursday. Taking on reigning California state champs Oakland Tech, Jaeden was just about the only source of offense DeLaSalle had the first 12-15 minutes. Streaky shooter who can get hot and put up 6-9 points in just a couple minutes. Jaeden is one of the best in the state when it comes to creating space for a jumper, combined with a quick release on his shot that makes him so difficult to guard when he gets into a rhythm. He helped DeLaSalle pick up an impressive win to start the season.     Despite the loss to Hopkins, Chace put in a huge performance, and was keeping TG in it almost on his own for most of the second half. His change of speed to beat defenders and get to the rim was impressive, and once there he showed the body control to hang in the air and finish in a number of ways around defenders. Effortlessly weaved between defenders in transition, and showed range extending well beyond the high school three point line. Looking like one of the best guards in the state to start his senior season.     De'von's 6 points on Thursday weren't anything eye catching, but it was his play outside of the box score that really stood out. Matched up against one of the best point guards in California, Irvin was relentless pressuring the ball and making things difficult for him all game long. His motor to consistently pick up full-court and pressure the ball prevented his opponent from ever getting into a real rhythm, and that was key for DeLaSalle as they went on to defeat Oakland Tech.     You can tell Kenny has been putting in work on his body, as he's trimmed down and looks a lot quicker out on the perimeter. He did a great job of moving his feet and forcing a few turnovers out on the perimeter against an agile 6'10 big on Friday night, and still showed the strength to go to work on the block. Does a nice job of fighting for position and creating angles for easy entry passes, and from there has the touch to score from a number of angles off the glass. He really helped St. Paul Johnson control the paint as they rolled to a big win over South St. Paul.     Johnson graduated a pair of talented 2024 guards, but Tyrel looks like he's ready to fill in for a lot of that lost production. He's off to a flying start this season, and Friday night was more of the same. He was flying up the floor in transition, beating defenders off the dribble in the half-court, and scrapping for offensive rebounds leading to second chance buckets. He's a super quick guard who plays with a lot of intensity on both ends of the floor, and looks like someone who will rarely be out-worked. Tyrel pressures the ball hard on defense, and still has gas in the tank to provide a go-to scoring option for Johnson. Their fast paced style of play has them looking dangerous early in the season.

Seven of the top performers I saw during the first full week of boys basketball in Minnesota!