Max's Weekly Prospect Standouts

Seven of the prospects who impressed in the four games I've watched this week!    The 6'6 wing from Italy put on a show on Monday night, breaking a school record with 41 points in just 26 minutes of play. Riccardo has done a nice job of adding weight to his 6'6 frame, and at the high school level it allows him to simply bully his way to the rim. St. Croix Prep didn't have anyone who could contain him around the basket, and Riccardo did a nice job of playing off of two feet, which allowed him to go up balanced and finish at a high percentage. When he wasn't finishing inside, Riccardo was shooting the lights out from beyond the arc, including three makes in less than a minute. Marzetti is a strong presence on the glass, and sees the floor really well, putting him among the best wing passers I've seen all season.     Wayzata put up a ridiculous 110 points against East Ridge on Tuesday night, despite missing a pair of starters, including their leading scorer. A big reason for that success was the play of [player_tooltip player_id='1560807' first='Isaac' last='Olmstead']. He seemed to have eyes in the back of his head at times, as he knew exactly when and where an open man would be, and he was delivering accurate passes to set his teammates up as soon as they became open. He was a nightmare out of the pick and roll because he can deliver a pass from any angle, or get downhill and finish over size with a floater. He finished with 23 points on 10-14 shooting, 9 assists, and 0 turnovers in the win.     [player_tooltip player_id='2429912' first='Ryan' last='Mann'] stepped into the starting lineup on Wednesday night, and showcased the impressive depth that Wayzata possesses. The [program_tooltip program_id='2075965' first='Trojans' last=''] didn't miss a beat as Ryan came in and produced 18 points in the win. He still showcased the catch-and-shoot ability that he typically provides off the bench, but was more aggressive getting to his spots off the dribble. Ryan mixed in a pull-up jumper with a couple of strong finishes inside, turning the corner and attacking with a purpose. Defensively he was active on and off the ball, and drew a pair of charges on East Ridge's best player, leading to him fouling out with 8 minutes to play.     North has won 9 of their last 11 games, and the play of sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2569257' first='Marcus' last='Marshall'] Jr. has been a big reason why. I saw him last week when he scored 39 in a win over top-10 ranked Esko, and on Wednesday he poured in 26 to help lead North past Washburn in a key conference matchup. Marcus is lightning quick on the ball, and was getting to the rim for some acrobatic finishes throughout the game. Showcased his quick release and deep shooting range as well. Dangerous on-ball defender at times who can sit deep in a stance and really utilize his lateral quickness to put opposing guards under pressure. Not afraid to take and make a big shot down the stretch.     Colin may not be putting up huge scoring numbers, but his play as a defender and facilitator is a big reason why SCL is 21-3. He's a lightning quick guard at 5'10, and utilizes that quickness to pressure the ball hard defensively. Does a great job of positioning himself away from the ball to jump passes for steals, and from there he can take off to help get his team transition buckets. Offensively he utilized his quickness to get into the lane, force the defense to collapse, and from there locate an open teammate.     Chace simply took over on Tuesday night in the win over Champlin Park. He can lull defenders to sleep, and then out of nowhere just take off down the lane and explode for a left handed finish. His change of speed makes him very unpredictable, as you never know when he's going to drive or pull-up for a jumper. When he gets into the lane he does a nice job of playing off two feet to keep his options open based on how the defense plays him. Came up with key bucket after key bucket in the second half to help his team come away with the win.     Miguel brings a blend of length and shooting touch to the perimeter for St. Croix Lutheran, but does more than just provide an extra scoring punch. He has a long wingspan at 6'3, and is quick off the floor, which allowed him to elevate in a crowd to pull in rebounds in bunches on Monday night. On the offensive end he showcased a quick second leap to go right back up with an offensive board for a second chance bucket. Defensively he has the frame and athleticism to defend a number of spots on the floor. When the ball swings his way, Miguel does a nice job of catching and getting into his shooting motion in one fluid movement, allowing him to get his shot off before a defender can closeout on him.

Seven of the prospects who impressed in the four games I've watched this week!