Hard Work Region Finals 16U: A Star is Born

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That star..... is [player_tooltip player_id='2397563' first='Thomas' last='Jordan']. A freshman that earned Hard Work Finals MVP of the 16u level</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2397563' first='Thomas' last='Jordan'] - A Potential Star</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At 6'3 [player_tooltip player_id='2397563' first='Thomas' last='Jordan'] made his varsity basketball debut last December 6th scoring 14 points against Monticello, a top ten team in Class AAA basketball. He was a freshman and Thomas put forth a double figure showing on day one. As the year went on Jordan scored in double figures eight more times averaging 8.4 points a game for a .500 team in Class AAAA. A good season, a Freshman All State season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Next it was [program_tooltip program_id='2821775' first='Buffalo' last='Legacy']. Of course there were top name AAU teams that wanted him but Jordan chose to play with his high school AAU program and what a choice that was. This year Jordan has put forth some incredible performances including two memorable showings in wins over Hoop Habits and [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] Zurn: a pair of teams nobody thought Buffalo had any business beating. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The win over Fury was last weekend and it gave Legacy a weekend championship. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thomas had 14 points and six assists in the opener, 16 points and seven assists in the second round blowout win, 20 points in round three, 17 points in the win over Wisconsin Breakaway, a 25 point - six assist - six rebound game in the semis, and then a 30 point explosion in the title game. Jordan scored on 10 of 17 field goal attempts plus he had five assists!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A lot of players have put up good numbers but what makes [player_tooltip player_id='2397563' first='Thomas' last='Jordan'] special? The clutch plays. Jordan has been hitting clutch threes and attacking defenses for late baskets all year. The flare for the dramatic is certainly there as is the 40% Club three point stroke and the ball handling to not only play point guard, but to attack defenses. Thomas is destroying defenses with his decision making/reads off of the ball screen plus he has the size and strength to get to the rim and finish. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is one of the best players in the 2028 class and I'd say you can count on one hand the amount of guys in the 2028 class that have accomplished as much as Thomas so far. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Giant Plays Big</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2417301' first='Hunter' last='Vinkemeier']. He is a 6'9 big man from Le Sueur-Henderson. Home of the Giants. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I have taken 169 South many times in my life noticing the Jolly Green Giant sign. You may as well throw a blue and gold jersey on him and warn all teams coming into the valley because they now have to deal with Vinkemeier. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past winter Hunter was all league, team MVP, the leading scorer and rebounder at 16.4 points and 9.7 rebounds a game plus he shot 38 percent at the arc and 80 percent at the foul line! Outstanding numbers but can he replicate that at the 16u level against good teams? </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yes!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fury Zurn has several very good forwards but trying to score on this 6'9 center wasn't something they could accomplish. Hunter had four blocks, contested many others, and forced some kickouts. Hunter rebounded with some of the best frontcourt players in his grade earning a dozen in the win plus he scored on 7 of 10 shots for 16 points! Hunter is now firmly on the radar. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Hegle for 144!</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Buffalo isn't just winning because Thomas has been incredible: they are also winning because they have two other strong scoring options/two way players, and a cast of supporting talent that plays their role willingly (which you don't get much in AAU from guys six through ten).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2400077' first='Eli' last='Hegle'] is the other Buffalo first team all tournament player and he was scorching Shakopee nets this week. He was like that Firemaster in the most recent Ghostbusters movie. He made seven threes to beat the Minnesota Rise on his way to a 27 point semi-final game plus Eli scored 28 points in the quarters and sweet 16 round! And the weekend high was 31 points in the opener highlighted by five threes! It was 144 points in six games! That's a 24 point per game average which is the most points I can</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Throw in the 77 points in six games from [player_tooltip player_id='2126866' first='Matthew' last='Jordan'], a 6'2 combo guard, and you had a total three way scoring punch in the backcourt that no 16u teams could stop. Matthew had more of a moving the ball focus in this game and he did that well because Buffalo was 6-0 and nobody could stop them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Quick Hitters</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2140686' first='Quinn' last='Bjerketvedt'] of Hopkins had three threes and three And1s in one game! They were playing Real Phenom and the inside out completions from Quinn helped EAT earn a good win. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Six-foot-5 [player_tooltip player_id='2416949' first='Tyrese' last='Hutton'] of [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] Goring played JV at Apple Valley last year but based on what we saw this weekend, this could be a guy that really helps varsity. Hutton hit four threes and made all his foul shots as the main Fury option scoring 19 points against Fury Zurn. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I thought [player_tooltip player_id='2860540' first='Trey' last='Theis'] was very hard to deal with when he rim ran, rim cut, basket cut and second chance chased opportunity. He played the worker role well this weekend helping Fury to the finals. Scored in solid numbers versus Fury Goring and [program_tooltip program_id='2821775' first='Buffalo' last='Legacy'] because they didn't have agile size to move with Trey at the four. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2433515' first='Kolby' last='Thompson'] has my interest. His quick change of direction, comfort with separation, and regularity of shot completion this weekend caught my attention in a different way than post games. He's another level of a player than I had thought. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->