Prep Hoops 2k25 – Avery, Ethans, Zephyrs, Swish and More

<!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Swish Team Hoops = Four Wins</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Minnesota Swish beat the Southwest Stars 80-54, they knocked off All Wisconsin 65-49, defeated Beast Elite from Texas 77-49, and they defeated [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] DeLo 72-60. Two weeks ago this same Stars team defeated the [program_tooltip program_id='2888391' first='Minnesota' last='Comets'] top team. And this is the Fury DeLo team that has earned a top ten ranking for a great season. But the Swish beat both of those teams and dominated the out of state teams, with team basketball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Ethans - [player_tooltip player_id='1560769' first='Ethan' last='Sonju'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2118474' first='Ethan' last='Martin'] - are the first names that roll off the tongue and with good reason. These are players that have earned that respect. [player_tooltip player_id='1560769' first='Ethan' last='Sonju'] is scoring at a 17u rate that only a few players can match, and [player_tooltip player_id='2118474' first='Ethan' last='Martin'] continues to be one of the toughest players to defend through the catch-attack-finish. These are 17U all state level players and they have earned it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But this team has more than the Ethans. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2447536' first='Jed' last='Streed'] from Southwest Christian continues to be a player that I like for a college basketball future. He had a nice junior season and I think he can have a strong senior year. This is an agile, long 6'6/6'7 forward that is tough to move with. He's tough to block out, tough to stay with if he has the ball, and tough to shake defensively. [player_tooltip player_id='2848197' first='Isaiah' last='Jorgenson'] plays a really good all around game for this team and I think [player_tooltip player_id='1560776' first='Isaac' last='Ostlie'] has helped give the team another scoring punch. Overall it was a good weekend for the Swish.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Avery for 30</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2119642' first='Avery' last='Christensen'] of the Southwest Minnesota Stars (Willmar High School) is another player that has put himself in the conversation of a lot of college basketball programs. At the forefront of the conversation was the 30 point game that Avery had for the Stars in a win over the Rise this past weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>How did Avery score? The feet set touch from the perimeter came three ways: ball movement to Avery to catch and shoot, using a ball screen into a pull-up, using one dribble into the touch. What was more impressive for Avery was the usage of the dribble to move through the defense. The spin, the crossover, the second move off the initial move, and the finishing in traffic with long defenders in his way, Avery did all of it to score. And he did it in a way that really opened eyes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='2120492' first='Ethan' last='Miller'] Could be Next</strong> Up</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are so many unique parts of what Ethan does that fit a scholarship prospect. He's got good size at 6'7/6'8, he's stronger than just about any player at his age at 220 pounds, his face-up skill game and face up touch have been consistent, and Ethan has the strength to finish around the basket that others don't have. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ethan was just offered by DWU after the weekend and it was nice to see for him. I saw a few D2s watching him this weekend too and at his size and skill, Swish and Beast Elite were just not able to physically defend him when he had the ball in good positions. His team lost to Swish but the Zumbrota-Mazeppa big was 9 of 12 from the field and very tough to stop.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Zephyr Bounce</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mahtomedi won 18 games a year ago and they return three of their top four guys. Many people are familiar with junior-to-be [player_tooltip player_id='2140712' first='Willie' last='Roelofs'] and with good reason, he is a top 20/25 player in his class. But if you have seen the [program_tooltip program_id='2075449' first='East' last='Metro Bounce'] this season - a team that is 28-7 on the season and went 4-0 last weekend - they have two talents in [player_tooltip player_id='2465510' first='Mark' last='Graff'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2822606' first='Noah' last='Carlson'] that have played very well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At a long and agile 6'5 Carlson is a nice versatile piece to use in different spots with Roelofs being a frontcourt volume scorer and then Graff being the playmaker. And being maybe the best guard in the metro that you don't know about, Graff is that tough player that I think can lead this team into the top ten of Class AAA. He had 16 points, five assists and seven rebounds in the game I saw last weekend and the 19 plus points a game he scored last year led the team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Quick Hitters</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2120490' first='Brett' last='Siroin'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1560865' first='Nolan' last='Myren'] of the [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] (St. Anthony and Spring Lake Park respectively) are both physical and full throttle scoring options that averaged 20 points per game as juniors. These are players that are physically able to finish at the rim and through contact at a strong rate at this level of play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We again saw the potential of a face-up game at 6'9 from [player_tooltip player_id='1874800' first='Brayden' last='Gorton']. He is still working on finding the right consistency and we are seeing it fall in place more. At his size with a lefty touch that can be hit from so many different angles and ranges, there is promise to his future. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2815226' first='Will' last='Bromeland'] from Blue Earth is so close to being a good prospect. He has good size for a wing, Will is agile, and he has perimeter skill. He was a good player for Blue Earth and has been a scorer for the Rise. If Will takes the next step in consistency he has a chance to be a top scorer in Class AA basketball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Joe Lammers is the shooter from [program_tooltip program_id='2075449' first='East' last='Metro Bounce'] that has had a number of big number games this 17u season. We saw the East Ridge guard hit four threes against the Lightning and if that is something he can do for the Raptors that would be huge. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->