Prep Hoops 2k25: Deron Russell Stands Out

<!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Deron is Top Ten</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2121332' first='Deron' last='Russell'] is headed to North Dakota State a year from now to play college football. But in looking at multiple NDSU basketball coaches in the stands, I couldn't help but wonder if Deron could play for them as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We watched this 6'1 guard at times put his high school team on his back and score in ways against a set defense at the highest level of Class AA hoops that we have rarely seen. We saw Deron join [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select'] and take a team that had some up and downs, and join up with the team to make them one of Minnesota's better 17u teams. Scoring, setting the table, scoring at the rim, hitting with the jumper, its all been there. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But this weekend there were two things cemented for me: Deron helps his teams beat good teams, and Deron is athletically at another level than others. That is quite obvious when a guy has football offers at a skill position, but not all athletes can translate that to basketball. We have seen Deron do just that. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Brady Looks Next</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sometimes the quality prospects are staring right at us, and we might still miss it. Hiding in plain sight they say. That might just be [player_tooltip player_id='2860073' first='Brady' last='Lam']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6'5 Wayzata forward was the 8th Man on the state championship team. A good player but maybe not the guy for the upcoming statement. With all eyes on the top team at the MBCA Camp the last thing anybody expected was for [player_tooltip player_id='2860073' first='Brady' last='Lam'] to outperform division one offered talent, but he did. And he did it with defense, rebounding, perimeter shooting, and high percentage finishing around the basket. Plus he was one of the smartest players on the floor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Next up, summer play. And Lam has stepped up again including 20 points in the rivalry win over the Fury. This winter Lam has a chance to step into the Wyatt McBeth role (now at UMD). Maybe Wayzata goes smaller with Ivey and Beeninga in the backcourt, maybe Lam joins Thomas, Wiggins and Nolen in a big line-up, whatever the case Lam is on track for a heck of a finish for his career. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And that statement, I think [player_tooltip player_id='2860073' first='Brady' last='Lam'] has a chance to play division two basketball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Quick Hitters</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2118459' first='Carson' last='McMichael'] is thought of as one of the better shooters in his class. He's shown that to be true in high school hoops and he really showed it last weekend for [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select']. There was a game of four threes, a game of five threes, and there was a game of nine threes sunk! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2121382' first='Noah' last='Stencel'] scored 21 points a game last winter for Princeton and this past weekend he was a three point threat and scoring threat for the Heat. The Heat is playing really good basketball down the stretch right now and Stencel has stepped forward as both a shooter and scorer. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2839785' first='Evan' last='Atkinson'] of Chaska had a twelve point game against Select. He did it for Fury but Evan also made people aware of who he is: a 6'4 wing/forward that scored 7-8 a game for the Hawks a season ago and a player that could really help the Hawks take a nice step next year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2121367' first='Dre' last='Ellis'] of Anoka had some big scoring/shooting games this weekend for [program_tooltip program_id='2078859' first='Starks' last='Elite']. He's an aggressive scorer with a touch that I think is going to have a huge year for the Tornadoes. Ellis is about a 6'0/6'1 guard that is in a scoring role for [program_tooltip program_id='2078859' first='Starks' last='Elite'] and he's forced defenses to try and pick their poison when trying to guard all the [program_tooltip program_id='2078859' first='Starks' last='Elite'] backcourt players. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This weekend the Fury needed somebody to step up in the scoring column and the player that did that was [player_tooltip player_id='2120500' first='Eli' last='Moseman']. With [player_tooltip player_id='1560747' first='Alex' last='Schroepfer'] out the last two games Eli stepped up to knock out jumpers as well as the dribble attacks into touched in paint makes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2575632' first='Cole' last='Johnson'] looks to have played a lot of junior varsity for Maple Grove last year, he played at the end of some blowouts, and he was on the floor here and there for some 10th man varsity time. The way the 210 pound frontcourt player played for the Heat this weekend I really like him as a depth pieces for a team that seems like they have the talent to be a potential title contenders. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->