The Tune Up: Non Illinois Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the holiday falling on a Friday. The Prep Hoops Circuit resumed in the greater Chicago area in a quick two day format coined “The Tune Up”.<br><br>With holiday in full effect you would expect the field to be stacked with local teams. That was the case as the all tournament teams were almost exclusively populated with players from the land of Lincoln</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>However players from the states that fully straddle Lake Michigan also performed well. Following are some standouts from the great states of Michigan and Wisconsin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2823827' first='Montavisus' last='Griffin'] 5-11 2027 Kenosha Bradford (WI)</strong> <strong>(pictured) </strong>Limitless Select 2027 went a perfect 4-0 on the weekend. I gave the all tournament nod to <strong>Ben Newcombe </strong>on the strength of a game winning clutch free throw. I just as easily could have went with the Limitless Select point guard. Griffin was electric with ball in his hands. Played well in two man and pick and roll situations. Slender frame but avoided contact and showed plenty of speed. Balanced scoring and playmaking opportunities well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2793304' first='Christopher' last='Retic']</strong> <strong>6-6 2027 Reuther Central (WI) </strong>If you were just going for the 2027 prospect who “looked” the part. Your eyes would be drawn to Retic. A long and lean 6-6 player with a ton of athletic upside. A grad and go prospect, as he was able to snare a rebound and start a break all by himself. Showed the versatility to play on the post and out on the wing. Might be a little under the radar as he has dealt with an injury in the past. Impressive wing span helps him play taller than his listed height. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1588184' first='Ish' last='Hakki'] 6-3 2026 Temperance Bedford (MI) </strong>Hakki had a strong weekend for an H2 Elite squad that went 3-1 on the weekend. Shot the ball extremely well from beyond the arc. Scored an even 100 points on the weekend. I'm not good at math but… with a four game slate that's an even 25 point per game average. That's an impressive output. Also showed the ability to bang down low. Earning a double double in his third outing. Tucked in the far southeastern corner of the Mitten. Hakki could be considered slightly overlooked at the moment. Based on what I saw this weekend. He could be lined up for a big senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1588188' first='Brady' last='Blasko'] 6-2 2026 Berrien Springs (MI) </strong>Blasko gets the intangible award for the weekend. Didn't do a ton of things that showed up in a score book (at least in the games I watched) However when the game was on the line. The ball was often in his hands and he came up big. Versatile combo guard loaded with winning intangibles. Has a unique release on his outside shot. However it has a high release point makes it is difficult to block. Also helps that it goes often. Is more of a scorer, but has the ball handling ability to play the point when needed. Part of strong Indiana Game squad that went undefeated on the weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2888732' first='Aiden' last='Stahr'] 6-1 Carleton Airport (MI) </strong>With Hakki drawing a fair amount of defensive attention. Stahr capitalized hitting plenty of outside shots as well. Showed a smooth and effortless release from beyond the arc. Has a strong and athletic frame. Used it to get to the basket when defenders ram him off the line. As a Michigan scout, this was my first exposure to this player. I was very impressed. I will be curious to see how he play's with the aptly named Jets in the upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->