Comets Shootout: The Top Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A lot of my top performers are guys that I really think grabbed attention as prospects. Here is that group of players. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1956268' first='Shay' last='Jackson'] of [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select'] (Totino-Grace). Shay's impact on games can't be understated. He makes so many good guards uncomfortable applying the type of ball pressure that even really good high school players have never seen. He has the speed and agility of a hummingbird with the aggression and relentlessness of a jungle cat just attacking even the toughest players. Shay's attacking speed and quickness in the open door is special doubled with the ability to run an incredible transition game. And he can shoot it! We saw Shay shoot it very well all weekend. Jackson is undersized but I think he can overcome that in the eyes of college coaches with that ball pressure which is special.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2362161' first='Matthew' last='Johnson'] of [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] (St. Louis Park). The 6'5 guard showed something special this weekend as a scorer for Fury Zurn. Johnson isn't just a good shooter but has a nice touch, has confidence and good lift on is jumper. You could see there was a confidence and a reliance on Johnson at times from his teammates and it will be fun to see how he continues to develop. Off to a great start as a scorer that D2s are going to look directly into.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2395557' first='Gus' last='McKenna'] of [program_tooltip program_id='2888391' first='Minnesota' last='Comets'] (Pequot Lakes). There are so many parts to Gus that make me think scholarship level prospect and I think he can be a division one prospect. Gus has great size at 6'7, he is agile for his size as a face-up player, he can do things around the basket, and with PL being so big, he is learning to affect a game inside and out at a young age. And he can shoot it! Colleges love players with size that can shoot it and Gus is that guy and his teams win. A sky rocketing prospect in the sophomore class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126145' first='Waleed' last='Muhammad'] of [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select'] (Richfield). Waleed has taken some massive steps forward in the past 12 months but I really focus on it in four ways that I think should make him a scholarship basketball program: 1) he became a point guard at Richfield this year and took that role and helped his team win a ton, and did it by sacrificing his shots for good teams shots, 2) defensively Waleed was fully committed this weekend to locking up his man in a deep stance with high effort, 3) he can be an explosive shooter and scorer, few others can do that, and 4) he really plays hard which is part of the defense and part of the incredible transition game Select had. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2384018' first='Cooper' last='Routh'] of Hoop Habits (Owatonna). The 16s MVP to me was Cooper who was simply relentless with the ball getting to the basket. He's already a tougher player to guard as a lefty but his drive, strength and quickness of attack beat just about every guard that he faced, and the help defense in week one of the season was just not able to defend him at the rim. Plays harder than you and is more productive than you. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126458' first='Luke' last='Schroeder'] of Hoop Habits (Shakopee). The point I want to make here is Luke is a special shooter/scorer in a way that goes above and beyond at his size. Luke reminds me of a bit thicker framed and bouncier [player_tooltip player_id='1560739' first='Max' last='Iversen'] and we know Max is at NDSU starting this June although Max is more of a one than Luke. There is a confidence in him from those around him that is different, you just expect him to make shots that are open but also lift and make contested shots like we saw [player_tooltip player_id='2121332' first='Deron' last='Russell'] do this year. There is something special to Schroeder as a scorer that continues to expand. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->