Battle at the Lakes Powered by Dr. Dish: The Stars of Saturday

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With college coaches looking on from all angles, who stood out at the Battle at the Lakes Saturday? We break it down for you now!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2569247' first='Jiech' last='Jiech'] Has a Day </h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The only Minnesota team playing as well as [program_tooltip program_id='2075431' first='D1' last='Minnesota'] right now is [program_tooltip program_id='2075485' first='Gain' last='Elite']. And yesterday [program_tooltip program_id='2075485' first='Gain' last='Elite'] made a pretty big statement beating both the [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select'] and the [program_tooltip program_id='2888391' first='Minnesota' last='Comets']. The backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id='2126472' first='Owen' last='Counce'], [player_tooltip player_id='2126102' first='Jaeden' last='Udean'] and others have received some monster contributions from St. Cloud Tech scorer [player_tooltip player_id='2569247' first='Jiech' last='Jiech'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6'4 Jiech scored 22.6 points a game as a junior shooting 38.4 percent at the arc. He has the comfortable handles, dribble separation ability, touch and range that make him a dangerous scorer in many ways. [program_tooltip program_id='2075485' first='Gain' last='Elite'] got [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select'] in a huge hole early led by Jiech who scored on six threes and 8 of 10 shooting overall for 26 points. He then followed that with 15 points on 5 of 9 shooting. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When you are defending [program_tooltip program_id='2075485' first='Gain' last='Elite'] you have to figure out where to put your defenders. Somebody has to chase Udean behind the arc and your quickest players can't let Counce to the rim. Most teams don't have a third quick player to stay with Jiech and you have to get length on Jiech because he is 6'4 with long arms. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3593122,"width":"506px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"1.3350875045894015","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Hunter-V.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Hunter-V.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-3593122" style="aspect-ratio:1.3350875045894015;width:506px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Hunter's Quest</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What is [player_tooltip player_id='2417301' first='Hunter' last='Vinkemeier']'s quest? Opportunity. And the way that the Le Sueur-Henderson 6'10 senior-to-be played on Saturday that college opportunity is coming. Vinkemeier led [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] Goring to their third win of the weekend and he did it using his size and touch. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are three things that really stood out to me yesterday and it starts with the ability to score around the basket with touch against contact. Obviously few players can look eye to eye with Hunter but they can shove him in the core to get him off balance. Watching Hunter touch in shots from so many angles in the paint, on balance or off, really caught the eye. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Before he could score in the paint Hunter did a great job shouldering his man to create space on balance to complete plays. Hunter's shoulder turn into a short hook or a touched in shot off the glass is very tough to stop. And speaking of touch, Hunter has range on his jumper. He's been shooting the ball at the three very well including this weekend at nearly a 50 percent clip. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Throw in the constant double figure rebounding and you have a prospect that I believe local division one schools in the Summit need to be watching next weekend, and at the MBCA Camp in June (where these kids can once again play in front of dozens of D1 schools that are there to watch them).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3633258,"width":"461px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Deon-Wallace-Johnson-Battle.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Deon-Wallace-Johnson-Battle.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-3633258" style="width:461px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">It's [player_tooltip player_id='2533408' first='Deon' last='Wallace-Johnson']'s Time</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When it comes to potential in a guard, [player_tooltip player_id='2533408' first='Deon' last='Wallace-Johnson'] has a world of it. Physically he will remind you of Casmir Chavis (now at North Texas) but with different type of game (but some similarities).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Explosively Deon is in a world of his own on most nights exploding above the help to finish, jumping passing lanes, hounding the ball, and rebounding in a way most guards don't. With many guards in that 6'2 range you worry about what they can do at the next level when there is less space to attack and bigger bodies in the way, but Deon has the jets to get to space and to lift over that bigger help. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the 66-45 win over [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select'] on Saturday night, Deon knocked out two threes, made all of his foul shots, and scored his 17 points on six of ten shooting. And he grabbed eight rebounds! The potential is there and Deon has some great chances in the coming months to play in front of college coaches including next weekend at Adidas and in early June at the MBCA Camp.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":3633260,"width":"471px","height":"auto","aspectRatio":"1.3333908244222146","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Jaxson-Austin.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Jaxson-Austin.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-3633260" style="aspect-ratio:1.3333908244222146;width:471px;height:auto" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Austin Rising</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2527108' first='Jaxson' last='Austin'] is about to climb the prospect ranks after another excellent weekend of playmaking for Comets Hondl. Austin has grown a few inches in the last year and his confidence is soaring. He was a big part of Albany making the final four in state and yesterday we saw Austin hit five threes in a win over Select James.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The key item for [player_tooltip player_id='2527108' first='Jaxson' last='Austin'] is the productivity all over the court. He scored 24 but only needed 11 shots to get there. Austin also played point guard, had a couple steals, dished out six assists and grabbed six boards. A versatile Class AA preseason All State prospect. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Quick Hitters</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>How about 6'1 combo guard Braylon Backaus joining the [program_tooltip program_id='2075674' first='Minnesota' last='Heat'] and instantly making the team better at 3-0? The Wisconsin talent gave the Heat 34 points and 17 rebounds combined in the three games. Adding another consistent threat to [player_tooltip player_id='1874863' first='Izayah' last='Cook'], [player_tooltip player_id='2136339' first='Adryan' last='Miller'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2140552' first='Andrew' last='Aitkin'] makes hits team really tough. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2524653' first='Dawson' last='Hofer'] is a sleeper to me when it comes to a guy that is going to get more college opportunity than people think. The Minnesota Comet is a physical 6'3 that is more athletic than defenders are expecting and he comes at teams in a strong frame to finish. The Comets lost to a better [program_tooltip program_id='2075485' first='Gain' last='Elite'] team that is playing at a high level, but Hofer's 22 points and 13 rebounds on 8 of 13 shooting was the best looking stat line on the floor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select'] had a window in the first half to try and play with [program_tooltip program_id='2075431' first='D1' last='Minnesota'] when [player_tooltip player_id='2423114' first='Lincoln' last='Busse'] (6'2 guard from Glencoe-Silver Lake) scored four times in tough spots. It was a glimpse of the explosive scoring that led to him putting up 26 points a game as a junior. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126447' first='Briggs' last='Sheridan'] of [program_tooltip program_id='2075431' first='D1' last='Minnesota'] has a big frame that can be worked with which puts him instantly in the scholarship chatter. And he can shoot it from the arc making him a stretch big. In a time where stretch bigs are a premium Briggs is one of the best in the Midwest. He hit three threes and scored 13 points in the win over Select. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126470' first='Milton' last='Nuahn'] has to be one of the strongest senior guards I've ever seen at 17u. There is no knocking this senior in college looking football physique off balance and he went at the [program_tooltip program_id='2888391' first='Minnesota' last='Comets'] guards relentlessly to lead [program_tooltip program_id='2075485' first='Gain' last='Elite'] in scoring at 17 for the game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3594077' first='Samuel' last='Afagwu'] is one of the more balanced and immovable players in Minnesota high school basketball. The 6'7 post had 19 points and nine boards against Select and did it with his back to the basket game, and his toughness fighting for post and rebounding position. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Luke Miller of Edina is a player that made a really nice Saturday impression. The 6'5 forward that plays with [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select'] made 9 of 15 attempts for his 19 points with a dozen boards against a very good Comets team. Miller faced up and scored and finished plays ruggedly in the paint. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2560485' first='Jackson' last='Vargas'] of [program_tooltip program_id='2888391' first='Minnesota' last='Comets'] 16s is a 6'6 junior-to-be with a really good shooting touch. He led Rogers in scoring last year and gave [program_tooltip program_id='2075431' first='D1' last='Minnesota'] a scare in the first half as he made five perimeter jumpers. Surely on the list of 2028 stock raisers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Battle at the Lakes is powered by Dr. Dish</strong>—the world's #1 selling shooting machine, helping players get 5X more reps and unlock their potential at home. <a href="https://hubs.ly/Q03l3YDy0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click Here to Train Like a Pro</a>.<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->