The Film Says It All

It might be football season, but there is still plenty of basketball to watch on film. In this series, we'll rewind through high school and AAU action, breaking down standout performances, intriguing players, and the moments that caught our eye. Sometimes, the film says it all.   *All players featured are from the Dakotas, with the exception of one Minnesota player who ran with a North Dakota-based club team, making him eligible for inclusion in this article.   The Film Says It All    -A bigger guard, strong/thick, nice length   -Multi-level scorer, puts it on the floor and also hits 3's   -Scores at the rim with his left & right hand, impressive southpaw scores   -More than capable in the catch & shoot game from the arc, extended range   -Looks good scoring in traffic & congestion   -Creative finishing in the paint & he cashes pull-up jumpers   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Carterlarson02/status/2090531297940627931 </div></figure>     -I like his size/length and versatility   -Runs the floor well, can get up and throw down with authority   -Dunks with one and two hands, a noteworthy athlete   -Nice-looking shooting form, clean mechanics   -Hits the 3-ball, has a space-creating step-back jumper, tough downhill slasher   -Scores from multi-levels, creative & flexible finisher, great at creating separation   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Drew_Hof23/status/2093818527127842927 </div></figure>     -This kid is a serious athlete   -Outstanding slashing/driving to the paint, hard to stay in from of him   -No problem beating primary & secondary defenders, has great hang time   -Gets to the rim in a hurry, an athletic finisher, eludes defenders   -Very impressed with his southpaw-lefty finishes as the cup   -Has a nasty first step, has a quick 2nd jump, impressive elevation   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/isaiah2nyonly/status/2090231576936230918 </div></figure>     -An opportunistic and well-rounded offensive player   -Legitimate three-point shooting threat, looks talented in catch & shoot situations   -   -Showed a quality spin move and some smart/crafty fakes to get the D off balance   -Makes some nice passes, finds shooters, takes what D gives him, accurate passer/soft touch   -Spots up well around the arc, knows how to get open & react to the defense   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/jrandenburg/status/2093108328830541870 </div></figure>     -Gets buckets in a variety of ways and from all levels   -I like his cutting, smart about finding open windows & getting opne   -Looks like a hustler, makes scrappy plays, not afraid to do the little things   -Effective in the catch & shoot game, spots up nicely, soft release   -Deadly shooting the three-ball from the corners, in-rhythm shooter   -Extended range, shares the ball/finds open man, looks like he can make all the passes   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/joeyvorth/status/2092386214976295374 </div></figure>     -Ambidextrous passer and finisher, outstanding skills   -Excellent court vision, zips the ball, but also has touch, advanced passer   -Love how he draws helps & sees the play developing, knows when to pass & where to go   -Creative finisher, excellent body control, plays fearlessly   -Cashes triples, knocks down middy J's, and innovatively finishes around the hoop   -Sneaky quick, effective 1st step, clever with fakes & pivots, has top-notch timing   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MasonSouthern27/status/2090568364376887694 </div></figure>     -Looks like a spark plug on the hardwood, hoops w/ high energy & effort   -His shooting range runs waaay deep, you don't want to leave this kid alone   -Plays with confidence, has the potential to be a real playmaker   -Has impressive body control when finishing around the basket   -Appears to be a zone-buster, smart about getting open on the perimeter & he delivers   -Effective runner/floater game, plays w/ awareness, knows when to attack & when to pull   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/HusoTaven39825/status/2097896582532219194 </div></figure>     -Intriguing length, long arms, talented offensive game   -Has a sweet shooting stroke with deep 3-point range   -Better handles than I realized, makes some tough double moves   -Mismatch problem with his length, shooting, and multi-level scoring   -Pull-up jump-shot looks impossible to stop, no problem getting it off or shooting over D   -Uses screens well & knows how to get open, quick trigger, but will also beat close-outs   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/taylenmehring21/status/2094523678168158391 </div></figure>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/NDSD.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/NDSD.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2950876" /></a></figure>

It might be football season, but there is still plenty of basketball to watch on film. In this series, we'll rewind through high school and AAU action, breaking down standout performances, intriguing players, and the moments that caught our eye. Sometimes, the film says it all.