Midwest Showdown: Saturday Standouts

<p>There were a number of top prospects that hit the hardwood on Saturday at the Midwest Showdown. See which players impressed in Appleton: </p> <p><strong>Bennett Mccormick -- SG -- JH1 Elite 15U</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mccormick was a standout performer on Friday night, and on Saturday, he continued to play at a high level. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard was aggressive as soon as the ball tipped. He started the game by driving to the rim and making a couple of tough layups. He is always playing hard, looking to make big plays for his team. It is still very early, but right now, Mccormick looks like one of the better prospects in Wisconsin's 2023 class. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="801141" first="Casey" last="Verhagen"] -- PG -- Wisconsin Playground Club 16U </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Coming off the bench for Playground in a win over MN Select, Verhagen played a great overall game. He got a handful of steals on defense, made a couple of crafty layups, and passed the ball well. Verhagen is one of the most well-rounded guards in the state. He is already receiving interest from Valparaiso and Miami (OH).  </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="761419" first="Ashton" last="Janowski"] -- JH1 Elite 16U</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Janowski is a player that just knows what to do when he is on the basketball court. The 6-foot-2 point guard can score the ball when necessary, but he is also proficient as a passer. In a blowout win for JH1, he played very well. Before he suffered an injury during the school season, Janowski was playing his best basketball. After seeing him play on Saturday, it is clear that the guard has picked up where he left off. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="761404" first="Leon" last="Bond"] -- JH1 Elite 16U </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[player_tooltip player_id="727955" first="Jeffery" last="Brazziel"] hasn’t done anything to make me think that he isn’t the best player in Wisconsin’s 2022 class. However, Bond is slowly closing the gap. The 6-foot-5 power forward out of Tosa East was terrific for JH1 Elite in a win over Chapman Basketball Academy. Bond threw down two big dunks, played really good defense, and displayed his improving perimeter game. The battle for the number one spot in the 2022 class continues to get more interesting by the day. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="879990" first="Dustin" last="Beauprey"] -- PG -- Wisconsin Crusaders AD 17U</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">College coaches need to take a look at Beauprey. The 6-foot-3 point guard continues to have really strong performances for the Crusaders. I like how Beauprey is very good at multiple things. He is a dead-eye shooter from deep, above-average slasher, and a tremendous passer. At this point, Beauprey looks like a great Division 2 prospect. </span></p> <p><strong style="font-size: 1rem;">[player_tooltip player_id="994504" first="Jacob" last="Dietz"] -- SG -- Wisconsin Crusaders AD 17U</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dietz played a big role on a very good Neenah squad this past season, and he probably didn’t get enough credit for it. This summer, the shooting guard is getting the recognition that he deserves. In a win over FORCE, Dietz was really good around the rim. He is a strong-bodied prospect with good positional size. Dietz could be Neenah's diamond in the rough next season. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="804897" first="James" last="Graham"] -- SF -- Wisconsin Playground Club 17U</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You have to give Graham a lot of credit. After starting 2-10 from the field, the small forward did what shooters are supposed to do: keep shooting. He stuck to his game and caught fire in the second half. He ended up scoring 24 points in Wisconsin Playground Club’s win over SD Attack. When the small forward is hot, he can take -- and make -- just about any shot that he wants. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="879981" first="Kamari" last="McGee"] -- PG -- Wisconsin Playground Club 17U</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is impossible not to enjoy watching McGee play. The Racine St. Catherine's point guard plays hard and aggressive, but also very smart. He is a pest on defense, great as a passer, and able to get his own bucket when his team needs it. McGee currently holds scholarship offers from three Division One programs. And more could be on the way if he keeps up his high level of play. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="694801" first="Gerald" last="Gittens"] -- PG -- Wisconsin RAP 17U </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before Gittens takes his talents to prep school, he suited up with Wisconsin RAP to play this weekend. In RAP’s first victory of the tournament, the point guard didn’t have his best shooting night. However, he still had a positive impact on the game for his squad. Gittens is a high IQ player who has great court vision. This means that he is always looking to make the right basketball play. If he is able to get better during his final year of high school ball, Gittens could sneak his way on to a Division One roster. </span></p>