Rumble Up North – 17U Five Best

The Best of the Best from the Rumble Up North, the top players from the top games at the Prep Hoops Circuit top national level event.  Who are the five?  We provide those names now! 

Dean Gabrelcik Dean Gabrelcik 6'4" | CG East Lake | 2021 State FL of Team Speights (6’4 SG of East Lake FL; 2021).  Team Speights played such fun, hard working team working basketball that we will be talking about them in various Rumble Up North articles all week.  But we have to start with Dean Gabrelcik Dean Gabrelcik 6'4" | CG East Lake | 2021 State FL who had Minneapolis airline security confused last night when he tried to check onto the plane with scorching hot flame throwing fingers.  Luckily his family put him on speaker phone today so he could get an offer from Stetson as his hands are still too warm to get near anything.  This young man made a four three point make game seem normal in the Twin Cities.  Dean knocked out nine threes in one game and then opened the next game with a rapid three more.  He averaged six arc makes per game for a 21 point per game average leading Team Speights to a 3-1 record beating Playground Warriors, Young & Reckless, and JH1 Elite.  Not only did he score, the 6-foot-4 guard rebounded in crowds too because Team Speights players have to battle to stay on the floor, regardless of the amount of points they put in the book. 

David Joplin David Joplin 6'8" | SF Brookfield | 2021 State #54 Nation WI of D1 Minnesota (6’8 Forward of Brookfield Central WI; 2021). This weekend David Joplin David Joplin 6'8" | SF Brookfield | 2021 State #54 Nation WI took clutch scoring to a new level for himself.  With the Rumble up North title on the line David stepped up and produced a game high 16 points.  Down a score with 30 seconds to go David reversed the ball to the corner, dove to the basket to catch, faced up, and pivoted to his left.  The defender was in position but Joplin extended the ball out for a left hand game winning scorer (he then put the game away with two foul shots moments later).  Against Team Speights with his team struggling, David stepped calmly into his shot ignoring a contesting hand and knocked out top of the key threes, twice.  It was the 6-0 swing that changed the game.  Not only was David clutch all weekend, he is scoring in so many ways.  If he had a tool belt it would have the versatility of Batman’s utility belt.  

Tamin Lipsey Tamin Lipsey 6'2" | PG Ames | 2022 State #163 Nation IA of D1 Minnesota (6’2 PG of Ames IA; 2022).  The last person you want to deal with as an opposing guard is Tamin Lipsey Tamin Lipsey 6'2" | PG Ames | 2022 State #163 Nation IA .  Tamin is one of the best defending guards I have seen in covering 17u basketball.  He has amazing footwork in that strong frame that sits deep and just hounds people.  Every time a guard changes directions Tamin tightens the distance and makes a guy suffer more, and he does it with this Thanos look on his face like he’s just enjoying taking the life out of the opposing team.  Offensively Tamin rarely forces his offense and his basket attacks are some of my favorite to watch because he releases the basketball at the perfect time in recognition of the closing big man help defender.  Pull-ups, floaters, and extending kisses off the glass playing keep away from swatting paws, Tamin Lipsey Tamin Lipsey 6'2" | PG Ames | 2022 State #163 Nation IA is one of the best.  Proved this summer he is a top 50 2022 guard nationally. 

Sean Pedulla Sean Pedulla 6'1" | PG Edmond Memorial | 2021 State #81 Nation OK of Team Buddy Buckets (6’1 PG of Edmond OK; 2021).  After a rough first game where Sean was in foul trouble and shot poorly, Pedulla led Buddy Buckets to a 4-1 weekend beating strong programs from Alabama, Illinois, and Wisconsin.  Sean had three different double figure scoring bursts (each in about 5-6 minutes time) that he has become well known for and each time it was game changing momentum wise.  The touch is beautiful and I love the lift he gets into the jumper moving away from the defender that’s still trying to catch some breath after getting beat by the Pedulla first step.  My big weekend takeaway from Pedulla though was his creation for the talented players around him.  This weekend Sean averaged just under seven assists a game and I’ve come away with a vast appreciation of how Pedulla uses the bounce pass to put the ball in areas that his defender can’t get to but teammates are given a comforting pass into an attempt. 

Noah Reynolds Noah Reynolds 6'1" | PG Peoria Notre Dame | 2021 IN of Illinois Hoop Stars National (6’4 SG of Peoria Notre Dame IL; 2021).  I was able to look in on parts of three different Illinois Hoop Stars games this weekend and each time it was Noah who was the most consistent player (when I was watching, and based on the box score after the game) . Reynolds was a key part in the Stars making the 17u title game and he scored 15 points on the D1 Minnesota guards/wings who are all division one offered many times over.  I love how Noah is able to get to that left hand to touch in shots from varying distances and varying angles.  Strong player that can take contact before the lefty extension and finish plays.  A conference player of the year from his league as a junior, Noah seems on the edge of some great things as a top 40 player in Illinois. 

Julius Rollins Julius Rollins 6'7" | SF Hillcrest | 2021 State IL of Young & Reckless (6’7 Forward of HIllcrest IL; 2021).   Rollins earns offers at the low major level like most of us earn seconds at the dinner table.  And speaking of seconds, Rollins crashed offensive boards all weekend like he was dropped out of an airplane.  People would follow the flight of the basketball and then here’s Rollins jumping over everything in sight coming down from his leap and collecting basketballs.  Has the effort and aggressive nature to play the four for some teams but the agility and slashing scoring ability to compete at the small forward spot as well.  Had a good weekend facing up and hitting jumpers and when Julius went at the rim, several times he was contacted in the chest but was able to use that extensive length to touch in shots at the rim.