Max's Weekend Top Performers

Seven of the top performers I saw from the three games I watched on Saturday! [player_tooltip player_id="1220399" first="Jevon" last="Jackson"] (6’5 2022 F, North St. Paul)- No height listed for Jevon, so I’m going to estimate based on some other players on the floor and say he’s around 6’5. This was arguably the biggest breakout performance I’ve seen so far this year, as I watched Jevon put up 29 points against Cretin-Derham Hall, despite missing time with foul trouble. He’s a long, athletic, and versatile player who looked comfortable guarding on the block while also having the mobility to sit on the perimeter and defend against wings. Offensively he was at his best with his back to the basket, where he played with some physicality to get deep position before elevating to score over the top of his man. Showed some flashes of attacking from the wing as well as hitting a couple of open jumpers throughout the game. Averaging 13.2 ppg this season as a true under-the-radar prospect. Datrell McCrimmon (5’7 2024 PG, Minneapolis North)- Datrell came off the bench and immediately provided a spark of offense against DeLaSalle. Going up against a loaded group of guards, the sophomore showed no fear as he quickly drained a three and followed that up with a tough left-handed finish going straight at a bigger player inside. All game long he got the crowd on their feet providing a much needed boost for his team as he hit some big threes and had a couple of tough finishes inside. Datrell is so quick getting up the floor with the ball in his hands, and has the ability to turn a steal into two points in the blink of an eye. [player_tooltip player_id="958746" first="Charlie" last="Plum"] (6’4 2022 F, Cretin-Derham Hall)- CDH hasn’t had the start to the season that they would’ve hoped for, but getting Charlie back in the lineup over the weekend is a big plus for them moving forward. He’s such a hard worker down low, and uses his frame and physicality well to box out and attack rebounds off the rim. That effort allowed him to pull in 14 boards against North St. Paul. Charlie also added in 14 points, mixing in some putbacks, free throws, and an and-one dunk that he earned by sprinting up the floor and elevating to throw down with one hand. At 6’4 he may not have the height of some of the guys he comes up against, but his work rate and strength allow him to produce each time he hits the floor. [player_tooltip player_id="1223070" first="Patrick" last="Bath"] (6’9 2023 PF/C, Totino-Grace)- Patrick was up against a pair of Division 1 signed bigs on Whitney Young, as well as a third 6’8+ forward, and he went straight at them for 14 points on Saturday night. In the first half Patrick had a jumper from the baseline, as well as two finishes inside. In the second he was fighting to establish position, and put in two tough hook shots with his left hand, showing he can go to work with his back to the basket even with some extra defenders crashing in. I liked how he used a fake pass to clear out some space before looking to score in the paint. He won’t wow you with advanced footwork, but he’s strong for his size, gets off the floor well, and has proven that he can finish with either hand inside. [player_tooltip player_id="958665" first="Jacob" last="Butler"] (6’5 2022 W, Minneapolis North)- Butler had his best game that I’ve seen out of him this season, as he was making plays all over the floor on his way to 17 points in a win over DeLaSalle. He brings so much energy to the floor, and was scrapping for boards/loose balls, and converting on some tough looks inside. Jacob was formerly known for just being a shooter, but now he’s attacking from the wing, rebounding the ball at a high level, defending multiple spots, and finishing at the rim with either hand. He also did a nice job of using a quick shot fake and then attacking the bad closeout to get into the paint. [player_tooltip player_id="850701" first="Tre" last="Holloman"] (6’2 2022 PG, Cretin-Derham Hall)- Tre put up a ridiculous stat-line in Saturday’s win, finishing the game with 29 points, 12 assists, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and just 1 turnover. The first half of the game saw Tre getting to the basket whenever he wanted to, showing off his crafty finishing ability with either hand. He also mixed in a three and a couple of mid-range jumpers. The second half his shot wasn’t falling and he wasn’t getting the calls he wanted at the rim, so he went into facilitator mode, hitting his teammates with accurate lobs, and threading the needle to his forwards in transition. One thing Tre excelled at was either getting a defensive rebound or outlet pass, and quickly scanning the floor ahead for the opportunity to launch the ball up the floor and catch the defense sleeping for easy buckets. [player_tooltip player_id="962218" first="Nasir" last="Whitlock"] (6’1 2023 PG, DeLaSalle)- DeLaSalle ended up coming up short against Minneapolis North, but Nas had an impressive scoring performance. He recorded 27 points going up against a loaded group of guards for North. He mixed in a few threes with some tough pull-ups from mid-range, as well as showing he could get into the lane and extend to finish around some size. Nas is one of the best I’ve seen in the state this season at moving his feet to draw charges on opposing ball handlers, as his effort to beat them to the spot is always there. Even when he isn’t taking a hit to draw a charge, that effort forces his man to turn and was often disruptive in allowing them to set up their offense. Nice two-way showing from the 2023 point guard.