Top Performers Expo 250 Team 1 vs Team 10
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Jonathan Mekonnen MN #9 PF #3 HEIGHT 6'8" POS PF CLASS 2024 View Profile Jonathan Mekonnen Instagram Twitter State: Minnesota School: Eastview Club: D1 Minnesota The 2024 six-foot-seven-inch wing from Eastview Jonathan Mekonnen Jonathan Mekonnen 6’8″ | PF Eastview |…
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Continue ReadingThe 2024 six-foot-seven-inch wing from Eastview Jonathan Mekonnen Jonathan Mekonnen 6’8″ | PF Eastview | 2024 State #201 Nation MN continues to impress me every time I see him. Roughly every month, or every other month a game of Mekonnen’s or a tournament I witness he flashes more and more of his game. Or it could just be Mekonnen is on a path of improvement and it is happening rapidly in 2022, coming into his potential. At the showcase Mekonnen’s 3-point jumper looked more defined, when on defense he took on Baiden Bean Baiden Bean 6’1″ | PG Farmington | 2023 State MN , the lead guard of Team 10 who’s five inches shorter.
Baiden Bean Baiden Bean 6’1″ | PG Farmington | 2023 State MN is a 2023 guard from the deeper and deeper looking high school program Farmington and played AAU with Wearing Out the Nets. Bean is a six-foot-one-inch point guard who may have gotten lost in the solid roster of his AAU team where everyone was able to shine. At the Expo Bean came out firing scoring 11 of the first 14 points for Team 10 and assisted on the other 3 points. Leaving Bean open will be a disaster for opponents as he’ll make you pay from beyond the arc with is his smooth shot. Running him off the 3-point is bothersome for opponents as well as he has good vision and isn’t selfish as he shares the ball plenty.
Highlights
As more and more high schoolers come into the realm of dunking in games when it happens it can lower the wow factor, however, that’s until you see Patrick Rowe Patrick Rowe 6’6″ | SF Chisago Lakes | 2024 State MN in person. I’ve gotten sent, and posted at least 10 dunks from Rowe over the last year but until the Expo I hadn’t experience his game up close. Rowe is a six-foot-five-inch wing from Chisago Lakes and played AAU with Minnesota Heat PBJ that past few years can put on a show above the rim. In this game Rowe had 3 dunks, and he just explodes off the floor as a two-footed jumper. He runs the open floor like a wide receiver running a fly route. Rowe showed other good traits on the floor, didn’t over dribble, shared the ball, jump shot looked smooth on the 3-pointer he made, and scored inside on lay-ups to take easy buckets when he had them.
Highlights
Matt Drake Matt Drake 5’11” | PG Lakeville North | 2024 State MN is a 2024 six-foot-one-inch guard from Lakeville North high school. Within Team 1 in this game Drake was largely a facilitator to Mekonnen, Rowe, Hayes, and Hondl who he shared the floor with all of his 4 shifts which could be his role this coming high school season with Senior’s like Nolan Winter Nolan Winter 7’0″ | PF Lakeville North | 2023 State #98 Nation MN and Hudson Vaith Hudson Vaith 6’4″ | SG Lakeville North | 2023 State MN among others. Drake used a dribble pull-up to get separation on mid-range shots and when on defense consistency applying pressure on ball handlers.
Highlights
The 2023 six-foot-two-inch guard from Minnehaha Academy, Leroy Barnes Leroy Barnes 6’1″ | PG Minnehaha | 2023 State MN was the biggest contributor in the bench group of Team 1. Barnes was relentless at times on offense and defense. Offensively it was attacking the basket, or prodding with his dribble to get by his opponent to make something happen. Barnes enough athleticism to Dunk on the break off a steal gives him a leg up on similar type guards.
Drew Nepstad Drew Nepstad 6’4″ | SG Wayzata | 2024 State MN is a 2024 forward from Wayzata who like a lot of previous Wayzata players has a good looking shot motion. Nepstad is smooth, no kinks, and has solid follow through at the top of his release. In one position, match-up with Mekonnen, Nepstad didn’t shy away from the match-up and drove to the basket for a score.
Highlights
Rhikeishi Lee Rhikeishi Lee 6’2″ | SF Totino Grace | 2023 MN is a six-foot-two forward that attends Totino Grace High School. Lee showed great glue guy potential in a showcase event. He rebounded, passed to open teammates, played defense, and scored inside baskets when the opportunity arose. Lee scored 12 points, handed out 5 assists and swiped the offensive player two times over the course of this game.
Highlights
Jalen Hayes Jalen Hayes 6’1″ | SF Mankato East | 2023 State MN the former Grassroots Sizzle player and 2023 guard that will attend Richfield for his Senior Year, is a six-foot-two-inch combo power guard. Hayes showed a maturity, and strength over opposing players, shared the ball early and throughout, made consistent shots at the rim, and showed a good shot motion from beyond the arc where he made 2 3’s. Overall in this game he scored 19 points and had 4 assists.