Midwest Live!: 20 Guys to Watch (Part II)
This weekend marks the start of the April Live Periods, meaning it’s the first of back-to-back evaluation periods for Division I head coaches. In Des Moines, teams from all over the Midwest will be converge — and tons of Division I caliber talent will be showcasing themselves at Midwest Live!. So whether you’re a high-level hoops coach, a D3 coach, a parent or a fan, Southeast Polk High School will be the spot Friday through Sunday for some big-time high school hoops.
2019 Japannah Kellogg, 6’5 F (All Iowa Attack 16U)
As he continues his basketball journey, his versatility becomes more prominent. The lengthy forward grew up playing in the post, but is developing as a small forward, and is far along in that process. He is more than capable of stepping out and hitting a 3, and should turn some heads this weekend with All Iowa Attack.
2019 Thomas Faber, 6’3 PG (All Iowa Attack 16U)
A great-sized point guard, Faber is capable of playing as the primary ball-handler or as a scoring guard. He’s got a lot of room to grow still, and plays with a high basketball IQ. Look for the Dowling sophomore to be one of the leading scorers in the 16U division this weekend.
2019 Agueck Deng, 6’7 PF (Kingdom Hoops Elite 16U)
We haven’t seen much of this bouncy big since last summer, when he was jamming all over opponents at the Hardwood Classic in Kansas. He played with the Valley sophomores this past winter, but will surely make an impact with the varsity next season. Our 19th-ranked 2019, we hold Deng in high regard, and expect him to validate that ranking this weekend.
2019 Trayvon Williams, 6’1 G (Kingdom Hoops Elite 16U)
Another very talented Valley youngster, Williams is a dynamic athlete with some serious playmaking ability. He’s best at slashing to the rim, and scores well at the there. We haven’t seen much of him since last summer, he played with the sophomores during the season. But Iowa’s 16th-ranked 2019, he’s one we’ll have our eye on closely this weekend.
2018 Brady Sartorius, 6′ PG (Kingdom Hoops Elite 17U)
Fast, strong and athletic, Sartorius will be monitored closely by Division II programs this spring and summer, but D1s may want to take notice as well. He pieced together one of the finer junior seasons of anyone in Iowa, going for 21.8 points per game on 59 percent shooting (47% from deep). He added 4.3 assists, 2.8 steals and 3 rebounds per game for good measure.
2020 Cameron Soenksen, 6′ G (Iowa Barnstormers 15U)
One of the more dynamic young players in the state, what’s most striking about this Camanche product is his bounce. He skies for boards on both ends of the floor, a nice bonus from the guard spot. And his ball-handling and shooting are areas he’s been seeing improvement in of late.
2018 Camden Vander Zwaag, 6’3 SG (Kingdom Hoops Elite 17U)
We’ve seen this sharpshoooter put on some absolute shooting clinics over the course of his career, and some of the most impressive came last summer with Kingdom Hoops. He’s already got one Division I offer under his best, from Air Force. College coaches will surely have a close eye on this Johnston product over the next several months.
2018 Griffin Clark, 5’10 PG (Iowa Mavericks Purple 17U)
For the past two weekends we’ve had a close on on this small but highly skilled Cedar Rapids Prairie point guard. He reminds us some of Valley’s 2016 standout Turner Scott, with great speed and an uncanny ability to finish around the rim for his size. He’s also money from deep, and seemingly always makes the right basketball decision.
2018 Derrick Diggins, 6’2 G (Team Iowa Blue 17U)
One of the more intriguing 2018 guards in Iowa, Diggins didn’t flaunt gaudy numbers this past winter for Cedar Rapids Kennedy, but he’s certainly its best prospect. He lets the game come to him and never forces, and turns on the jets when need be. We’d put him up against some of the best competition in the Midwest.
2020 Even Brauns, 6’8 C (Iowa Barnstormers 15U)
A long and bouncy big, Brauns has a very high ceiling. He looks a lot like a Division I prospect right now, and though his skill-set still has a ways to go, it’s his sheer size and length that make him so intriguing right now. D1 coaches will be impressed with this Barnstormers product this weekend.