Breakdown Fall League: The Week 4 Stock Risers
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So what players at the Breakdown Fall League look like they’ve taken their stock to an even higher level with a good three months of work? We start the list with Casmir Chavis Casmir Chavis 6'2" | PG Park Center…
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Continue ReadingSo what players at the Breakdown Fall League look like they’ve taken their stock to an even higher level with a good three months of work? We start the list with Casmir Chavis Casmir Chavis 6'2" | PG Park Center | 2024 State #170 Nation MN who is playing at a very high level.
Casmir Chavis Casmir Chavis 6'2" | PG Park Center | 2024 State #170 Nation MN of Park Center (2024). Athletically and explosively Chavis has always been on a different level. He has physical gifts of first step, transition speed, and lift explosions that very few players do. The next step for Chavis as he moves into his upperclassmen years is to improve the consistency of his perimeter jumpshot and of course run an offense at a high level not just as a passer but as a patient decision maker as well (remember, he’s played behind/next to a lot of guys that have done a lot of handling, but now the job is fully his). We are seeing all of that week after week at the Breakdown Fall League (and at some other things). Yesterday Chavis took three threes and four foul shots, and made them all. He also moved the ball in a way that led to constant high percentage shots for his teammates at the rim, on cuts to mid-range space, and to shooters at the arc. All the pieces seem to be there for Chavis to be a nationally ranked high major player.
Matt Drake Matt Drake 5'11" | PG Lakeville North | 2024 State MN of Lakeville North (2024). The Panthers needed a point guard to round out this line-up and Matt Drake Matt Drake 5'11" | PG Lakeville North | 2024 State MN looks like he’s stepping right into that role. Drake is relentless, tough, gritty, and an intelligent decision maker. He’s got the confidence to take big shots even with big names all around him, and Matt completed them. He’s been doing it all fall league and on Sunday his three second half threes are what took the game with CDH and blew it wide open. I think he’s exactly what the Panthers need at lead guard to make the run they want to.
Isaiah Habte Isaiah Habte 6'6" | PF Wayzata | 2023 State MN of Wayzata (2023). The Trojans already return Tibbits, McAndrew, Hall, and Barnette, and now they have an improved 6-foot-5 forward that can often round out that line-up. Habte looks like he’s more agile and more explosive than when I saw him in June and when he went to the basket with a dribble and gather, Habte finished strong. His length and activity on defense was a bother, and I thought he moved very well. When you think about Isaiah being an active player next to Spencer Hall Spencer Hall 6'3" | SF Wayzata | 2023 State MN and a Jackson McAndrew Jackson McAndrew 6'10" | PF Wayzata | 2024 State #24 Nation MN , that combination of players could really work well together.
Ryan Johnson Ryan Johnson 6'4" | SG Lakeville South | 2024 State MN of Lakeville South (2024). When I watched South on Sunday I saw Ryan Johnson Ryan Johnson 6'4" | SG Lakeville South | 2024 State MN rebounding, I saw Ryan Johnson Ryan Johnson 6'4" | SG Lakeville South | 2024 State MN handling, I saw Ryan Johnson Ryan Johnson 6'4" | SG Lakeville South | 2024 State MN creating, and I also saw him score in a few different ways. South has a really talented junior class with some seniors and sophomores sprinkled around them, and when you take everybody into account, it was Johnson who controlled a lot of the success for his team. I think Johnson can be a 14 point, 5-6 rebound, 3-4 assist all around player.
Abu Keita Abu Keita 6'5" | SF Benilde-St.Margaret's | 2025 State MN of Benilde-St. Margaret’s (2025). Yesterday Abu was standing next to CJ O’Hara CJ O’Hara 6'4" | SF Park Center | 2023 State #285 Nation MN of Park Center and it make me double take. Keita is about the same size in height, he is a strong sophomore so you can see he could have that O’Hara build, and even their facial hair and hair cut looked similar. And I thought, there is some CJ to what Keita does and that is important because when I first saw Keita play he was making threes as a frosh. But this fall we are also seeing Abu get around the rim using his agility, strength, and touch to score consistently. That consistency included a double figure game against Park Center on Sunday.
Trey Smith Trey Smith 6'7" | SF Osseo | 2023 State MN of Osseo (2023). Trey Smith Trey Smith 6'7" | SF Osseo | 2023 State MN looks even better to me. And it all seems to revolved around confidence. Smith is handling, pushing the ball move than I have seen him, he’s confidently lifting into jumpers and making them at a high percentage, and he’s attacking the rim beating man one and scoring on the rest. Smith is 6’6/6’7 and explosive, that is where he got his start. But all of the confidence and skill added to that is the make-up of a division one player that UMD got at a D2. Appears there is more and more coming for this senior.