Individual Matchups To Watch This Week

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Five individual player matchups to keep an eye on across Minnesota this week!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Monday- [player_tooltip player_id='1288751' first='Patrick' last='Akoussan'] (Cristo Rey Jesuit) vs [player_tooltip player_id='1448478' first='Ben' last='Raymond'] (Concordia Academy)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two explosive wing/forwards will face off on Monday night at Concordia Academy! Patrick is an athletic 2024 prospect for CRJ with good positional size as well as the ability to create off the dribble. He's dangerous in transition with his ability to handle it himself or sprint ahead for finishes at the rim. Currently scoring 16.9 ppg. [player_tooltip player_id='1448478' first='Ben' last='Raymond'] has made a nice jump from last season for Concordia. He's a strong player with explosive finishing ability who also pulls down rebounds in bulk. Has developed into a three point threat and has excelled at knocking down jumpers off the catch. He's putting up 15.7 points a contest this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tuesday- [player_tooltip player_id='962297' first='Pal' last='Wal'] (Albert Lea) vs [player_tooltip player_id='1355507' first='Carson' last='Schweim'] (Mankato East)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='962297' first='Pal' last='Wal'] is having a productive senior season for Albert Lea manning the paint for them. He has a long but strong frame, and has become more explosive over the past year or two making him an above-the-rim finishing threat. Has a versatile skillset as a forward. On the other side is [player_tooltip player_id='1355507' first='Carson' last='Schweim'], a 6'6 junior with a buttery smooth jumper. He can stretch the floor from three, but is also so good at getting into his mid-range shot off the dribble. Not many guys his height can get to their spots off the dribble like he can. Has been a consistent scoring option all season long for Mankato East.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wednesday- [player_tooltip player_id='962217' first='Dewayne' last='Givens'] (St. Paul Johnson) vs [player_tooltip player_id='1574222' first='Allan' last='Lankfard'] (St. Paul Central)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Paul Central is one game back from Johnson in the St. Paul City Conference, so this game has big conference implications. [player_tooltip player_id='962217' first='Dewayne' last='Givens'] took over the last time Johnson played Central, as he was dangerous getting to the rim off the dribble. Givens has the athleticism to just hang in the air and finish in a variety of ways, but also has a nice pull-up jumper. Scrappy defender who can force turnovers with his effort and athleticism. Lankfard has a mature game as just a sophomore, as he changes up his speed well, and knows how to get defenders on his hip when attacking the basket. When he gets going, he has the ability to put points on the board in a hurry as he can score at all three levels and can get off his own shot just about any time he wants to.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Thursday- [player_tooltip player_id='962233' first='Matthew' last='Bothun'] (St. Francis) vs [player_tooltip player_id='1547624' first='Kyan' last='Blomquist'] (Becker)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='962233' first='Matthew' last='Bothun'] has been putting up huge numbers this season. He's incredibly skilled at 6'9 and can stretch the floor from three or go to work in the paint. Most teams won't have a guy that can match his size, let alone his skillset. Leading his team in points, rebounds, and assists, and he has three 40 point games in the month of February. Kyan is an explosive wing/forward for Becker with some size and strength at 6'4. Becker has been missing a key forward the past few weeks with an injury, so Kyan may be the next option to step in and try to slow down Bothun. Blomquist has some above-the-rim finishing ability as he's an impressive athlete. He's been scoring 15.9 ppg this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Friday- [player_tooltip player_id='1220381' first='Anish' last='Ramlall'] (Rosemount) vs [player_tooltip player_id='1226375' first='JT' last='Thornton'] (Burnsville)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Anish is one of the top senior guards in the state, and will lead his team into a matchup with a Burnsville team that has recent wins over Eastview and Lakeville South. Ramlall can change directions incredibly quick off the dribble, and has the bounce to go up and finish above the rim. When he looks to get into his bag, not many defenders have the combination of length and quickness to keep him in front. [player_tooltip player_id='1226375' first='JT' last='Thornton'] may just have that combination to match up with Anish. He's such an explosive athlete, and has been averaging 13.1 ppg for his new team this year. Thornton recently exploded for 40 in a win over Eastview, showcasing his ability to score in a variety of ways. He can attack off the dribble, finish above the rim in transition, or stretch the floor from three in the half-court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->