Breakdown Fall League: New Names To Know

Seven players I've seen this fall who are either new names to know as prospects, or look to be breaking in to their varsity rotations heading into the season!    Ahmed looks to have grown a bit since I had seen him playing JV last season as a freshman, most recently being listed at 6'9. During the fall league action I've seen him in, Ahmed has been one of the first players off the bench for Hopkins, and is often playing key stretches in the second half of games. At his size he has a wiry frame with good mobility, dangerous in the pick & roll with his coordination to catch and finish on the move. Also has a nice face-up game with the ability to hit the short/mid-range jumper when his man sags off. Defensively provides a rim protecting threat with his length and timing around the basket, while also working hard to move his feet to defend screens on the perimeter.     Based off what I found online, Anthony didn't make a varsity appearance last season. That certainly looks set to change as he had a huge game in a win over Chanhassen on Sunday. The lefty sharpshooter caught fire from three, and was making defenders pay for going under screens as he had no hesitation pulling up for deep jumpers. He really helped blow the game wide open in the first half as he knocked down a handful of jumpers, and continued that into the second. Also showed some explosive pop with a transition dunk late in the game.     Lakeville North may not have some of the big name prospects that they have in past years, but they still have some talent in the program. Johanes was a JV player last season, but looks to have the potential to step into a big varsity role this winter. He was the best player on the floor for Lakeville North in their game against Maple Grove, slashing to the rim for explosive finishes, and showcasing his ability to get to the rim off of limited dribbles. At 6'3 he has the blend of size and skill to play a variety of spots on the floor, and even spent some time running the point in this game.     Eden Prairie has a lot to replace from last year's team, and Carter could find himself stepping into a role as a sophomore. The 2027 guard is a sharpshooter from deep who plays with a ton of confidence. He's not afraid to let it fly from deep, and hit a few tough shots to help lead his team past Maple Grove on Sunday. Plays with an edge and goes out and competes on both ends of the floor.     Nick made four appearances at the varsity level last season, but looks ready to make the jump as a senior. The 6'8 forward was very active off the ball, setting screens and finding pockets of space around the basket to catch and power his way up to finish. Playing alongside a handful of high level shooters, Nick is going to have some space to operate when the ball comes his way down low, but he has the awareness to kick it out when the defense collapses on him. As is the case with most prospects coming out of Wayzata, he's a smart and poised player who makes good decisions with the ball.     Jentzen isn't a new name as a prospect, but as he didn't play varsity last season he's a new player to keep an eye on at Park Center this winter. He's an agile and explosive athlete out on the wing, able to defend a variety of spots, and fly up the floor for transition buckets. He has that type of fluidity at 6'5+ that you don't often see at players his size, which allows him to take opposing wings off the dribble to create his own shots. Solid three point shooter as well. Should be a key player for Park Center this season as they look to make another deep run in March.     St. Louis Park has the talent to vastly improve upon their record from last season, with Rashaad being a key piece in that backcourt. He's a dynamic slasher who can attack off the dribble, facilitate in transition, and has some toughness defending out on the perimeter. Put together a strong performance going up against Totino-Grace in fall league, helping lead SLP to a dominant win. Scored about 10 points per game last winter, and could turn some heads with his play on both ends as SLP will have some big games this upcoming season.

Seven players I've seen this fall who are either new names to know as prospects, or look to be breaking in to their varsity rotations heading into the season!