NY2LA Swish N’ Dish Superlatives
Wisconsin prospect superlatives following the 2018 NY2LA Sports Swish N’ Dish…
Best Three-Day Performance
Carlos Ramsey (Milwaukee Spartans)
Ramsey had a coming out party in some high level matchups. The Milwaukee Hamilton standout had 30 points against Ramey-Jets United and 21 versus All-Ohio Red. A physical and athletic wing, Ramesy has some impressive creative scoring ability. Ramsey has nice bounce around the rim and absorbs contact well, getting to the line or generating three-point play opportunities. At 6-foot-5, the smooth wing has blow up potential during the spring and summer evaluation periods.
Runner-up: Jalen Johnson (Phenom University)
Best Prospect
Jalen Johnson (Phenom University)
Is Johnson the best prospect to come out of the state of Wisconsin in the recruiting rankings era? He’s currently No. 8 in the 247sports composite rankings, trailing only Diamond Stone (6). Johnson certainly compares favorably to Stone, Henry Ellenson, Kevon Looney, and Sam Dekker — all five star prospects — at this stage in his development. A 6-foot-8 positionless prospect, there’s not much Johnson can’t do on the floor. He can dominate a game with or without scoring, which is the second or third best thing he does. Holding early offers from West Virginia, Florida, Marquette, Purdue, Wisconsin, Georgia Tech, and others, Johnson should be able to get the bluebloods on board.
Runner-up: Michael Foster Jr. (Milwaukee Spartans)
Biggest Breakout Performer
Reece Beekman (Phenom University)
Last time we saw Beekman, he was named 15U MVP at the Fab 48. The Milwaukee native picked up where he left off, putting together an impressive all-around weekend. Beekman has two high major offers from Georgia Tech and Kansas State. He’s generating more interest from Alabama, Butler, and Wisconsin. Although Johnson gets the headlines, Beekman is often the straw that stirs the drink. A very capable playmaker that elevates everyone around him, Beekman has emerged into a quality, if not highly coveted power-five floor general.
Runner-up: Cameron Palesse (Phenom University)
Biggest Surprise
Caden Boser (Wisconsin Swing)
Love the way this big man can shoot the basketball. Boser has a very smooth stroke for his size and can even score from 3-point range off the dribble a little bit. Boser’s biggest performance came in the 16U quarterfinals, where he poured in a game-high 25 points in an upset victory over All-Ohio Red EYBL. Drawing plenty of mid-major interest this spring, Boser is one Division 1 programs will want to monitor closely over the next year.
Runner-up: Colin Schaefer (Wisconsin Swing)
Biggest Sleeper
David Skogman (Ray Allen Select)
The Waukesha West standout appears on the verge of being a big mismatch problem. At 6-foot-10, Skogman could always shoot the ball well, but now he’s showing the ability to put the ball on the deck and attack from the perimeter as well as run the floor and generate transition buckets. A prospect that moves well for his size with some exciting bounce, Skogman has a budding offensive package. He moves well laterally defensively and if he can get stronger and improve his interior defense, I think this is a very promising Division 1 talent.
Runner-up: Anthony Washington (Wisconsin Swing), Jaeden Zackery (Kessel Heat)
Best Shooter
Isaac Lindsey (Phenom University)
Thought Lindsey was very consistent all weekend. On a loaded Phenom University squad, Lindsey’s job is to feed off the attention some of his teammates get and make defenses pay for leaving him open. That’s exactly what he did. The 6-foot-4 sniper wasn’t gun shy often and was good for 2-3 triples per game. Defensively, Lindsey also stood out. Going head-to-head against some strong athletes, Lindsey was able to shut off drives consistently and hold his own in isolation settings.
Runner-up: Chombi Lambert (Wisconsin Blizzard), Desmond Polk (Phenom University), Tyler Ellingson (Ray Allen Select)
Top Post Presence
Michael Foster Jr. (Milwaukee Spartans)
This is a man amongst boys. Even with a broken hand, Foster took the cast off and dropped 21 points to beat the Mac Irvin Fire on Sunday. Already 6-foot-9, 210 pounds, Foster should be entering high school next season, but reclassified. Foster runs like a deer in the open floor. There’s only so much the opposition can do to keep him away from the rim and off the offensive glass at this stage. What makes Foster really special is his shooting ability. With a guard-like stroke, Foster can knock down shots from all over the floor. He’s not just a spot-up shooter either. He’ll put it on the deck, create space off the dribble, and hit jumpers while fading away from the rim.
Runner-up: Carter Gilmore (Wisconsin Shooters), Carter Capstran (Phenom University), Gavin McGrath (Wisconsin Playmakers)
Top Floor General
Ben Nau (Phenom University)
I’d go Beekman again here, but to throw another name out there, Nau carries the burden well for being an all-around guard. Love the leadership Nau displays. He calls a lot of the shots and gets his teammates in line with what the coach needs. The freshman guard just does a little bit of everything. He’ll create for himself offensively, knock down his open shots, get to the rim, facilitate, rebound, defend, and draw a handful of charges throughout a tournament. With Nau running the show, Phenom University is going to win a lot of games. We’ll give the younger Nau the edge over his older brother since Phenom University was able to win the 15U title.
Runner-up: Cole Nau (Ray Allen Select), Ryan Waddell (Wisconsin Shooters)
Biggest Upside
Jamari Sibley (Phenom University)
You could go a lot of different ways, but focusing more on prospects who are far from being finished products, Sibley definitely comes to mind. The Nicolet standout has ridiculous length. He loves to slash and shoot from 12-15 feet, but can also play with his back to the basket a bit. In transition, Sibley can do some scary things. He can handle the ball and explode to the rim when given space. Sibley had three double-figure scoring efforts over the weekend. He can still get a lot better to. Sibley needs to improve his 3-point consistency. He also needs to impact the game in other ways other that just creating highlights and add weight/strength to his game. UNLV and Kansas State have offered. Ohio State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Marquette, and more are showing interest this spring.
Runner-up: Michael Foster Jr. (Milwaukee Spartans)
Most Versatile Prospect
Foster Wonders (Pack Attack)
Johnson could go here as well, but we’ll throw another name out there. Wonders, a class of 2021 recruit, is already 6-foot-5 and can play four positions. He handles the ball well in transition and on the perimeter. The freshman has a smooth stroke from 3-point and mid-range, but will also bang in the post against smaller teams. Already holding a Division 2 offer from Northern Michigan, Wonders appears to be a sure-fire Division 1 prospect, if not high major.
Runner-up: Brayden Dailey (Wisconsin Swing)