Midwest Live: Player Evaluations
Despite only being able to attend one night of the Midwest Live tournament from this past weekend in Des Moines, there were still a number of players who caught my eye. Below are 14 standouts from Friday night’s action.
6-2 PG Kolby Molinsky, All-Iowa Attack Red 17U (Carroll)
Very little that Molinsky does is going to blow anyone away, but what stands out the most about his game is that he’s always under control. He rarely makes a bad play, always setting his teammates up in positions to score, and he’s got the ability to score at all three levels himself. He’s a strong, physical lead guard who displayed a pretty mid-range game as well as the ability to step out behind the arc and hit consistently. He values possessions and plays hard on the defensive end, and competes on the glass on both ends of the floor.
6-7 PF Austin Roetman, All-Iowa Attack Red 17U (Pocahontas Area)
Roetman is noticeably bigger in the upper body than he was last summer, adding much needed strength to his frame. He’s capable of playing both inside and out, and did a tremendous job during their pool play game sealing his man on the block. He has good footwork and good touch around the rim. He’s proven to be a solid shooter from the perimeter, turning himself into a solid stretch-four option at the next level.
6-4 SG Connor Kasperbauer, All-Iowa Attack Red 17U (Ankeny Centennial)
A long sharpshooter, Kasperbauer is an intriguing off-guard at the next level with a plus-wing span and the ability to really shoot the ball from the arc. He moves very well off the ball and has a quick release on the catch. He’s got the ability to put the ball on the floor and get into the paint as well, but where he excels is behind the arc. He’s a solid man defender, with the ability to guard one through three at the next level with his length and athleticism.
6-6 GF Grant Kramer, All-Iowa Attack Red 17U (Johnston)
Kramer may have been the standout of the night for me, a solidly built combo wing with the ability to score at all three levels effectively. He displayed a good perimeter shot, one that he can get off whenever he wants with his size. He’s got the ability to put the ball on the floor and score at the rim, utilizing his strong upper body to help finish through contact. He’s solid on the glass and made a few big effort plays on the defensive end, including an impressive chasedown block at a key moment in the second half.
6-0 PG Trey Tucker, Iowa Cornsharks Select 17U (Greene County)
A compact scoring guard, Tucker was in constant attack mode in the Cornsharks pool play loss to IBTB. He’s powerful and has a scorer’s mentality, routinely making his way to the rim, where he was able to either finish through the contact or get to the free-throw line. The lefty didn’t shoot well from the perimeter in this particular game, but he’s got a good looking stroke from the arc and is capable of scoring from out there.
6-4 SG Dylan Hand, Iowa Mavericks Purple 17U (Linn-Mar)
Hand got the live period off to a scorching start, knocking down a number of 3s in the Mavericks’ opener against Attack. He showed the ability to shoot both off the catch and the dribble, having the same quick release either way. He’s got great range and good size, and should probably be on the radar of all local Division III and NAIA programs looking for perimeter shooting.
6-2 SG Connor Gholson, Iowa Mavericks Purple 17U (Newton)
The Newton sharpshooter put on quite the shooting display late in the Mavericks’ pool play loss to Attack. He’s a high-level shooter from the arc, with a quick release, particularly off the catch, and extended range. He does a nice job in the half-court setting utilizing ball fakes to freeze the defense when he’s got the ball in his hands, helping himself free some space to get his shot off.
6-7 PF Niko Gosnell, Iowa Mavericks Purple 17U (Lone Tree)
Gosnell is an intriguing player because of his recent growth spurt. Before his junior season at Lone Tree, he went from being a point guard to a power forward with a growth spurt that gained him another six-plus inches. He runs the floor extremely well, has guard skills when he’s handling the ball and his length and athletic ability allow him to guard multiple spots on the floor. He’s still learning how to play on the interior, and needs to add muscle to his frame, but there is a lot of stuff to like about him at this point in his career. He’s able to score in a number of ways, can impact the game on the defensive end and is seemingly just scratching the surface of his abilities.
6-0 G Drew Maschoff, Kingdom Hoops Elite 17U (Ankeny)
Maschoff has been one of the state’s most improved players over the last year or so, and his continued improvement was evident during this contest. A plus-athlete on the wing, he’s capable of playing either guard spot, making plays for himself and his teammates. He’s a high riser, capable of finishing above the rim not only in transition, but also in the halfcourt. He gets up with ease. He’s a solid on-ball defender who moves well laterally, has good length and understands defensive positioning. He’s a solid shooter from the perimeter, especially when shooting in rhythm off the catch. A very good all-around player who does a little bit of everything.
6-8 SF Jal Bijiek, Kingdom Hoops Elite 17U (Des Moines North)
When Bijiek is hitting his jumper like he was on Friday night, he’s nearly impossible to stop at this level. At his size, he’s able to get his shot off whenever he wants, from wherever he wants. His handle is still a work in progress, but appears to be much improved, as he crossed a few people up before hitting jumpers throughout the game. He’s a plus-athlete with incredible length, allowing him to guard just about any spot on the floor on the defensive end. He’s a fantastic help defender, routinely coming from the weakside to block shots. It’s easy to see why North Dakota pulled the trigger on an offer last summer, and why there will likely be more coming this summer. The intriguing blend of size, athleticism, defensive ability and raw offensive potential make him one of the most interesting players in the class.
6-8 PF Charley Crowley, Kingdom Hoops Elite (West Des Moines Valley)
The 6-8 forward has been a role player nearly everywhere he’s played of late, but he showed flashes of immense potential throughout Kingdom’s pool play domination of OSA. He’s always been an adept finisher around the rim, and an enforcer in the paint on the defensive end. What he showed in this game was a 15-foot jumper that I didn’t know he had in his arsenal. He’s got a smooth release and nice touch, a dimension of his game that could help take him to the next level. He’s got a high basketball IQ and is a very good defensive player with good length. Adding range to his jumper elevates him.
6-6 F Douglas Wilson, Kingdom Hoops Elite 17U (Des Moines Hoover)
Wilson garners a lot of attention for his rebounding ability, athleticism and his dunking. What makes me intrigued by him, however, is what he can do with that athleticism on the defensive end. He moves very well laterally, has good length and can switch pretty much every screen that comes his way and guard all five spots on the floor. His offensive game is still a work in progress, but with his top-notch rebounding and defensive versatility, it’s easy to see why colleges from every level are interested in Wilson’s services.
6-0 G Jake Anderson, All-Iowa Attack Red 16U (Iowa City West)
A smooth combo guard, Anderson showcased a high-level jumper from both the arc and the mid-range. When he’s got the ball in his hands, he does a nice job playing with pace and tempo, changing speeds to help get by his defender. He showed a pretty left-handed floater in the lane, getting it high above the defender, a very tough shot. He does a nice job shielding the ball from the defense when he’s penetrating, not allowing the defender to contest the shot. A plus-athlete, he’s able to compete on the glass with a huge vertical, and he’s a threat to take it coast-to-coast when he pulls down defensive boards.
6-4 PF Will Woodruff, All-Iowa Attack Red 16U (Fort Dodge, St. Edmond)
Woodruff has a wide frame and showed the ability to make plays out of both the high and low posts with his passing. He proved to be a very good passer out of the high post, and is quick to recognize when the help is coming. He’s got very good hands, and is solid on the glass. He must improve his finishing around the rim, as he’ll get plenty of chances in the paint with his ability to crash the glass on the offensive end.