Battle at the Lakes: Friday Night ’17 Evals
Jericho Sims, 6’7 SF, D1 Minnesota (Christo Rey)
He was without a doubt the best player I saw on Friday night, and it’s no wonder he has blown up over the past month. He’s an explosive athlete with plus-length and brute strength. He’s got over 20 offers including Iowa State, Texas and Florida, and should continue to exponentially see his stick rise as the summer wears on.
Ishmael El Amin, 6’2 PG, D1 Minnesota (Hopkins)
The son of former NBA point guard Khalid El Amin, Ishmael is already much taller than his stout father, and has a very nice skill-set to boot. He flashed a silky smooth stroke for deep and proved to be a consistent shot-maker throughout his teams shellacking of the Iowa Barnstormers.
McKinley Wright, 6′ PG, D1 Minnesota (Champlin Park)
Top-5 in Minnesota’s 2017 rankings, Wright was showcasing some sweet court-vision, and was getting to the rim with ease against a talented Iowa Barnstormers bunch. He’s a lethal combo of strong and fast, which aids him greatly while finishing through contact at the rim.
Bailey Basala, 6’6 SG, Iowa Barnstormers (North Scott)
He was as impressive as anyone on the ‘Stormers tonight, and it’s evident he’s worked hard to continue and improve his perimeter skill-set. He flashed some blow-by ability early in the game, which is a nice addition to his repertoire. He was also creating open looks for teammates, and attacking fearlessly while finishing well at the rim. He looked like a sure-fire D1 prospect.
Austin Ash, 6′ SG, Iowa Barnstormers (Mount Vernon)
He keeps getting better and after rising in Iowa’s most recent rankings to No. 28, it looks like he could rise again in the next installment that will be released in August. When he gets loose for open looks he’s an elite shot-maker, particularly from deep. And he has the ability to create looks for himself. His ball-handling is better than adequate, and he held his own against D1 prospects on D1 Minnesota.
Brady Elder, 5’10 G, Iowa Barnstormers (Pleasantville)
Elder was quiet in the first half, but erupted in the second, bringing some spark and life to a Barnstormers squad that was shorthanded and out-matched by D1 Minnesota. He is slight, but has a nice handle and can create his own looks. He takes and makes tough shots, and is able to get off creative looks that are always a threat to go in.
Kelvin Miller, 5’11 PG, Iowa Barnstormers (Davenport Central)
He could be the best leaper in Iowa, and that’s saying something with the likes of CIML stars Jal Bijiek and Douglas Wilson in the mix. Miller is only 5’11, but was soaring above the rim during warm-ups, dunking with ease. In the game he skied for boards on both ends of the floor and showed an improved skill-set, most notably his ball-handling.