Elijah just refused to be stopped in the paint on Friday night. He’s one of the most physically imposing players at the event, with a strong 6’4 frame. The unsigned senior had a lot of success catching on the block and just bullying his way into deep position to finish, and also had some nice cuts off the ball when his guards were driving. Defensively he’s quicker off the floor than he may appear, and it helped him send a couple of shots flying off the court. Impressive two-way performance from the 2024 forward.

Elijah looks much improved from the last time I saw him, which was during the summer. He played hard on both ends of the floor and his offensive skill set has come a long way. He looked comfortable knocking down shots from beyond the arc and in the mid-range. He used his strong 6’4” frame to grab contested rebounds over opponents and could get out in transition himself or find a guard for an outlet pass. Barrett can also fight off contact to finish inside. He helped Tartan exceed expectations, on their way to a 24-5 record and a conference title.

Elijah was overpowering opposing players in a win for Tartan on Friday night. Offensively there wasn’t much defenders could do when he caught the ball on the block, as he can take a hard drop-step and just power his way up through outstretched arms to score. He was dominating on the glass and converting his paint touches with efficiency. On the defensive end Elijah wasn’t giving up an inch of space on the block, and showed some quickness to move into position off the ball and block/contest shots.

Elijah combines power and finesse in the paint for Minnesota Chill. Strong frame allows him to bulldoze his way through contact to finish inside, as well as rebound at a high level. He also showed the more skilled side to his game as he could face up, recognize his man sagging off a bit, and pull up for a short/mid-range jumper along the baseline. Going to be a constant double-double threat this winter as he does a great job of clearing out space with a box-out before securing rebounds with two hands.

Elijah was a beast inside on Saturday for Minnesota Chill, being a difference maker inside all game. He was fun to watch crash the glass, coming away with a handful of rebounds on both sides of the ball. He had several finishes inside where he would catch a pass from a teammate, then quickly get a shot off the glass for an easy two points. Barrett continues to improve and it has been evident in his recent performances.

Also delivering in the win for Minnesota Chill was Elijah Barrett Elijah Barrett 6'4" | PF Tartan | 2024 State MN . Barrett is a bruiser in the paint who can also play with some finesse. He showcased both of those sides on one play as he caught away from the rim, backed his man down into deep position, and then hit him with a quick spin move before kissing it in off the glass for two points. Had some really nice flashes of post play as he’s able to create his own looks when left isolated on the block. Also a strong rebounder with the strength to hold his position when defending on the block.

Even outside of scoring the ball, there’s a lot that Elijah brings to the floor for Tartan. He’s a big time screen setter who creates opportunities for his teammates with his hard screens on the perimeter, before providing a threat himself with his good hands and coordination to roll and catch on the move towards the rim. Against South St. Paul he was competing all game long against another physical big man, and that type of strength he has will help him translate at the next level. Has long arms to provide a rebounding presence and he also does a nice job of finding a body to box out. Finished with 9 points in the low scoring game.

Elijah is listed at 6’6, but with how strong and physical he plays you’d think he was 6’8-6’9. Against Chaska if he caught the ball anywhere near the paint, you could pretty much put two points on the board as he was going to power up and score just about every time. Elijah was setting some great screens to free up space for his guard, and showcased soft hands to catch the ball in traffic and go up to finish. When he catches inside he has the patience to make sure he’s balanced when he goes up to score, and also does a nice job of not bringing the ball down low where guards can come and swipe at it. Defensively he’s tough to score over because of his ability to wall up, stand his ground through contact, and utilize his long arms to disrupt lay-up attempts. Consistently came up with big plays to keep his team in the game.