Even during the 9:30 am time slot, Sam was bringing the energy on both ends of the floor. He was immediately picking up full court and defending the length of the floor, using his quickness and hustle to ball handlers into difficult areas and leading to turnovers. Sam is aggressive attacking the rim, does a great job of elevating off two feet, drawing contact, and then extending to finish. Even when his lay-ups weren’t falling, it seemed like he was drawing contact at such a consistent level that he was getting those points back at the free throw line. Finished with 19 points in the win over Champlin Park.

Also impressing for Cooper was Sam Massaquoi Sam Massaquoi 5'11" | PG Robbinsdale Cooper | 2023 State MN . The senior guard now has the keys to the car for Cooper, and put up 30 points in the win over Andover. He’s a quick-twitch player who changes directions on the ball really well, and does a great job of creating space for his jumper off the dribble. His pace makes him unpredictable on the ball, as he get off the floor quickly for a mid-range jumper, or hesitate and blow right by you to get to the rack. Massaquoi is a scrappy competitor who doesn’t care about who’s in front of him because he just wants to go and win.

Not only was Sam one of the hardest working players in attendance, but he was also one of the most productive. Going up against some pretty loaded teams during the full court games, Sam didn’t back down from anyone. He utilized his quick burst and shifty handle to get to the rim consistently, and once there he showed the body control to hang in the air and finish in a variety of ways. So crafty around the basket while also having the core strength/balance to take some bumps in the air and still finish at a high level. The type of player you never have to ask to play hard because he’s always going full speed on both ends of the floor.

You won’t find many players in the state who can get to the free throw line as much as Sam. He’s so good at getting to the rim, and once there he has a knack for drawing contact leading to easy points at the charity stripe. Is explosive off of two feet and can just hang in the air allowing him to contort his body and finish in a variety of ways. Massaquoi isn’t afraid to pull-up from three when given the space either. Was an 8.4 ppg scorer as a junior, but showed his potential with games of 23 and 22 points early in the season. Cooper graduated one of the state’s leading scorers, and I think Sam will be the go-to guy who’s leaned on to pick up for the lost production.