Combine games: Alex’s notes
These were my notes from walking around during the 5-on-5 portion of our 2015 combine, after all of the testing and seminar work had been completed. Elliot Lyden, Centennial jr. — I had never seen Elliot play before, but this…
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Continue ReadingThese were my notes from walking around during the 5-on-5 portion of our 2015 combine, after all of the testing and seminar work had been completed.
Elliot Lyden, Centennial jr. — I had never seen Elliot play before, but this viewing showed me a hungry, athletic guard who was vocal with his teammates and has a sharp crossover. One sequence of note was a layup on one end followed by a block off the glass on defense.
Goanar Mar, DeLaSalle jr. — Fresh off a visit to Wisconsin, Mar matched up on Tessy Pal in the game I saw, providing an interesting look as two guys with similar frames battled it out. Goanar’s 3-point stroke looked smoother, and I liked when he took advantage of a Pal missed dunk as he quickly rebounded it and found Broc Finstuen to assist a dunk of their own.
Lamar Wood, Patrick Henry jr. — Something that opened my eyes with Lamar was watching him bring the ball up the floor. At 6-6 or 6-7 and super long, he could be a matchup nightmare in the MPLS City Conference if he’s capable on the wing.
Josh McGreal, Centennial, jr. — McGreal has solid size at about 6-4, and he used it well to finish over his defenders. Seemed like a good, solid cleanup man, and another nice piece for Centennial.
Mike Coble, Byron, so. — Coble impressed me a lot, maybe the most of anyone in these open runs. He dominated the showing that I saw, as he simply couldn’t be stopped going to the hoop. He also has a nice little pull-up midrange and hit a 3 as well. In an eight-minute scrimmage, Coble had to have had 10-15 points. Physically, he’s stronger than most sophomores and should be followed this winter.
Tim Leo, Blaine, jr. — Leo reinforced the talk that he is already more offensively refined than his older brother, Andy, who was known as more of a defender. Finishes with either hand are no problem. Tim still has the defensive aptitude as I saw him chase down and block a fast break attempt.
Henry Abraham, Cambridge-Isanti, 8th gr. — I loved what this kid came out and did against guys four years older than him. Much shorter than his opponents, Henry ran well in transition and finished several lay-ups in the fast break. He also camped out in a corner and cashed a 3-pointer with confidence. From a young guy like this, that’s encouraging.
Andre Smith, St. Paul Johnson, senior — Smith is a really nice piece for Johnson as a strong outside shooter among all of their guys that excel at the hoop. Today, though, Smith used a combination of floaters and lay-ups to get his points in close. He also has a younger brother who I saw make a few shots, playing with older competition. We’ll have a recruiting report on Andre soon.
Trent Jerome, KCC, senior — We love Trent’s energy, and we also love that he drove six hours to compete at our combine (he’s even farther northwest than Cole Dahl in Newfolden, which I thought was impossible). He’s a hustle guy who showed off his 3-pointer a little bit as well.
Wyatt Schroeder, St. Francis, 8th gr. — Another young guy who competed well and contributed to an older team. He has solid size for his age… potentially one to watch down the road.
Parker Fox, Mahtomedi, jr. — Parker’s about to make a big splash this winter season. I think he’ll quickly insert himself as one of the metro’s most frequent dunkers, as he showed in our runs that he is always hungry for a slam. He’s got a great motor as well, which is always beneficial for a kid who is looking to boost his stock.
Austin Greenwaldt, New Prague, sr. — In addition to testing well, Austin showed a nasty spin move in the paint during the open run. Immediately afterwards, he hit two lefty lay-ups (one a reverse and one with a euro step) in a great sequence for the 6-4 wing.
Mitchell Plombon, St. Cloud Cathedral, so. — I’m assuming Mitchell will replace Brindley Theisen immediately as SCC’s top option. The kid is a 6-foot-6 sophomore with great coordination in both hands. He handles the rock well, and he showed a desire to continue scoring in multiple ways. Effortlessly dunked one of his scores.
Sam Schuberg, Eagan, sr. — Schuberg took a helmet to the shin during the prior night’s football game, but he came out in our combine and played hard. That’s worthy of a tough guy award. My favorite play from him was a sneaky feed from the elbow, pivoting around and zipping the ball to a teammate for the assist.
Isaiah Wannarka, Triton, sr. — Isaiah could very well blow up on the southern MN scene this winter. He’s gotten stronger, smoother, and finds creative ways to score. We’re big fans of his game.
Davy Hosea, 8th gr. — I HAD to make a note on this guy after he took a fast break in for a score with Lamar Wood on his hip the entire time. Lamar, the previously noted 6-7 shotblocker, couldn’t reach over and erase Hosea’s layup because Hosea used his body perfectly to shield the ball. Skill? Luck? We’re not sure, but we loved seeing it from an 8th-grader.