Timberwolves Shootout Preview
The 23rd Timberwolves Shootout is set for January 2nd at the Target Center matching four of Minnesota’s best teams against four talented squads from outside the state. This year’s Wolves Shootout has 12-15 future major conference prospects competing adding to…
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Continue ReadingThe 23rd Timberwolves Shootout is set for January 2nd at the Target Center matching four of Minnesota’s best teams against four talented squads from outside the state. This year’s Wolves Shootout has 12-15 future major conference prospects competing adding to the long list of exceptional talent that has competed at the Target Center in early January since the mid-90s.
Champlin Park (MN): The Rebels kicked of their year with six straight wins after going 31-1 a season ago. The team lost three starters to division one basketball in JT Gibson (Nebraska-Omaha), Jeremy Johnson (Wisconsin-Milwaukee), and Marty Hill (Northeast CC) but return a pair of Rivals150 talents in juniors McKinley Wright and Theo John. Wright (who has offers from Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas State, and others) is producing 18 points a game with 7.8 rebounds while John (offers from Minnesota, Illinois, Marquette, Iowa, Nebraska) is producing 17.8 points a contest with 8.4 rebounds and a couple blocks. The Rebel returning starters are getting support from junior guards Brian Smith and DJ Hunter as well as senior wing Aaron Kloeppner.
Council Bluffs Lincoln (IA): Council Bluffs began their year with hard fought wins over Sioux City West and Sargeant Bluff-Luton on their way to a 4-0 start. The senior trio of Tony Bonner, Kyle Crowl, and TreVonte Jones lead the way all with double figure production. The 6-foot-8 Bonner gives his team 22 points and 11 rebounds a game and is a top 30 prospect in Iowa according to Prep Hoops Iowa. Crowl and Jones are the dynamic backcourt with Crowl the three-point weapon and Jones the creator. Add in fellow seniors Josh Krabbe and Devin Logan (also starters) and you have one of the most experienced teams in all of Iowa.
Key Match-Up:
Theo John vs Tony Bonner. Both are regular double-double big men who are highly productive. John has the edge in agility and length while Bonner is more experienced and has been putting up big numbers for awhile. This will make for an excellent post match-up.
Top Prospects:
Champlin Park: Theo John (6-ft-9, Jr, Center), McKinley Wright (6-ft-1, Jr, Point guard), Aaron Kloeppner (6-ft-4, Sr, Small forward), Mello Adkins (6-ft-2, Jr, Small forward), DJ Hunter (6-ft-2. Jr, Shooting Guard), Brian Smith (5-ft-9, Jr, Guard), Chris Davis (6-ft-6, Jr, Power Forward)
Council Bluffs Lincoln: Tony Bonner (6-ft-8, Sr, power forward), TreVonte Jones (6-ft-0, Sr, point guard), Kyle Crowl (6-ft-1, Sr, shooting guard), Josh Krabbe (Sr), Devin Logan (Sr)
Rochester JM (MN): The Rockets are once again undefeated against Big Nine competition building up several league victories including wins over Mankato East, Owatonna, and Austin. Their lone pitfall is a three score loss to Shakopee at the Breakdown Tip Off Classic. Brothers Michael and Matthew Hurt lead the Rockets with 16 points/10 rebounds/9 assists and 23 points/11 rebounds/3 assists respectively. Michael is a Minnesota signed talented ranked in the Rivals150 for the senior class while Michael is a five star caliber prospect in the 2019 class ranked number one amongst Minnesota’s freshman talents by Northstar Hoops Report. Michael already has offers from Iowa and Iowa State. The Hurts are getting help from senior D’Angelo Tines (13 points a game), junior Isaiah Walden (11), and junior Ray Adams (9.4). Albert Lea transfer Dedoch Chan put up 23 points and 11 rebounds a game last year as a sophomore and soon should be in the line-up as well.
Milwaukee Riverside (WI): Riverside has scored 80 plus points in four games already winning five of their first six contests. The lone loss of the season was to Stevens Point 80-55. Riverside is led by 6-foot-5 four star junior talent Terrance Lewis who has offers from Auburn, Ohio, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee amongst others. Lewis is scoring 24 points a game with 11 rebounds shooting 45 percent from the arc. Carlos Curtis is one of the best sophomore prospects in the state of Wisconsin. Carlos is scoring 15 a night shooting 60 plus percent from the field while ix-foot-5 junior power forward George Dixon is scoring 17 points per game with 14 rebounds a contest.
Key Match-Up:
Michael Hurt vs Terrance Lewis. Lewis has been scorching this winter but Hurt is an excellent defender. This will be a nice challenge to see what Hurt can do defensively. Michael will be a Gopher next year and Lewis a player Minnesota actively scouted this past summer. Hurt is averaging nearly a triple double so Lewis will likely work on him the other direction.
Top Prospects:
Rochester JM: Michael Hurt (6-ft-6, Sr, small forward), Matthew Hurt (6-ft-9, Fr, power forward), Dedoch Chan (6-ft-6, Jr, power forward), Isaiah Walden (6-ft-2, Jr, point guard), D’Angelo Tines (6-ft-3, SR, small forward), Ray Adams (6-ft-3, Jr, small forward)
Milwaukee Riverside: Terrance Lewis (6-ft-6, Jr, small forward), Carlos Curtis (6-ft-2, So, shooting guard), George Dixon (6-ft-5, Jr, power forward), Melvin Lee (5-ft-7, Jr, point guard), Alondes Williams (6-ft-3, Jr, small forward)
Maple Grove (MN): The Crimson has blown out just about every opponent they’ve faced this year winning their first six straight including a win over Wayzata which was key after the Trojans knocked them out of sections a year ago. Five Maple Grove players are scoring in double figures this year including Mizzou signed senior Reed Nikko, junior lead guard Brad Davison (offers from Nebraska, Northern Iowa, and others), leading scorer junior Tywhon Pickford, talented senior guard transfer Taron Pickford, and junior shooter Jack Hutchison (offers from Montana State and Sam Houston State). Davison, Hutchison, and Pickford are all top 20 ranked juniors by Northstar Hoops Report. The Crimson have just about every piece needed to make a run at state and so far this season they’ve looked like one of the top three or four contenders.
Iowa City West (IA): ICW has overwhelmed everybody they have played in Iowa this year so they are coming back to Minnesota once again for a big event. They lost to Apple Valley but eight points in early December at the Tip Off Classic despite 28 points from Iowa bound Connor McCaffery who is the number one ranked junior prospect according to Prep Hoops Iowa and the son of Iowa Head Coach Fran McCaffery. Connor is putting up 18 points a contest while fellow junior Devontae Lane (ranked third amongst Iowa juniors) is scoring 11 points a contest. Wali Parks and Tanner Lohaus (the son of former NBA player Brad Lohaus) are top five ranked Iowa talents also scoring in double figures each contest. Lohaus has signed to play at Northern Iowa next season.
Key Match-Up:
Connor McCaffery vs Brad Davison. These are both strong ball handlers with great vision who double as outstanding shooters. McCaffery has a size advantage on Davison which will help to get more open looks but Brad will likely create for others at the highest rate of anybody in the game.
Top Prospects:
Maple Grove: Brad Davison (6-ft-3, Jr, point guard), Taron Pickford (6-ft-0, Sr, point guard), Jack Hutchison (6-ft-1, Jr, shooting guard), Tywhon Pickford (6-ft-4, Jr, small forward), Reed Nikko (6-ft-9, Sr, center)
Iowa City West: Connor McCaffrey (6-ft-5, Jr, point guard), Tanner Lohaus (6-ft-7, Sr, power forward), Davontae Lane (6-ft-0, Jr, point guard), Wali Parks (6-ft-5, Sr, small forward), Patrick McCaffery (6-ft-6, Fr, small forward)
Apple Valley (MN): Outside of their loss in the mega clash with Hopkins, the Apple Valley Eagles have been dominant this season. They return all of their starting line-up from last year’s state championship run and are led by five star junior prospect Gary Trent Jr (32.6 points and eight rebounds a game) and the Northstar Hoops number one ranked sophomore in Minnesota Tre Jones (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists a game). Both Jones and Trent have offers from Duke while Trent also has offers from Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky Michigan State, Ohio State, UCLA, and others. Buffalo signed senior Brock Bertram is putting up 14.5 points and nine boards a night, senior guard Jordan Bolton is scoring ten points a game, and senior Cameron Kirksey who is one of the top unsigned seniors in Minnesota. The Eagles have won two of the last three Class AAAA state titles.
Lausanne (TN): Coach Kenneth White’s Lausanne Collegiate Lynx will play in six different states this season and is led by 6-foot-9, 282 pound junior big Isaiah Stokes. Stokes has put together a football offer that includes Alabama, Auburn, Cincinnati, Florida State, Memphis, Ole Miss, and Tennessee but he’s also a basketball standout. Stokes is the brother of Memphis Grizzlies forward Jarnell Stokes. Playing a national schedule the Lynx dropped two of their first three games of the year. Lausanne is a big team with Stokes, 6-foot-8 senior Michael Manning, and 6-foot-6 Addison Miller all playing up front. Guards Hunter Faulknor and Jesse Neloms are tough juniors that bring speed to the backcourt.
Key Match-Up:
Brock Bertram vs Isaiah Stokes. Brock will have Stokes in the size but Stokes will have the advantage of pounds and this is likely the only time that will happen to Bertram this year. Stokes and Bertram have both been playing for their teams since day one of their freshman years.
Top Prospects:
Apple Valley: Brock Bertram (6-ft-10, Sr, Center), Jordan Bolton (6-ft-0, Sr, Shooting guard), Tre Jones (6-ft-3, So, Point guard), Cameron Kirksey (6-ft-6, Sr, Small forward), Gary Trent Jr (6-ft-5, Sr, Shooting guard)
Lausanne: Isaiah Stokes (6-ft-9, Jr, Center), Hunter Faulkner (5-ft-11, Jr, Point Guard), Jesse Neloms (5-ft-10, Jr, point guard), Camren Taylor (6-ft-3, Jr, shooting guard), Addison Miller (6-ft-6, Sr, power forward), Michael Manning (6-ft-8, Sr, power forward)