The ROCK Spring Classic: 2017/2018 Player Evaluations (16U/17U)
17U 6-7 PF Dre’ Presswood, Iowa Mavericks 17U Orange (Dubuque Senior) Presswood still has quite a long way to go in his development, but he flashed a number of intriguing skills to go with a nice frame and good athletic…
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6-7 PF Dre’ Presswood, Iowa Mavericks 17U Orange (Dubuque Senior)
Presswood still has quite a long way to go in his development, but he flashed a number of intriguing skills to go with a nice frame and good athletic ability. He runs the floor well at 6-7, can block shots, rebounds effectively and is capable of switching onto smaller players in halfcourt defensive settings. He needs to become much better at finishing around the rim and must get stronger, but there are things here that make him an interesting player to keep an eye on.
6-4 GF Alex Martens, Iowa Mavericks 17U Orange (Midland, Wyoming)
The small school product showcased an intriguing mix of offensive versatility for the Mavericks Orange group, scoring while getting to the rim and shooting from the perimeter. He’s got good length and a nice looking jumper, has above-average athletic ability and rebounds well from his wing spot.
6-6 PF Kaleb Haeffner, Iowa Mavericks 17U Orange (Danville)
Haeffner has always had solid footwork and the ability to finish around the rim. The big impression I took away from his weekend, however, was an improved ability to shoot from the mid-range. He displayed good form and touch from about 15 feet and in, an added dimension that would be a big addition to his solid post game. He’s a solid rebounder, runs the floor well and is able to block and alter shots on the defensive end.
6-0 PG Ethan Wyant, Iowa Prep Red 17U (Jesup)
In Prep’s pool play loss to Wisconsin Jets, Wyant showed the same abilities we saw during the high school season. He’s a phenomenal mid-range shooter, one of the best in the class shooting the ball off the bounce. He took over down the stretch in that loss, nearly carrying them to a win. He’s good at utilizing ball screens to help free space, a solid point guard in pick-and-roll situations, where he displaying good vision in finding the roll man, as well as the ability to step behind the screen and knock down shots, or turn the corner and get to the rim, where he’s a capable finisher.
6-5 F Cooper Kabela, Iowa Prep Red 17U (West Branch)
A strong combo forward, Kabela showed the ability to score both on the block and in the mid-range. He also combined with Alex Kerian on a number of high-low looks, on both the giving and receiving end, showing the ability to pass out of the high post or score on the block while establishing good, strong position. He’s a capable playmaker with the ball in his hands.
6-6 PF Alex Kerian, Iowa Prep Red 17U (Crestwood)
Kerian paired with the aforementioned Kabela, doing many of the same things. He’s got the ability to read the defense and make the right play out of the high post, or score on the block with either hand. He’s got a strong upper body with the ability to finish through contact. On the defensive end, he was a force in the paint, routinely blocking shots.
16U
5-11 SG Jordan Magnani, Iowa Prep Red 17U (Mount Pleasant)
Playing up with the Iowa Prep 17U group, Magnani did many of the same things that he did during the high school season. He’s got the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, where he’s improving his ability to finish through contact. He’s also a capable shooter from the arc, moving well off the ball and finding spaces in the defense.
5-10 PG Brevin Hansen, Iowa Intensity (Grinnell)
The 5-10 point guard is a solid ball handler, particularly with his left hand. He almost seems to prefer shooting off the dribble going to the left, which seems a bit unusual for a righty, but he routinely put the ball on the floor going left and pulled up for deep 3s. He’s got great range, a quick release and is a very good perimeter shooter. When he doesn’t have the ball in his hands, he moves well off the ball, finding spots in the defense to spot up, showing the same quick release off the catch. He’s not a great athlete, but he moves his feet well on the defensive end, understanding defensive positioning, and he does a nice job making the ball handler turn when he picks them up full court. A high basketball IQ guard with the ability to torch the nets from deep.
6-5 GF Zaine Leedom, Iowa Intensity (Grinnell)
The first thing that jumped out about Leedom was his improved athletic ability. He looks to be much more fluid on the floor, quicker laterally and much more comfortable getting off the floor. He had a nice post up late in the first half of one of Intensity’s pool games where he made a good move, lost his man, and elevated into a powerful dunk. He’s got a strong inside-out game, with the ability to stretch the defense from deep, with great rotation on his jumper and range to the high school arc. He’s capable of putting the ball on the floor and getting to the rim, and he showed a good understanding of positioning and spacing on the offensive end. On a few occasions, he made nice basket cuts for easy buckets when a teammate was posted on the opposing block. He’s a good, and willing, passer out of the post, quick to recognize the double team, and he showed an improved ability to “rip and run”, showing he can lead the break. A strong showing for an all-around solid player.
6-2 SG Garrett Sturtz, Iowa Intensity (Newton)
Sturtz may have been the biggest revelation of the weekend for me, as the more I saw of him, the more I liked. He’s got good length and showed a good understanding of defensive positioning. He came from the weakside a number of times to block shots in the paint. On the offensive end, he was in constant attack mode, routinely finding a way to get to the rim where he showed the ability to both finish and distribute to teammates after the defense collapsed. He does a nice job utilizing ball fakes to freeze defenders and allow him to get into the paint. He also showed the ability to step out to the arc and hit from there, showing good elevation and rotation on his jumper. He’s a strong rebounder from his guard spot, not afraid to stick his nose in with the bigger bodies.
5-11 SG Spencer Touro, Iowa Mavericks Orange (Benton Community)
The Benton guard had a tremendous game against Wisconsin Hoops Select, torching the nets from deep and getting to the rim for buckets routinely. He ended up scoring 29 points in that game, despite constant attention from the opposition. He’s got extended range beyond the arc, showed an understanding of how to use ball screens effectively to either get to the rim or step behind the screen and hit from deep. He’s a very good perimeter shooter and is also able to facilitate for his teammates.
6-1 G Drew Olson, Iowa Mavericks Purple (Osage)
A well-built combo guard, Olson showed the ability to score at all three levels. He’s a tough finisher at the rim, routinely finishing through contact in the paint. He’s a capable shooter from the arc, especially when shooting in rhythm, and he can pull up and hit from the mid-range. He’s also able to make plays for his teammates with the ball in his hands, a capable passer. He’s a solid defender both on-and-off the ball and is a very good rebounder from his guard spot. He seems to have a nose for the ball.
6-0 G Balene Mitchell, Iowa Mavericks Purple (Bettendorf)
Mitchell displayed plus-athleticism for the Mavericks, showing the ability to finish above the rim despite being listed at just 6-0. What he does best at this point is defend. He’s a good on-ball defender who moves his feet well laterally, and he’s got very quick hands. Playing off the ball, he showed a tendency to play the passing lanes and turn steals into points on the other end. He needs to tighten up his handle and add range to his jumper, but he’s a tough, physical guard who can make an impact on the defensive end right now.
6-8 PF Cole Eischeid, Iowa Mavericks Purple (Kuemper Catholic)
The young big man showed some really good flashes of his potential throughout a pair of viewings, showcasing really quick footwork on post catches. He’s an above-average athlete who runs the floor well. He must bulk up, as he has a tendency to get pushed off his spot on the block, but when he’s able to make a post catch, he’s got a few solid post moves in his repertoire. He also showed some ability to play in the high-post as a decent passer.