Battle at the Lake 16U Previews
In this article:
All-In/Young & Reckless (IL)
Talented up and coming group of players in the class of 2018 that has a lot of upside.
Players to Watch:
SF Donita Johnson – The 6’6” Romeoville small forward totally looks the part with great size, length, and strength for the three position. He moves well and has smooth handles. Can hit a mid-range jump shot. Not a dominant player at this stage, but without question has tons of upside!
SG Armon Brummett – Decatur MacArthur 6’4” shooting guard with strength and athleticism. He is a pure scorer! He plays with swagger and confidence. The 2018 wing has deep range on his jump shot, pulling up from Steph Curry territory. Very powerful when he has the ball in his hands and is going downhill. Slick handles in traffic. D1 prospect in the 2018 class.
PG Amir Brummett – Decatur MacArthur guard Amir Brummett is slightly different from his brother and teammate Armon. He stands at 6’3” and is more of a scoring combo guard. Brummett is a powerful ball handler that can get in the lane where he looks to score and kick. When scoring he finishes with athleticism around the hoop. Also has ability as a passer. Potential as a perimeter shooter with range on his jumper out to three. Could be a D1 prospect.
Barnstormers (IA)
Players to Watch:
Joe Wieskamp – The 6-foot-7 swingman has already committed to the in-state Hawkeyes. He is an absolute scoring machine, capable of taking over games with his ability to put the ball in the basket. A nationally ranked prospect, Wieskamp can score from seemingly every spot on the floor in multiple ways.
AJ Green – Another strong lead guard in the Barnstormers’ stable, Green already has offers from Northern Iowa, South Dakota State and North Dakota, but high majors are paying attention as well. He’s a dynamic player.
Joey Hauser – The 6-foot-8 wing hails from Stevens Point, Wis. and is already established as one of the top prospects in the midwest. He holds a host of high-major offers thanks to his high level of skill, both inside and out.
Stock Raiser:
Elijah Hazekamp – Hazekamp is on the radar for a number of Division I programs after two solid varsity seasons, and could see his stock rise even further with a strong spring and summer.
Comets Little (MN)
Players To Watch:
Noah Kannegiesser – 6-ft-1 lead guard from Hancock that really can play both spots. Already a 1,000 point scorer at Hancock with two years to go.
Sam Olsen – A grinder of a wing who has played a consistent role for Comets Little earning early season success.
Stock Raiser:
Cade Neubert – At 6-foot-5 and developing, Cade is starting to come in to his own as a more consistent player this spring.
Comets Servaty (MN)
Players To Watch:
Jacob Kava – Had a strong sophomore year at Fargo Shanley, Kava has the skill to play on the perimeter but the toughness and grit to battle closer to the basket.
Phil Rebrovich – A mauler from Hibbing that posts regular double-doubles because of his love for the battle. At 6-foot-4 he often plays bigger than his size.
Stock Raiser:
Blake Smith/Weston Hine – These are 6-8 centers just learning to play and come into their potential right now. Smith is from Grand Rapids, Hine from Kimball.
Crossfire Swanson (MN)
Players To Watch:
Nick Flottmeier – Nick is a tremendous slasher, always gets baskets in big moments, and leads our team down the stretch offensively.
Rezi Useh – Is a lockdown defender from Monitcello, can shoot it, and take it to the basket very strong. We look forward to his development over the rest of the summer.
Stock Raiser:
Keegan O’Neill – Keegan is a long forward who has been a great rebounder and is quickly developing his back to the basket game. Keegan has developed a nice shooting touch and continues to improve every game he plays.
Crossfire Watnemo (MN)
Players To Watch:
Elijah Elkerton – A dominant post player who rebounds strong, plays physical, and finishes well around the basket.
Cole Gilmer – A quick guard who plays with tremendous defensive intensity, is an encouraging teammate, and confident shooter.
Stock Raiser:
Michael Strandness – An energetic guard who plays all around with great intensity, brings a fire to the team, and works hard on defense.
D1 Minnesota (MN)
Players To Watch:
Race Thompson – The 6-foot-8 talentwith an offer from Minnesota is a skilled and active combo forward who brings a versatile game that has just started to tap it’s potential.
Shae Mitchell – One of the longer, explosive forwards in Minnesota Shae has the athletic gifts and improved skills to be a high major prospect.
Stock Raiser:
Joe Hedstrom – A physical and aggressive frontcourt player that competes with a mean streak. Joe is getting more versatile on the block every day.
D1 Minnesota Prospects (MN)
Players To Watch:
Duoth Gach – He’s had some incredible scoring games this spring inside and out and this is after leading Austin in scoring as a sophomore with over 14 a game.
Joe Dunn – The BSM forward has played well this spring and much of his game has been a face-up one dribble physical attack for production.
Stock Raiser:
Moses Issa – Austin forward who has some of the most explosive hops in the state. Mosses will explode to boards, swats, and physical dunks at 6-foot-4.
ECI Sussenguth (Dakotas)
Players To Watch:
Shane Andersen – Physical center that rebounds well. Soft touch around the hoop and a great passer out of the post.
Jordan Tompkinson – Combo guard that can fill it up fast. Quick trigger and a good shooter off the dribble.
Stock Raiser:
Debyn Johnson – Great scorer that can get to the basket and shoots from deep
Fundamental U Black (IL)
High academic group of kids that really compete.
Players to watch:
Ryan Phillips – Big guard can shoot with range!
David Swedura – Great athlete with quickness in the backcourt.
Kevin Cunningham – Elite shooter from beyond the arc.
Alex Casieri – Combo guard that can shoot it from deep.
Grassroots (MN)
Players To Watch:
Roland Washington – A 6-foot-3 wing who can handle the ball and has really good court sense, will shoot the three with consistency and rebounds well.
Antoine Jenkins – A good sized guard at 6-foot-3 who is a strong leader. Has the ability to score when needed, plays great defense and plays hard the whole game.
Stock Raiser:
Zach Taylor – A 6-foot-3 forward who can score in multiple ways, solid mid-range shooter, can step out and shoot the three, tough defender and crashes the boards on both ends of the court.
Heat Fields (MN)
Players To Watch:
Caleb Davis – Caleb is a skilled player from CDH that is capable of some quick scoring outputs for the Heat.
Ray Sean Treadwell – A definite name to know as Ray Sean had a nice sophomore year for CDH scoring six a night and is now giving the Heat consistent performances.
Stock Raiser:
Zach McDonnell – A 6-foot-5 forward that continues to grow into a long frame. Zach played on the CDH junior varsity and is a part of a fantastic Raider 2018 class.
Heat Inniger (MN)
Players To Watch:
Isaiah Miller – Heady player with a good IQ, Isaiah is known for his decision making. A 2018 player in the Armstrong program.
Benjamin Inniger – Coaches son who pairs with Isaiah well, another 2018 talent from the Armstrong program getting strong time in the off-season.
Stock Raiser:
Andrew Nordquist – A Centenntial guard that we heard about having some nice JV games, Andrew has started to blossom this spring.
Heat Pratt (MN)
Players To Watch:
Evan Nelson – Worked his way into the role of a state tournament Fridley team at the end of the year as a dependable guard off the bench.
Aaron Smith – The St. Anthony scorer put up 11 a game this winter and continues to get buckets for the Heat.
Stock Raiser:
Nate Soto – Fridley 6-ft-2 wing who has led some big runs for the Pratt team that has started the year well.
Icemen (IL)
Watch out for a pair of guards on the Icemen 16U squad.
Players to Watch:
G David Forrest – Power scoring guard that can flat out get buckets.
PG Jaylen Peterson – Lead guard with vision in half court and range on shot.
Iowa Cornsharks Select (IA)
A sneaky good squad, they don’t possess a lot size, but will small-ball you into oblivion if you’re not careful. Brady Kulender is a steady and lengthy point guard who leads the charge, and Rhett Darland is a big shooting guard who will bury it from deep. Nathan Nelson is another big-bodied guard who can play inside and out.
Players to Watch:
5’10 PG Brady Kluender (Spencer) – Great length make him more of a 6-foot-1 type guard than 5-foot-10. His strength is his ability to get to the rim, and on defense that great length makes him a menace. He’s a game-manager with takeover ability.
6’2 SG Rhett Darland (Clarion-Goldfield) – He’s coming off the heels of a breakout season while starting with the varsity squad as a sophomore. A sharpshooter with a big frame, Darland can bang in the post if need be. His strength though is certainly his outside shooting; do not leave him open.
6’3 G/F Nathan Nelson (Waukee) – Like Darland, Nelson is a big-bodied wing who is mostly adept at exploiting smaller guards in the paint. He plays with one of the state’s best and biggest hoops programs during the regular season, and got plenty of run last season as a sophomore. This team goes as he goes.
Iowa Dynasty (IA)
Dynasty’s best team may be this 16U group, another group that will be headlined by their guard play. Arguably the top four players on this team come from an Iowa City West sophomore team that went undefeated in guards Evan Flitz and Paul McGee, wing Hakeem Odunsi and big man Seybian Sims. The quartet is very talented and helps pace everything Dynasty does on both ends of the floor. Flitz continues to improve and is a high-level lead guard who can facilitate or score in bunches. Odunsi may be one of the top “under the radar” players in Iowa with the ball in his hands, and Sims has developed himself into a very nice piece on the interior with top-notch length and athleticism. Kyler Bell and Drew Adams are also nice players for this group, a team that could make some noise if everything is clicking.
Iowa Elite (IA)
Players to watch:
Sam Ingoli – The 6-foot-4 point guard has been sporting Division I offers for a year thanks to his size and uncanny passing ability. He’s got length and quickness plus the ability to finish around the rim. His best talent, though, his that ability to involve teammates at utilize his length by creating passing lanes most players can’t.
John Waggoner – A big that hasn’t yet played varsity, Waggoner has made major stepped in the last year. He’s tough on the inside, but has soft touch around the rim. He’s great at creating space in the post, but is expanding his game out to the perimeter.
Carter Frey – A scrappy guard, Frey always seems to find himself in the middle of the action. He creates steals and transition opportunities, where he’s ultra-aggressive. He’s one of the unsung members of Iowa Elite, but an integral member.
Stock Raiser:
Devonte Thedford – He’s got some varsity experience under his belt, but he’s still developing as a player. One of the best on-ball defenders in the class, Thedford’s long arms and quickness make him a problem for any ball handler.
Iowa Mavericks (IA)
The backcourt is where the strength lies with this group, led by Justin Blackman, Drew Olson, Griffen Clark and Balene Mitchell. Each brings a little something different to the table, with Blackman and Olson the primary scoring threats, and Mitchell a dynamic defender on the wing. Peter Timmeman and Bailey Arwine provide some length on the perimeter, and Cole Eischeid is a nice looking young big man who runs the floor well and blocks shots. This is a balanced group that isn’t going to blow anyone away individually, but they play very good team basketball and should be highly competitive.
Iowa Mavericks Orange (IA)
With a steady hand at point guard in Benton sharpshooter Spencer Touro, and some decent sized bigs in the paint, this should be a team worth keeping an eye on. Half of the guys on the squad come from very successful 4A clubs last season (Linn-Mar, Cedar Falls). Don’t underestimate what practicing against the state’s best players each day may have done for these prospects’ skill-set, and confidence.
Players to Watch:
5’10 PG Spencer Touro (Benton) – A savvy and skilled sharpshooter, Touro was sensational last season as a sophomore for Benton. He is off to a fast start this spring, and will likely turn some heads this weekend with his shot-making ability.
6’4 PF Mitch Gehling (Beckman Catholic) – This kid got some run last season with the Blazers varsity as a sophomore, despite a host of upperclassmen playing ahead of him. He will look to clean up on the glass this weekend for this slightly undersized squad.
6’3 F Clayton Weber (Don Bosco) – Weber will help man the paint all weekend alongside Gehling, and he looks to take the successes of his sophomore season (7.3 points, 6.1 rebounds per game) and parlay that into a strong spring and summer with the Mavs.
Iowa Pump ‘N Run (IA)
This group is led by a pair of scoring guards from Iowa City Regina – Jocoa Kerschen and Zach Seaman. Kerschen is a lights out shooter, while Seaman excels attacking the rim. Logan Hoffman is a nice looking combo forward with the ability to score in the paint or stretching the floor with a solid jumper. He’s an animal on the glass who works hard on every possession.
Minot Heat (Dakotas)
Players To Watch:
Terrell Carter – A 6’2 guard who will be a junior this year. Great floor skills can see the floor can shoot the mid range and the three consistently. Great speed and should be the starter at the point guard at Minot High. He could be a great floor leader at any college.
Peyton Lamoureuc – A 5-ft-11 guard with great speed, reat defender can guard full court good shooter from mid range and three point line. Good passer.
Anthony Vetter – Can score, rebound, pass, great mid range, great post player, good ball handler sees the floor well, and aggressive, started varsity as a sophomore.
Stock Raiser:
Owen Wheeler – Long rangy 6-foot-5 kid. He can use both hands very good with his left hand. Great shooter mid range and three point line. Can handle the ball and good rebounder. Has great defensive stance use arms well.
MN Bulldogs (MN)
Players To Watch:
Blake Charles – Blake is a slashing 3/4 man that gets to the rim and finishes with ease.
Thad Ball – Thad is combo guard that plays both ends of the floor very well.
Stock Raiser:
Jacob Dumas – Jacob is a shooting guard that can fill up a score sheet in a hurry.
MN Eagles 16U (MN)
Players to watch:
Nate Macho Jr. – Has a smooth and deceiving quick first step, giving him the ability to get to the basket, but also can step out and shoot the three. Excellent defender and can guard big or small.
Ely Hendrickson – Most consistent scorer for the Eagles, he is a pure shooter and shoots around 45% from the arch. Has a good handle, is good off the dribble and crafty around the basket.
Zach Korba – Really becoming the workhorse and gets the hustle award for the team. He has led the team in rebounds last seven contests, good defender, slowly becoming an offensive threat and is the Eagles Most Improved Player.
Logan Wangerin – Large framed, 6’7” center has some raw talent that he continues to develop week after week. Logan is coming off a 24-point offensive performance down in Iowa he hopes to build off.
Ethan Thomas – The Eagles’ defensive specialist can guard any 1, 2, or 3 position in the state.
Program notes:
MN Eagles are 8-3 on the season … the Eagles are a balanced team offensively, and any of the kids can lead the team in scoring on any given day … seven of the eight kids are from Apple Valley and one from Burnsville … the core of this team has been together for a long time and play very well together, according to the coach.
MN Fury Antl (MN)
Players To Watch:
Chris Wandling – Chris is one of the more underappreciated lead guards in the 2018 class. Is really good scoring off the first attack dribble, tough, and a nice table setter overall.
Parker Shanks – PEM Bulldog playing with the Fury, Parker is a 6-foot-5 worker that has played many roles for his high school team so he has fit in with a versatile approach.
Stock Raiser:
Drew Wynia – At 6-foot-6 from New Life Academy Drew is getting better with each day. Drew was NLA’s starting big and will be their inside main body next year.
MN Hustle (MN)
Players to watch:
Devon Roberts – Talented 9th grader Devon Roberts playing up on the 16U team (smooth and long)
Carter Baldwin – A big, powerful 4/5 with good hands.
Program notes:
Record to date is 5-5 on the spring, taking one first-place finish … (from the website) “Minnesota Hustle® is a premiere basketball organization serving the Twin Cities and surrounding area communities bringing players and coaches together that are PASSIONATE about the game of basketball. We strive for team success and individual growth and are committed to the development of all boys and girls that have the desire to improve their skills and build their self confidence on the basketball court and in everyday life.”
MN Ice (MN)
Players To Watch:
Peyton Reece – Peyton is a hard working scoring PG. Great ball handling skills and slashes into the lane to get his buckets.
Kevin Yang – Kevin is a big forward that can play 1-4. He is a dominate scorer and has a silky smooth game.
Stock Raiser:
Addonis Miller – Addonis is a raw and young center. Big frame but can move quickly and has great touch around the rim
MN Nice (MN)
Players to watch:
Kaden Koski – Kaden is long at 6-7, has good footwork, crashes the boards & defends well, has a good inside-outside offensive game, has a nice stroke from the field and also shoots the 3-ball well.
Benji Lundberg – Ben is very quick, is a great ball-handler, has a good jumpshot and is also a step-back jumper, Ben also strokes the 3-ball very well and is a good defender with high energy.
Marten Morem – Marten is a good defender, has a knockdown jump shot, shoots the 3-ball well, handles the ball and crashes the boards.
Jerret Utpadel – Jerret is long and has good court vision, shoots well from the field and also plays good defense, plays with energy.
Program notes (from the Nice website):
“Established in 2014, a dedicated group of passionate basketball coaches who believe in making a difference in our youth of tomorrow through family values and hard work. It is the mission of the Mn. Nice Basketball Program to educate and empower today’s youth with confidence, commitment and integrity, so they can live a productive and successful tomorrow.”
MN Powerhouse (MN)
Players To Watch:
Markel Aune – A scorer that packs a big punch Markel has already surpassed a 1,000 points in his varsity career and has helped Powerhouse with his running back like attacks and finishes.
Mitch Plombom – Mitch is a high potential forward that moves well, has very good face-up skill, and has the physical tools that many his age are short on.
Stock Raiser:
Josiah Strong – The Champlin Park guard that grabbed your attention this winter making big shots, Strong is doing the same for Powerhouse Hoops this spring.
MN RISE Peters (MN)
Players to watch:
Damani Hayes – Gifted physically, great rebounder, this is Rise’s game-changer.
Uhana Ochan – Great athlete and defender. Improving ball skills and dangerous on the drive.
Carter Kopet – Three-sport starter for his HS and a natural scorer. Good defense, can shoot it from anywhere, loves to drive coast-to-coast for scores.
Gavin Bates – Great shooter from outside. Getting better as a true PG and is relied on by his HS team for scoring and defense.
Program notes:
Second year of the program … SMBA and MN SLAM combined to create MN RISE … 7-5 record on the year … big wins include D1 MN Prospects, Powerhouse, Comets Little x2, SW Stars.
ND Phenom Bruhn (Dakotas)
Players To Watch:
Jagger Miller – Jagger is a versatile big who is hard working and rebounds at a high rate. Jagger can score inside along with a mid-range jumper.
Luke Kambietz – Luke is a streaky scorer who can get in the lane and finish. Luke can heat up from outside the arch and is a feisty perimeter defender on the defensive end.
Stock Raiser:
Eddie Whitebear – Eddy is a guard who can get by many guards with his crafty handles. Has some touch from the outside and is great at creating for others.
ND Phenom Wiest (Dakotas)
Players To Watch:
Josh Kihle – A strong, well sized big that is movable down low and regularly puts up double-doubles for the Phenom.
Trae Steckler – A 6-foot-4 skilled forward with agility, Trae had a big year at Mandan and is continuing his strong play for the Phenom.
Stock Raiser:
Batholomew Ogbu – A 6-foot-5 forward with a physical edge in frame with some agility. Raw but there are parts of his game starting to become more consistent.
Real Athletics Reno (MN)
Playing better as of late, RA Reno is still looking to hit their full stride this spring. They’ve got Murphy Vossberg (Minnetonka). You may not find a harder worker at the 16U level. He’s got an excellent build and is a well-rounded prospect at the 3 and 4 position. Reno also has Sean Smith, a sleeper from Coon Rapids. Smith is a sleeper, but can easily drop 4+ threes in a game and earn the “SHOOTER” moniker from opposing coaches.
Team Rose (IL)
Lots of upside prospects in the class of 2018 on the Team Rose 16U roster.
Players to Watch:
PG Brandon Hurt – Hurt knows how to utilize his strength to overpower weaker guards defending him. He shows a nice passing feel with drive and kick dishes and vision in transition with long passes for buckets. As a scorer was most effective hitting catch and shoot threes and getting in the lane with his strength.
SG Jayden Gadsby – Gadsby is a physically built 6’4” two guard that has a strong and physical build. He is powerful attacking off the bounce getting in the lane where he finishes in traffic and can also hit a mid-range jumper. Defensively he is solid. Really impresses on the glass. Dominant force on the boards for a guard.
PF Tyree Martin & PF Traevon Martin – The 6’7” power forward duo from Curie are two of the better post prospects in the class of 2018. They are both long and projectable. Run the floor tremendously well and block shots. Rebound well. Upside on the offensive end.
TNE (NE)
Players to Watch:
Sheriff Mitchell, 6-0 G, Omaha Burke – Tough defender who can shoot the three ball. Understands how to manipulate defenses to get the shot he wants.
Janub Char, 6-3 G, Omaha Burke – Long, athletic, scorer with incredible handles. Can make the open three point shot and finishes with electricity above the rim.
Stock Riser:
Tuach Dol, 6-7 G/F, Papillion Lavista South – Goes about his business quietly but shoots from deep and his length allows for him to shoot the mid-range shot over anyone. Still working towards being polished defensively, can definitely erase shots with his 7-3 Wingspan.
Tri-City Thunder (IL)
Tri City Thunder is a program that saw success last summer on the 15U level and are continuing it this spring with their 16U team.
Players to Watch:
PG Zach Ludwig – Ludwig is a crafty 6’1” point guard that plays on the ball mostly. He has great form on his jumper although it can be streaky at time. Crisp ball handler that will surprise you every now and then with an acrobatic and-1 drive. Hits glass well for point guard. Tough as nails lead guard from St. Charles North.
SG Eric Peterson – 6’3” catch and shooting guard from Batavia that excels at spotting up and knocking down perimeter jump shots. Shows some flare for passing as an off guard.
PF Kyle King – The St. Charles North 6’5” four man is a crafty below the rim big that has a thick body. He is a tough area rebounder that hits the offensive glass and plays with a motor. Has a nice right handed hook shot. Small college prospect.
Tri-State Steam (IA)
An up-and-coming program from eastern Iowa, Tri State Steam will be a tough out this weekend in Pool U of the 16U division. Cade Dougherty is a prolific scorer at guard, and Johnny Supple was a starting wing for a class 2A’s state runner-up in March. A solid group of 2018’s — with a couple 2019s sprinkled in — will take the floor for Tri State Steam this weekend.
Players to Watch:
6’ G, Cade Daugherty (Bellevue) – A prolific scorer from Bellevue Catholic, Daugherty led his high school team last season as a sophomore averaging 13.9 points per game.
6’3 G Johnny Supple (Cascade) – A rangy wing with winning pedigree. His high school team has been to the state tournament three straight years, and he started last season as a sophomore while averaging 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
5’11 G Harris Hoffman (Cascade) – Played substantial minutes as freshmen on previously mentioned Cascade team which qualified for the state tournament. A sharpshooting guard with tremendous poise for a freshman.
Twin Ports Pride Davis (MN)
TP Davis has been competitive in 16U competition this spring despite being led by three 2019 guys. Brett Bauer (Proctor), Cameron Burger (Esko), Caleb Rock (Duluth east) all got significant varsity time last season as freshmen. Partially because of their youth, they’re not a big team but strong getting out in transition and playing fast.
Twin Ports Pride Deadrick (MN)
TP Deadrick had a rough start to the year but they’re making strides with each week. According to Twin Ports program director Paul Eberhardt, they’ve made more improvements than any Twin Ports team this spring.
WOTN McDonald (MN)
We love it when guys bring their chemistry from the winter into the spring and summer and Mason Heath and Collin Hartle are doing that for WOTN McDonald. Both were just role players for the Huskies last winter but they’re go-to guys for WOTN this spring and they’ll likely take on larger roles next varsity season as well. They play hard and are an easy group to root for.
WOTN Wold (MN)
Joe Jackson (Fairbault) is the top guard for WOTN and paired with Max Bolger (Eastview), the two make a nice perimeter duo. Bolger has excellent size and a great frame for a guy with well-rounded, polished scoring skills on the perimeter.