Top 250 Expo: Some more scrimmage standouts
The Top 250 Expo in Minneapolis was loaded with talented players at every position. We saw some high-enders like McKinley Wright, Goanar Mar and Ishmael El-Amin and they were impressive, but there were also a number of others who impressed in the scrimmages that should start garnering either first looks, second looks or longer looks from college coaches.
Ryan has been pretty thorough in his evaluation of different guys that looked good in the scrimmages and players who boosted their stocks, so it’s nearly impossible not to recycle some names, but here were some guys that looked really impressive in the scrimmages that deserve another mention.
Keep in mind that at an event like this, there is almost no chemistry right away and after a while, it starts to look like NBA summer league basketball. It’s pick-up ball and teams aren’t running offensive sets or playing connected defense.
So when trying to evaluate players, I tried to watch for players showcasing translatable skills. How did guys move without the ball? Did guys just stand around or were they cutting? Did guys work hard on defense? Did they talk? I’ve passed the general quota for questions before getting to the point so here we go:
Guards:
Matt Carik (Rogers, 2017) — Carik stood out in a big way Saturday, impressing coaches at the event and college coaches in attendance. He made an appearance on the “More Senior Standouts” list found here: https://prephoops.com/2016/09/top-250-expo-senior-standouts/
Carik has good size for a point guard and used that to his advantage, not only showcasing the ability to finish around the basket over height but also on the defensive end where he was a terror in the passing lanes and on the ball. He looks the part of a really solid lead guard and his heady presence should make him very desirable for a number of Division III programs.
Cole Andersen (Lakeville North, 2018) — In an event where it can be difficult to get into a rhythm if you don’t have the ball in your hands, Andersen stood out at moments with his ability to play effectively off the ball. The first thought that came to mind regarding Andersen was “sniper” as he’s got range to the NBA 3-point line. At 6-foot-3, Andersen has solid size for a shooting guard and while it might be difficult to know if guys are just gambling a lot or if they have good defensive instincts, Andersen was continually in good position defensively, either providing quality help-and-recover defense or helping force turnovers.
Colton Codute (Orono, 2018) — Codute is a waterbug of a point guard, showing off excellent quickness and burst to get pretty much wherever he wanted on the floor. At 5-foot-8, Codute is going to have to be creative when finishing in the lane and he showed he’s got a number of tricks up his sleeve, showcasing a pretty floater on several occasions, a nice pull-up jumper and a variety of fakes. His height may hurt him but he’s got a strong frame which allows him to play well through contact and harass opposing ball-handlers.
Valentino Grasiuso (Alexandria, 2017) — On a day where play could be described as “organized chaos” Grasiuso was almost always in complete control. He looked very comfortable handling the ball in a crowd, oftentimes probing the lane in two-man game actions, patiently either waiting for his roll man to get open, for help to come for a kick out or for his own shot to open up inside. He showed a good looking outside stroke and used his body to shield defenders well. It seems rather elementary but Grasiuso just seems to know how to play. It’s looking like he won’t be able to play this upcoming winter at Alexandria, which is a shame. That’s going to cause him to fly under the radar, and he’s going to make some college coach very happy if he does ultimately go somewhere.
Wings:
Hunter McCalla (Becker, 2017) — McCalla never really dominated a game the way some of the other guards did, but he was quietly very solid. He’s a jack-of-all-trades type of player at Becker and that’s the type of player he’ll likely be in college. He’s got the ability to play on or off the ball and he showed that over the weekend, making plays in transition, knocking down perimeter shots and showing off impressive court awareness. At 6-foot-4 he’s got position flexibility as a college player and he can guard three positions effectively. It’s easy to force things in showcase events in an effort to stand out more. McCalla didn’t do that; rather he blended in, which in turn made him stand out.
CJ Woda (Heritage Christian, 2017) — It didn’t take long for Woda to stand out, showing off a combination of impressive shooting range, smooth handles and impressive court vision packed into a 6-foot-5 frame. He looks like he could play tight end in college if he wanted to as he’s got an impressive frame and smooth athleticism. Woda’s outside shooting stroke was on display early and often and he showed he could use it effectively in spot-up situations or as a primary ball-handler.
Bigs:
Kevin Totusek (Apple Valley, 2017) — The thing that really stood out with Totusek — aside from his physical profile — was that he ran the floor better than any big in the event. That’s something college coaches will notice. He’s got the mobility to defend in ball-screen actions and get out to pop guys while also having the strength and size to control the paint. He set good screens and was active on the glass, so while he didn’t score a lot of points, his energy and effort level, combined with his size and athleticism was something that allowed him to really stand out.
Eli Lunde (Wabasso, 2017) — One of the best qualities a big man can have is their activity level. Lunde is an incredibly active player who’s got a relentless motor. At 6-foot-4, Lunde isn’t the tallest or the longest player but he’s strong and sturdy and always around the ball. He showed an impressive ability to finish over length and rebounded really well in and out of his area. Another valuable but underrated quality of a good big man is his hands. Lunde showed off strong hands and the ability to catch and finish effectively in traffic or on the offensive glass. That motor wasn’t one-sided either as Lunde was very good as a help defender, contesting shots in the paint and meeting slashers early.