Top 250 Expo: Standout Bigs of the Skill Sessions
Our NHR analysts Ryan James and Matt Bigelow run down the big men that stood out during the skill session during last Saturday’s Top 250 Expo in Minneapolis.
Jordan Belka (Rogers, 6-6, 2018) – This Rogers center has a motor that runs hot all the time. Combines impressive length with fluidity for a 6-foot-7 kid and worked as hard as anybody during the defensive drills. Impressive skillset in the post, combining advanced footwork with a soft touch.
Cooper Conklin (Chanhassen, 6-5, 2017). The Storm senior came into this event unknown and when the skills drills started with Cooper hitting jumpers, showing quick feet and good footwork in post drills, and moving laterally on defense, all coaches and scouts searched for his name on the list.
Kaden Koski (Byron, 6-8. 2018). Koski is a physical big who has added some good weight and he played hard and was aggressive in the drills. Moved well setting screens and rolling off, went after boards, ran the floor well.
Ty Miklowski (Burnsville, 6-5, 2018). Ty is a promising athlete with great length that has broad shoulders and within the lateral drills, the halfcourt basketball competition, and the rest of the skill sessions everybody got a look at how many things he is capable of going forward.
Andrew Niebuhr (Jordan, 6-9, 2018). Niebuhr has definitely grown more comfortable with the long frame he has. Looked more agile in the drills especially moving block to block, and showing off his footwork in the low post work.
Devon Schultz (Sibley East, 6-10, 20187) – The Sibley East center is a mammoth of a man but showed off some nimble footwork in attack drills and in individual defensive drills. He moved really well in individual defensive drills, staying in front of guards and wings with regularity and forcing long jump shots.
JJ Strumbel (Rockford, 6-5. 2018) – The Rockford post player has good post moves and a solid stance inside, establishing a good base on the block even in drills. Fluid shooting stroke from the outside that looks promising. Hard worker on defense, maintaining a good stance throughout the drill sessions.
Matt Thuok (St. Cloud Apollo, 6-5, 2017) – The St. Cloud Apollo big man showed natural footwork on the block and smooth one and two-dribble attack moves from the mid and low post areas. Length allows him to make up ground as a defender and showed he’s got the range to contest shots inside and at the arc.
Kevin Totusek (Apple Valley, 6-8, 2018). The broad shouldered Eagle big man moved much better around the basket than we expected drop stepping and finishing at the rim as well as one dribble attacking to the rim. Kevin was quicker laterally and quicker off his feet than we knew.
Lamarr Wood (Mpls Patrick Henry, 6-7, 2017) – The Patrick Henry big is really long and extremely explosive. Quickness and suddenness stands out in drills and it translated to scrimmages on defense and on the glass. Good looking outside stroke in drills, comfortably shooting the ball out to the 3-point line.