Battle At The Lakes: Top Intangibles (15U)
Yet another trip down Highway 212 for the Prep Hoops Battle At The Lakes tournament this weekend, located in the south and west metro, plus some Minneapolis venues. I went down to Chanhassen for the 15U play on Saturday and Sunday, evaluating some of the top 2020 talent in the Midwest. Here are the guys who showed grit, hustle, unselfishness and the will to win on Saturday and Sunday.
Sam Kilburg (SG, 6-1, Iowa Barnstormers)
Kilburg is a stocky, defensive-minded perimeter player that you wouldn’t expect to be a starter on arguably the best grassroots team in the state. He beats his man to spots in order to cut off driving lanes, sneakily grabs offensive boards thanks to good positioning, and takes charges. Who takes charges in AAU ball?! Kilburg was the glue in the Barnstormers’ run to a BatL 15U National Division title.
Ben Kallman (G, 5-11, MN Fury Kline)
The off guard is a Chaska product, brother of Hawks stud Andrew Kallman, and his shooting stroke proves their relation. He knocked out a couple treys in their game Saturday morning against Chicago Demons and was excellent in his on-ball defense of the athletic Demons backcourt. Grabbed three steals in that contest and was physical all game.
Tyler Hiatt (PF, 6-4, Sanford Pentagon)
I purely enjoyed watching Hiatt bang around inside. He’s 6-4 and probably a solid 230, with nimble feet and great touch around the basket. He’s one of those players who always somehow finds himself near the ball. He’s immovable in the post and stepped out for a trey in the quarterfinal as well. Hiatt’s offensive rebounding kept his Pentagon team in contention and was extremely important in their win over a highly-touted Greenwood Elite team.
Cole Dakovich (PF, 6-4, Wisconsin Shooters)
Dakovich showed some point forward ability this weekend, the biggest and strongest player on the floor weaving his way through the defense for reverse layups and power baskets. He soared for defensive boards and went coast-to-coast multiple times. Really like his build and how easy he made post work look. He was very unselfish when spearheading the Shooters attack.
Kendale Anderson (F, 6-2, Young & Reckless)
Another physical frontcourt player, Anderson is strong beyond his years. Toned and ripped already, he out-athleted the opponents for boards on both ends and displayed shot-blocking ability even at just 6-2. His attitude was what caught my eye; he was never phased by a call and gave maximum effort on every play.