The First Five: Pentagon National Team
The Pentagon National Team improved to 12-2 on the season with four wins in the Twin Cities and a quarterfinal finish. Here is our latest “First Five”.
Dylan LeBrun. The 6-foot-6 Flandreau talent earned an early offer from Augustana and was one of the reasons that PHD saw Southwest Minnesota State, U of Mary, Minot State, Northern State, and U of Sioux Falls in the crowd watching this team play every game.
At 6-foot-6 Dylan is coming off a 22.5 point, 8.5 rebound, five assist, and 1.4 steal per game season playing several roles for his high school squad. This spring? Dylan has been solid this spring but this weekend he was more consistent. LeBrun rebounded out of his area, shot the ball well at the arc, and finished his attacks in impressive ways.
LeBrun has the length and agility to be a scholarship small forward. That is clear. He handles well, moves his feet well laterally, is explosive off the ground, and has a long frame for a wing.
Can he shoot it at a high level? Free throws aren’t an issue, he made 86 percent of them this year. Finish at the rim? No problems there. Has the agility and touch to score on the move over contesting arms. At the arc? Shot 35 percent from three point territory this winter and this weekend in our three Prep Hoops viewings the stroke looked pure.
The level of play that is best for Dylan LeBrun is our debate. Surely he’s a guy that all NSICs that think he would travel to their area should have a look. We think Dylan is a definite top level NSIC guy. Division one? Tough call. Has the size, agility has to be close or there, skills are pretty good too. Likely needs to be more consistent week to week and continue to shoot well at the arc. More performances like this weekend will help. Surely a top NSIC guy is our current thought.
Dillon Barrow. Our viewing past and present of Dillon Barrow on the AAU circuit have always been quality. The views of our sources watching Barrow are similar. The common thought is that Dillon performs better at the AAU level than at the high school level but he did a nice job leading his team down the stretch this winter.
At 6-foot-1 or 6-foot-2 with strength in the backcourt and a strong first step off separation, reversals, or off ball screens Dillon does a magnificent job of getting to the lane to playmake for his team. His separation moves continue to improve as defenders have a hard time keeping him in front. If Barrow can continue to improve his shooting touch and have a strong senior season at Lincoln good things should definitely come.
Zach Heins. With football offers from USD and SDSU so far the thought of a basketball future likely ends after the winter season but Heins is a guy that is going to help SF Washington have a strong winter.
There are two things we really enjoyed about Zach this weekend: 1) he is a fantastic passer out of the high post and moving the ball after he steps out to the perimeter, and 2) this is one of the hardest working bigs we’ve seen. Zach rebounds the ball very well and did a great job defending some quality posts. The player from the Lightning will be a scholarship player and Zach held him to 2 of 11 shooting. The Minnesota Eagles big made of 1 of 10 shots and Zach was a key part of that as well.
Cole Bergan. At 6-foot-7 Cole has the size to be a power forward in the Summit , he’s filled out more, and Bergan moves his feet better laterally than I expected. We’ve seen Cole provide the face-up skill out of the post and out to the arc too but this weekend Cole gave the Battle at the Lakes viewers (college coaches, scouts, writers, fans, etc) a look at what he can do on the glass. Three Pentagon games were watched by Prep Hoops writers and Cole had 29 rebounds in those three games including a 14 point, 14 rebound performance. If he boards like that, moves his feet like he has been, continues to face-up and hit shots, North Dakota State and the NSICs may be joined by others this summer.
The Fifth. Tough to pick up that fifth player for this as there are other items to speak of. Gus Reede didn’t have great shooting games Saturday and then exploded Sunday including five three point makes in one half…. Lincoln Jorde is every bit of 6-foot-9 and tough to score over. Ask the players from the Lightning and Eagles who couldn’t complete over his length…And Diang Gatlauk. Slashed for nine in the final game showing off the potential as a long and agile wing. The 6-foot-5 wing needs time to grow and then he could be very good. Still a raw prospect but with time he could be very good.