Alex’s 2018/2019 Expo Notes
Alex Battist, Maple Grove — This 6-foot-6 senior has risen so quickly in my eyes. From sitting on the varsity bench last year to making a strong AAU showing and now excelling at the expo, Battist continues to prove himself. When needed, he brought the ball up and pulled up to hit from midrange, two things that were new to me. He also finished at a high rate around the rim and continued dunking on kids. Oh, and he just got his ACT back… it’s a 35. I see him as a priority prospect for D3s, a no-brainer for NAIAs and worth a look at D2.
Hayden Johnson, Burnsville — Versatile 6-foot-2 wing who struck me with his burst and good court vision. Not afraid to get to the hoop. Really impressive and-one where he fought through contact.
Camden Arndt, Morris Area — Just a 2019, I like this kid already. He was very fundamental and methodical with his approach, finding open looks and finishing with a good shooting stroke. He had an up-and-under finish that wowed me with his footwork.
Joey Ganley, Breck — Ganley is a lanky 6-foot-3 wing who should pair nicely with fellow Mustang junior David Roddy. I liked the way he finished comfortably and confidently.
Kenneth Riley, Jr., Stewartville — Good old Stewartville, my old rival and a quickly growing community outside of Rochester. Ken impressed me as a junior kid who I had no idea about going in, but he impressed me with his ball confidence and ability in transition. He drilled a stepback 3 when I was watching that was very smooth.
I love this photo of Raspberry.Isaak Raspberry, Eastview — Very nice kid who attended the school I work at for one year, and I’ve kept track of him since he always showed potential. He competed hard at the expo and showed some lead guard skills and ball intelligence. I see him as a nice piece for Eastview these next two years.
Austin Jentzen, St. Michael-Albertville — Jentzen was one of the bigger kids there at 6-foot-7 and fairly strong. I kept my eyes on him, and he kept finishing efficiently with the ball high. Potentially a 2019 kid to watch as he improves, because I think he’s got some talent.
Tommy Chatman, Park Center — Tommy is a quick and mobile threat to score. He was crafty at the rim and always looking ahead to push the pace. One more effective player for Park Center, whose roster looks almost scary deep.
Jake Reeck, Winona — No, this isn’t my Winona bias showing! Reeck earned his spot on this list by simply hitting shots and producing for his squad.
Tyler Kemp, New Prague — Kemp will push the New Prague program forward with his versatile skill and size. At 6-foot-5, he glided around the court and handled the ball smoothly. Defensively, he boxed out and ran out quickly, sparking breaks. He is definitely one to watch as he goes through junior year and primes for a potentially really nice 2018 spring/summer.
Barnabas Preble, Concordia Academy — First of all, Barnabas is a cool name. Secondly, I liked how Preble controlled the ball and used a combination of floaters and jumpshots to get buckets around the paint. He had confidence and, like most on this list, has a lot of basketball ahead of him as a junior.
Rayquan Valentin, Hopkins — I was warned before the expo that Rayquan had a lot of bounce, and my sources were correct. He’s a 6-foot-2 wing who loves to propel himself to the rim with the intent to score. He has a ton of athletic potential, and I could see him developing into a piece for the Hopkins rotation if he continues to round out his game.
Phillip Dromgoole, St. Cloud Apollo — Phillip is a crafty guard who isn’t afraid to be vocal on the court. I liked his ball skills and think he could be a fit at something like an MCAC. One to watch in the St. Cloud area as he will lead Apollo during his senior year.