STATE TOURNAMENT: Wednesday’s 10 Who Impressed
Corvon Seales (North Scott)
6’3 G, 2018
The Minnesota State (Mankato)-bound guard was in attack mode throughout and was going at future Indiana State power forward Blake Brinkmeyer without fear, and finishing through him on occasion. Seales also showcased his ability to shoot the deep ball. He’s got a good-looking shot, and although his deep jumper isn’t a strength of his, he’s definitely a capable outside threat. With his length and ability to attack the hoop, it looks as though he might make an immediate impact at the D2 level next season.
Blake Brinkmeyer (Valley)
6’8 PF, 2018
On such a well-balanced team like Valley, there’s really never one guy that ever emphatically stands out. Well, Brinkmeyer came close to doing that today, and it was two impressive jams that did the trick. His first was from a Valley miss, when he used his immense length to corral the ricochet and slam in a putback jam. The second was quite literally a hoop-rattling alley-oop. That one to put an exclamation point on a Valley W, with 20 seconds left in the game. Brinkmeyer also had a baby-hook, and a couple straight-line drives to the hoop. When he’s engaged and at his best, he’s very fun to watch.
AJ Green (Cedar Falls)
6’3 PG, 2018
It was a flurry in the first quarter which showcased what we’ve come to know and enjoy about AJ Green. He had recently, and very uncharacteristicly, air-balled a 3-attempt. Well, the Sioux City East students were unwisely letting him know about it with an “air-ball” chant the next time Cedar Falls had the ball. Green quickly popped in a 3 off the bounce before the chant could get any legs. The next time down, he took his much smaller defender off the bounce and rained in another 3. The next time down, without hesitation he pulled up from 32-feet, splash. That flurry essentially put the Black Raiders away. This one was a blowout. Green finished with a game-high 28 points. He’s the best player left in the field.
Logan Wolf (Cedar Falls)
6’4 SF, 2019
After a very strong 16U summer with the Iowa Barnstormers, Logan Wolf got bumped up in our latest 2019 prospect rankings. It appears we might have to give him another boost. Wolf was sensational while playing second-fiddle to Green. He scored 17 points on 8-12 shooting, dished out a team-high six assists and pulled down six rebounds. When Green is off doing his thing at UNI next season, the Tigers will be in good hands with Wolf running the show.
Ryan Miller (North Linn)
5’10 G, 2018
The Lynx’s leading scorer this season was on point in their semifinal beat-down of Don Bosco. He scored 25 points and was very efficient in doing so, connecting on nine of his 13 field goal attempts. He also was the catalyst defensively gor the Lynx, swiping five steals in the blowout win. Amazingly, North Linn has 16 steals in the game; that might have to be among the all-time best single-game performances at the state tournament.
Jake Hilmer (North Linn)
5’10 G, North Linn
Ryan Miller’s 25 points and five steals wasn’t even the best stat-line on his team. Jake Hilmer owned that honor, with his team-high 29 points on 10-16 shooting, five assists and four steals. His offense is great, but his ability to straight up take the ball away from his opponent is special. A lot of guys get their steals by anticipating passes and jumping passing lanes, Hilmer just reached his arms out and takes it away from a dribbling opponent. He’s got long arms, cat-like quickness and impeccable hand-eye coordination. Few do basketball better than Hilmer. Drake coach Niko Medved has been here keeping a close eye on him all week.
Issa Samake (Grand View Christian)
6’7 F, 2019
When Samake jumped up to slam home an alley-oop pass from Mach Nyaw with 44 seconds left in the first half, his head was at rim-level. He jumped high to get the alley-oop, then got an extra burst while in the air to get higher; it’s like he jumped again while he was in the air. Samake is without a doubt the most athletic player at the state tournament. But it’s not just his leaping ability that was on display today during Grand View Christian’s dramatic come-from-behind win over St. Mary’s. He posted a nice stat-line of 13 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks and three steals. Most impressive is his 10 offensive rebounds. He did so without playing most of the fourth quarter; he fouled out with 5:10 to go.
Jack Stogdill (Treynor)
6’2 SG, 2020
He was nearly perfect from the floor, and he was perfect from deep, canning all four of his 3-point tries en route to 20 points in a semifinal win for the Cardinals. Just a sophomore, Stogdill played smart, patient basketball, and was also adept in other factors of the game, dishing out four assists and pulling down six rebounds. He’s the future of Treynor hoops, and regardless of what happens Friday in the 2A title game, Stogdill has landed firmly on our radar.
Carter Cuvelier (Aplington-Parkersburg)
6’5 SF, 2019
A big, bruising wing, Cuvelier can do a little bit of everything for A-P, and that’s just what he did in this one. He scored 30 points in the loss, and was the biggest part of his team’s substantial comeback in the third and fourth quarters. A-P trailed by as much as 18 before cutting the deficit to three for a brief time in the fourth quarter. Cuvelier started the fourth quarter with a bruising bucket plus foul in the lane, then put in a 3-ball the next time down. Those six points in less than a minute encapsulated his game; a big-bodied, agile wing who can shoot it.
Haris Hoffman (Cascade)
6’1 G/F, 2018
It was his 14 third quarter points that really did in Sheldon during a shellacking of the Orabs in a 2A semifinal. Coming into the game, we thought Sheldon was maybe the favorite, but that was very wrong. Hoffman led the charge for the position-less Cougars, scoring 23 points total while also leading the team in rebounds and swiping two steals. He was the everything man for the Cougars, and that kind of epitomizes that team. Everyone can do everything.