Battle at the Lakes: Saturday Morning Edina Standouts
Gabe Madsen, 6’6 G (Wisconsin Playground Warriors 16U)
He’s got offers from Northern Iowa, Marquette and Green Bay, and could have a slew of others before his summer is done. Currently Minnesota’s 4th-ranked 2020 prospect, Madsen is able to score in bunches and do so from anywhere on the floor. He’s athletic enough to slash and attack the rim, and his quick-release jumper is pure. Big, athletic and skilled, this kid could blow up soon.
Bowen Born, 5’10 PG (Iowa Barnstormers 16U)
It’s amazing what this kid can do at his generously listed height of 5’10. He was dominant today against a very athletic Team RWA unit. Born started the game red-hot, canning triples and scoring at the rim while notching 11 points in the first 4 minutes of the game. Each maneuver is well-calculated, and when he’s not scoring in droves he’s moving the ball exactly where it needs to be. Northern Iowa recently offered, others may jump on board soon.
Malik Allen, 5’9 PG (Beyond Ball 24K 15U)
It was an impressive outing for this Des Moines North freshman, who is the catalyst and main playmaker for his Beyond Ball squad. Allen was a role player off the bench for the Polar Bears last season as a freshman, but is the main-main on his AAU squad. He’s getting more fluid and smooth with his game, and his ball-handling skills are improving, too. He’s an athlete, who can sky for boards from the guard spot. Defensively, he can be pest. Allen seems to be patterning his game after 2019 Polar Bears standout, Tyreke Locure. And that’s not a bad thing.
Marcus Morgan, 6’3 G (Iowa Barnstormers 15U)
Perhaps his stock has risen more than any other Iowa player so far this weekend. Morgan looked like the best player on the ‘Stormers 15U unit, and certainly looks to be a top-5 player in Iowa’s 2021 class. He’s a big guard who can play the one or two spot. His high-arching 3-ball is precise, and he’s able to take his man off the bounce and convert tough buckets. Older brother Jeremy starred at UNI for four years, Marcus seems to be headed down that same path.
Jaren Marshall, 6′ G (Team Factory 15U)
A sniper, Marshall canned five 3-balls in his team’s win over Iowa Barnstormers; he might not have missed one. A quick and athletic combo-guard, Marshall was flashing some tight handles, and some flare that way, but the Omaha Burke freshman certainly makes his biggest impact from downtown.
Jonathan Davis, 6’5 G (Wisconsin Playground Warriors 16U)
An impressive wing with some serious lift, Davis threw down the nastiest dunk I’ve seen so far this spring against Old Gold (IL). A one-hand rim-shaker from a standstill — he got way up. Davis is a slasher first and foremost, and certainly one of the more athletic kids in the country. He’s got a Wisconsin offer, in addition to UNLV and Green Bay. Davis plays with a fire in his belly, and showed some serious competitive juices. Those that he harnessed for his one-hand monster smash.
Treyton Zastrow, 6′ SG (Wisconsin Playground Warriors 16U)
A pure shooter who seldom misses his mark. Zastrow is the smallest guy on his Playgorund Warriors team, but made the biggest mark in the scoring column against Old Gold. He canned five 3-balls in that one, and put in a nice mid-range, too, to give him a team-high 17 points in that win. If left open, he will almost certainly make the opponent pay. And every team can use a sniper like that.
Darius Burford, 6′ G (Team RWA 16U)
His team fell victim to a red-hot Barnstormers squad, but Burford certainly did what he could in the loss. The supremely quick and athletic lead guard scored a game-high 23 points in the L; and a rarity these days, all of the points came inside the arc. He’s quick enough to blow-by his defender and skilled enough to rise up and hit a mid-range. Scoring at the rim is his best strength, that’s where most of his points occurred.