The Howard Pulley Invitational Preview
The tournament that has been around as long as any is the Howard Pulley Invitational. There are familiar names once again taking part in this year’s event out in Maple Grove.
17U. This is an eight team field that will play four pool play games (one Friday and three on Saturday) and those pool play games will be the three teams in their field followed by a cross-pool opponent. Teams will then be placed in eight team bracket play on Sunday. Here are your eight teams:
Pool A
Howard Pulley: The Panthers are 13-10 on the season (4-8 in EYBL play, 9-2 in other events) and led by the 15.2 points and 7.3 rebounds a game from David Roddy (EYBL stats). Roddy is shooting 49 percent from the field, making two-thirds his foul shots, and just over a quarter of his threes. 2020 guard Blaise Beauchamp is scoring 13 points a game shooting nearly 37 percent from the arc (3/4 his shots come at the arc). Courtney Brown Jr is scoring 11.2 points per game with 4.8 rebounds shooting 46 percent from the floor, Lu’Cye Patterson is scoring 7.5 a game with a team high 3.1 assists a contest shooting 35 percent, and then Bennett Otto, Jaeden King, Nobal Days, and Antwan Kimmons each score two baskets a contest on average. Roddy is the main prospect here having built up offers from Northern Iowa, Colorado State, Saint Louis, and others.
Grassroots Sizzle: We aren’t sure if this is going to be the Under Armour full team that is 11-7 this year overall (4-4 in UAA play), the UAA team plus the big surprise we have heard about, a partial team, or a few top guys playing with the second Grassroots squad that plays locally. The 2020/2021 guys from Sizzle Nation (Jalen Suggs, Dani Dainja, Chet Holmgren, Kaden Johson, Wyatt Schroeder) played 16u last weekend and we know that the Sizzle UAA squad is playing a couple games in the event they are hosting next weekend. As far as this weekend though, stay tuned.
TC Pirates: The Pirates are 8-6 on the year after three events and is ranked 11th in the state. Tommy Chatman Jr and Khari Broadway lead at guard, Ray Mitchell and DJ Pollard are the 2018s on the team, and forwards Carter Henry and Karsten Broadley are the scholarship potential guys. Chatman was outstanding at the Battle at the Lakes last weekend looking like a top 15 level player prospect in the state.
Minnesota Suns: Have not seen the Suns listed in more than one event this year so we aren’t sure what they will have.
Pool B
KC Run GMC: Run GMC has been a regular in this event every year that I can recall attending it even before I started writing about high school hoops (that was 2004). KC Run GMC is struggling in UAA at 2-6 but they did just win the Jayhawk Invitational two weeks ago including a 68-56 win over Howard Pulley. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is their top guy at 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds as a nationally ranked top 25 player. Robinson-Earl has offers from Kansas, Arizona, North Carolina, Louisville, and UCLA to name a few. Next to Robinson-Earl has always been 6-foot-4 shooting guard Zach Harvey who is a top 40 level player offered by Kansas, UCLA, Oregon, Ohio State, Creighton, and many others. Noah Butler and Joshua Earley are two more talented players on this team.
All Iowa Attack: The Attack are making a second straight weekend trip to the Twin Cities. The Attack had an excellent showing in the strong field of the Battle at the Lakes making the Final Four before running into the fourth ranked team in the nation D1 Minnesota (79-57 loss). Iowa State offered Issa Samake and guard Collin Lister played very well last weekend and when you add in Conner Hill and Nebraska talents Jay Pal and Thomas Faber you have a solid team.
43 Hoops: This will be the fourth event for 43 Hoops although one of those events was shortened by the snow dumping the Twin Cities received in April (43 Hoops lost to Team Get Shook 16u) and then the Spring Jam was canceled. From there 43 Hoops had a solid showing in the Meg Vang Invitational improving their record to 5-5 on the year. 43 Hoops is the 15th ranked 17u team in Minnesota.
Super Seniors: Last year this team was a bunch of very talented players from the senior class that I believe included Brad Davison, McKinley Wright, and others. We imagine that once again this team will have very good players from the 2018 group that have already signed to play elsewhere.
16U. The 16U field is five of the same programs (Howard Pulley, MN Suns, Run GMC, Grassroots Sizzle, All Iowa Attack) plus Mpls FAB, Minnesota Phenom, and Team Get Shook. The KC Run GMC team is struggling at 1-7 in UAA play but has a nice player in Jackie Johnson. All Iowa Attack was beaten last weekend in the second round of the Field of 64 Battle at the Lakes but bounced back to win three straight and earn the Silver Division bracket championship.
As far as the six Minnesota teams go five of the six are ranked squads. Howard Pulley is ranked 4th in Minnesota with a 9-6 record led by two future high major prospects: 2021 Kendall Brown and 2022 Trejuan Holloman. Ninth ranked Team Get Shook (12-9) is back at the Pulley Invite led by Juwan Grant of Champlin Park and 11th ranked Minnesota Phenom (13-10) is also playing in the Pulley Invite again. #15 Minneapolis FAB (12-6), 25th ranked Grassroots Sizzle Ewald (10-6), and the Minnesota Suns (7-7) fill out the rest of the eight team 16u grouping.
15U. The 15u division has four pools (three have four, one has three) and is the biggest division in this tournament. #4 Howard Pulley (14-4), #11 Howard Pulley Maxey (12-9), #15 Grassroots Jett (10-7), Team Get Shook (6-10), Minnesota Phenom (3-5), Hustle Hard (3-10), TC Pirates, Mpls FAB, and the Minnesota Suns are the local 15u squads. From the 14u level you have Team Tyus and Pulley 14s, of course the All Iowa Attack and KC Run GMC are playing, and then you have Power Group and The Academy which are teams we don’t know.