Intriguing Prospects: South Hamilton vs. North Polk
I took in the South Hamilton vs. North Polk game on Tuesday night and the score was not a good indicator of how close the game actually was. South Hamilton took a 70-53 win but North Polk was within striking distance all night long. There were some really intriguing players on the floor, take a look at the eight players that I liked the most below.
North Polk
Cameron Markert – 6’2 SG – 2019
**10 points, 3 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks**
Markert is the primary ball handler on this North Polk squad, but I think that he will be off the ball at the next level. Kind of a guy who plays without regard and gets sloppy with the ball just a bit. He can really do a lot of different things with the ball and is someone who is solid all around. I think he just needs to clean it up just a bit. Should be really good at the next level with a bit of refinement.
Braden Hoksbergen – 5’11 SG – 2019
**16 points, 6 rebounds**
Hoksbergen was draining it from deep in this one. He hit four 3-pointers in the game and was the guy who kind of kept them in it. He’s got a solid frame and can really fill it up from deep. Solid rebounder from his guard spot and he plays with a really solid motor. I really would have liked to see him go to the basket harder in this game.
Sam Carstensen – 6’5 PF – 2019
**10 points, 5 rebounds**
Carstensen played pretty good in this one and showed me that he can do a lot of different things with the ball. He scored 10 points and made all of those at the rim. Solid rebounder who can high point the ball in the air. Needs to do a bit better job of reading the ball off of the rim and getting into position for the rebounds.
Jevin Sullivan – 5’11 SG – 2022
**10 points**
Sullivan is a freshman who is a high energy player and can come in and knock down shots. Pretty long and that allows him to play solid defense on the ball. Needs to add a bit of strength and quickness but once he gets that strength, he could be pretty special. He hit two 3-pointers in the game and played good minutes off of the bench.
South Hamilton
Cole Berg – 6’1 SG – 2019
**16 points, 10 rebounds**
Berg was the best player in this game on either team. He was a threat to score all night long and consistently crashed the boards really tough. Berg was a guy who had the ability to change the game, and he did just that. He had two critical offensive boards that led to points and then he also was able to finish those. Very solid performance in this one.
Conner Hill – 6′ SG – 2019
**18 points, 6 rebounds**
Hill is a really solid off ball guard and can get hot in a hurry. He had a quiet 18 points this evening as he pace all the scorers in the game. Had those 18 points in various ways via pull-ups, catch-and-shoot, floaters, etc. You name it, and Hill was probably looking to get it done. Really solid scorer who will be able to translate it to the next level. Committed to Morningside.
Logan Peters – 6’2 SG – 2019
**9 points, 3 assists**
Peters is a really strong two guard who might end up playing the three spot at the next level due to his toughness and physicality. He is a guy who can step out and shoot it but is best at cutting and getting to the rim for easy looks. Really solid court vision allows him to be able to control the ball well. Really liked the effort he put forth as well.
Cade Balvanz – 6’5 PF – 2020
**15 points, 7 rebounds**
I think Balvanz is just a little raw still, but that being said I think he is quickly going to get a lot better and be a sought after big man in this 2020 class for the schools in the state. Fluid with the ball and he has the ability to score at the rim well. Good rebounder who looks to outlet it quickly. Needs a little work on the jumper but once he has a capable mid-range game he could be pretty tough to stop.