Twin Cities Week In Review: Week 11
Once against the Twin Cities were ravaged with nasty cold and rough snows, in typical Minnesota fashion, causing even more games to be cancelled. This weather caused the quantity of games to decrease, but the quality is only increasing as…
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Continue ReadingOnce against the Twin Cities were ravaged with nasty cold and rough snows, in typical Minnesota fashion, causing even more games to be cancelled. This weather caused the quantity of games to decrease, but the quality is only increasing as teams approach the final stretch of the season, with most playing at their highest level to date. Prep Hoops runs through the players and teams who played at a high level last week from throughout the Twin Cities area.
Players of the Week
Zaveon Smith (6’1 2020 G, St. Paul Washington)- Though Washington isn’t having a very successful season as a team, Zaveon Smith dominated offensively last week and helped his squad pick up their first conference win of the year. A quick and shifty point guard, Zaveon scored 33 points early in the week in a loss to Como Park. He followed that up the very next night with 32 points to lead his team to a win over St. Paul Humboldt. He scored in a variety of ways, but most impressive was his deep shooting range both off the catch and off the dribble. His quickness in getting to the lane opens up more scoring opportunities for himself as more of a scoring style guard. Averaging 21.3 ppg this season, Zaveon is quietly having one of the most productive years in the St. Paul City Conference.
Tommy Jensen (5’11 2019 PG, Lakeville North)- Tommy Jensen helped lead Lakeville North to two wins last week, with a couple of his best scoring performances all season. He started off the week on Tuesday by exploding for 32 points in a win over Burnsville, and went on to follow that up with 21 points in another win over Eagan on Friday. Though small in stature, Tommy brings big range to the floor, and is one of the best pure three point shooters in the 2019 class. He is a constant threat to launch, which leaves opposing defenses little choice but to not sag off, opening up a lot of space inside for his teammates to go to work. When left alone, Tommy has shown that he can wear out the nets with his shooting ability as he did so last week.
Bennett Otto (6’4 2019 G, Champlin Park)- Once regarded as just a knock down shooter, Bennett has transformed his game this season, and has begun to contribute in all areas on the floor this season. Bennett had a productive couple of games last week to lead Champlin to wins over Elk River and Coon Rapids. In the win over Elk River Bennett put up 22 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals. Against Coon Rapids he finished with 23 points. His consistent production has Champlin Park competing like a legitimate threat to Park Center in sections. Whether it be knocking down outside shots, or getting into the lane where he has shown off a passing vision rivaled by very few throughout the state, Otto continues to do whatever is necessary to bring home a win.
Jalen Justice (6’2 2019 G, Robbinsdale Cooper)- After missing a couple of weeks, Jalen Justice returned with a vengeance, dropping a season high 33 points in a win over Richfield. His ppg average on this season has dropped substantially from last year’s, sitting at 13.4 currently, but this offensive explosion is a sign that Jalen may have found that scoring touch that he had displayed so frequently in the past. He followed those 33 points up with 12 more in a loss to Benilde-St. Margaret’s. Jalen is an extremely shifty guard who excels at creating space off the dribble and knocking down pull-up jumpers. He is an extremely difficult player to guard in isolation due to his quick handles and shiftiness with the ball. When he is locked in, he’s one of the most dangerous scoring guards in the metro area, and he proved that last week.
J’vonne Hadley (6’6 2020 G, Mahtomedi)- Arguably having the biggest breakout season in the state this year, J’vonne Hadley absolutely dominated once again last week. Averaging 30 ppg, J’vonne exploded for a season high 52, while sitting out some time in the second due to a big lead, in a win over Hill-Murray. That was preceded by a 23 point outing in a close win over St. Thomas Academy. J’vonne plays with a composure matched my few, and as just a junior has been using that maturity to get good looks and knock them down regardless of whether a defender is contesting or not. He has a smooth pull-up game from deep or the mid-range that, combined with his 6’6 length, is very difficult to defend as a guard. In transition J’vonne has the athleticism to finish above the rim with ease, either after catching a pass from another guard, or leading the charge himself off the dribble. His length, scoring ability, and athleticism are all a big reason why he is now being actively recruited by multiple Division One schools.
Team of the Week
DeLaSalle- It’s hard to put together a better week than DeLaSalle did last week. They started off with a dominating win over St. Agnes by a score of 120-28. Cade Haskins was impressive in his second game for the Islander’s varsity team, scoring 20 points to go along with 4 steals and 4 blocks. Next up for the Islanders was Hopkins, in a marquee match-up that had previously been postponed due to weather. From the jump DeLaSalle was on fire offensively, with Tyrell Terry making plays all over the floor with his scoring ability and distribution skills at the point guard spot. He finished with 23 points while Jamison Battle added 16 in DeLaSalle’s 75-67 win. They ended off the week by clinching the conference title with an 82-60 win over state-ranked Holy Angels. DeLaSalle got a big game out of junior big man Jalen Travis who had a hard earned 18 points inside, while Kameron Givens added 13 points with his quickness on the perimeter. DeLaSalle has a plethora of players, both upperclassmen and underclassmen, who are capable of stepping up and contributing at any given moment. With this depth, combined with their duo of senior stars, DeLaSalle is a team that can beat anyone in the state regardless of class.
Statement Win of the Week
Edina takes down Minnetonka 80-51- Edina is one of the most talented teams in AAAA, but their record (12-7), hasn’t exactly represented that talent. Due to their tough schedule, their record isn’t the greatest, and they needed to prove to the section seeders that they are worthy of a high seed come playoffs. Last week they did just that by putting in a dominating performance over Minnetonka. Though Jack Middleton and Jacob Hutson combined for well below their average with 36 points, Edina had a few key role players step up in the big win. Charlie Haff dropped 13 points, using his size and deep shooting range to contribute offensively. Edina had six other players score, including Andrew Enck who chipped in 8 points. On the defensive end, Edina held strong to hold Minnetonka, a high scoring team in their own right, to well below their season average. With the talent Edina has, they’ll be a tough out come sections regardless of what seed they end up receiving.
Sleeper of the Week
Tyree Ihenacho (6’3 2020 G, Prior Lake)- After transferring over to Prior Lake, Tyree is a player we saw impress during some fall league weekends. Though he took a while to get adjusted during the regular season, he has started to come into his own offensively, and delivered two big games last week. In a win over Farmington, Tyree scored a season high 21 points. He followed that performance up with 13 points on 5-7 shooting, to go along with 6 rebounds and 4 steals against Bloomington Kennedy. Tyree is an ultra athletic wing-guard who excels at getting to the rim. He has the athleticism to get up and finish over or through defenders, but also knows when the shot isn’t there and he can create for others. His quickness also makes him a pest on defense, moving his feet well and then using his long arms to reach in and create turnovers. He is a solid two way player, who could prove to be key in a Prior Lake state tournament run.
Freshman of the Week
Prince Aligbe (6’5 2022 W, Minnehaha Academy)- Already one of the most athletic players in the state regardless of age, Prince used his physical abilities to put in two big games last week. He started off with 21 points in a win over St. Paul Academy, before chipping in 13 points in a win over a solid Caledonia squad. Prince already has the physical build of an upperclassmen, and combined with his impressive vertical leaping ability, he is a force to meet at the rim. He can bang inside, knock down open threes with confidence, and has passing vision that allows him to drop dimes to open teammates in transition. Prince is still looking to add to his offensive skillset to become a more dangerous scorer with the ball in his hands, but at this point he is a dominant defender who can scrap for buckets and provide an instant spark of offense for a Minnehaha Academy team that is pushing for their third straight state title.
Other Storylines
East Ridge knocked off Wayzata 105-100 in 2OT.
Aden Price (2019 G, Irondale)- Scored 32 points in a win against Spring Lake Park.
Terrance Waits (6’1 2019 G, Osseo)- Dropped 30 points against Spring Lake Park.