Twin Cities Week In Review: Week 13
The playoffs are just a week away for Minnesota high schools, and teams are in full stride making a claim for high seeds. Prep Hoops breaks down all of the top individual and team performers from the Twin Cities last…
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Continue ReadingThe playoffs are just a week away for Minnesota high schools, and teams are in full stride making a claim for high seeds. Prep Hoops breaks down all of the top individual and team performers from the Twin Cities last week.
Players of the Week
Jacob Johnson (6’4 2019 G, Champlin Park)- Jacob Johnson has been producing in a big way for Champlin Park this season, and last week was no exception as he stepped up his game with three productive nights. He started off the week with 26 points in a win over Irondale, and followed that up with a 20 point and 6 rebound performance against Anoka. He finished off the week with 11 points in a win over Robbinsdale Armstrong. Perhaps more impressive than his scoring on those nights was his 15 total assists on the week. Jacob poises a legit threat in transition with his combination of size and athleticism, while possessing a strong frame for a guard of his height. A proven scorer, Jacob has developed into a better facilitator as the season has progressed, and has been forming a dynamic backcourt duo with Bennett Otto. He’ll look to continue this hot run of play into the playoffs.
Jalen Suggs (6’4 2020 G, Minnehaha Academy)- Perhaps no other player in the state receives as much attention and scrutiny from opposing fans as Jalen does, but he silenced all of his critics last week by showing out in two of Minnehaha’s biggest games of the year. In a win against Minneapolis North that went down to the wire, Jalen finished with 33 points including an exclamation mark dunk with little time remaining. That strong play carried over into Minnehaha’s highly anticipated matchup with DeLaSalle, where Jalen took over the game in the second half on his way to 30 points in the win. For a guard of his build, he is so quick and deceptive off the dribble, blowing by defenders and getting the rim with ease. When he is in the zone, there’s no stopping him from elevating and finishing through contact. Suggs is also an impressive shooter with range extending well beyond the arc, and capable of pulling up off the dribble in the blink of an eye. Jalen is on a mission to help Minnehaha win a third straight state title, and it shows.
Dajuan Carter (6′ 2019 G, North St. Paul)- Dajuan is a strong candidate for breakout player of the year, and though many thought his production would take a step forward this season, not many would have expected the type of performances that he has been putting out. Last week Dajuan had his most impressive scoring night to date, dropping 51 points in a win over South St. Paul. That total eclipsed his previous high by eleven. He followed that up with 23 points in a tight loss to Mahtomedi. Dajuan has impressive shooting range, able to pull up from seemingly anywhere within the halfcourt, and confidence in himself and from his coaches have given him the green light to fire away this season. That green light continues to pay off as his sharpshooting has led him to a near 30 ppg average, and has helped North St. Paul stay competitive with some very good teams this year.
Mohamed Ahmed (6’6 2019 C, St. Paul Como Park)- One of the best kept secrets in the St. Paul City Conference, Mohamed Ahmed was dominant last week in the absence of teammate Josh Ward. Mohamed took over to lead Como Park to a win over Highland Park by scoring 25 points. Against rivals St. Paul Washington, Mohamed scored a season high 36 points. At 6’6+ Mohamed is long and a mobile athlete who runs the floor well. He has a decent handle for a big, which suits his perimeter oriented style of play. Mohamed is a capable three point shooter with the ability to catch fire when left open. This shooting stroke allows him to put up scoring numbers in bulk, and spreads the floor for his teammates that get a lot going around the rim. Though still very raw, the potential is there for Mohamed to succeed at the college level.
Charlie Haff (6’5 2019 F, Edina)- Edina is riding a four game winning streak against some tough competition, and a big reason for that late season success has been the strong run of play from Charlie Haff. Haff started off the week with 13 points in a win over Eden Prairie, and then contributed 17 in a win over Marantha. In his biggest game of the season, Charlie Haff put up a huge double-double of 32 points and 19 rebounds to lead Edina past Cambridge-Isanti. Charlie is a prototype stretch four who excels at stepping outside and knocking down threes with his smooth lefty stroke. His size also allows him to get inside to defend and grab rebounds, as evident by his 19 rebound performance. Edina had been looking for a third piece to step up and play a big role all season, and Haff has stepped up in a big way lately, preparing Edina for a tough run in the section playoffs.
Team of the Week
Roseville- Led by a senior laden lineup, Roseville went 2-0 last week against SEC competition. In arguably the upset of the week in the Twin Cities, Roseville took down White Bear Lake 64-60. Yohanes Gebeyehu stepped up big time for Roseville as he scored 28 points on 5-12 shooting from deep. Camryn Walker used his length and athleticism to chip in with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Roseville carried on that newfound confidence into Friday’s matchup against Mounds View, where they would go on to win 64-55. Gebeyehu continued his strong run of play with 19 points, this time going 4-10 from beyond the arc. Throw in 12 points from John Briggs and 8 points from Mario Dukes, and it was a balanced attack to lead the way to a win.
Statement Win of the Week
Columbia Heights beats Holy Angels 71-66- Though still in a rebuilding phase after a run to the state tournament last year, that didn’t stop Columbia Heights from upsetting state ranked Holy Angels in conference play. Heights was led by an energetic group of underclassmen, with sophomore Elijiah Williams coming up big with 22 points on 8-13 shooting. Freshman Muja Burton also had a nice game, adding 13 points on 5-9. Fellow freshman Spencer Alvarez was in full control of the paint, blocking 4 shots and scoring 9 points. Though still young, Columbia Heights proved that they can compete at a high level, and this win could give them momentum to close out the season strong.
Sleeper of the Week
Zaveon Smith (6’1 2020 G, St. Paul Washington)- Though Washington is sitting at the bottom of the conference, Zaveon Smith has been one of the bright spots this season. A high scoring guard, Zaveon came to play last week, and he started off by scoring 14 points against St. Paul Harding. Later in the week against rivals Como Park, Zaveon scored a season high 37 points to lead Washington to the win. Zaveon is lightning quick on the perimeter, and he uses that agility to find space both on-ball and off the ball, where he has a nice stroke from distance that allows him to put up some big scoring numbers. He is also capable of driving to the hoop and finishing or drawing contact, though he finds a lot of his success with his shooting range. Averaging 21.5 ppg as a junior, Zaveon has been one of the biggest offensive weapons in the St. Paul City Conference, and he’ll come back primed for a big senior season next year.
Freshman of the Week
Prince Aligbe (6’5 2022 W, Minnehaha Academy)- Though his stats on paper won’t stand out much, Prince contributed in big ways in Minnehaha’s two victories last week. Against Minneapolis North, Prince scored 6 points while using his length and athleticism to defend and rebound at a high level. In a prime-time matchup against DeLaSalle, Prince scored 13 points, including a handful of buckets late in the second half that sparked a Minnehaha run. Without Prince’s burst in the second half, it seemed likely that DeLaSalle would hold on to their lead. His ability to find space off the ball opened up a few looks inside, and his effort to grab second chance boards led to two finished around the rim in the second half. Prince is one of the most freakishly athletic players to enter the Minnesota high school ranks in a long time, and his vertical leaping ability allows for some explosive finishing around the rim. On the perimeter he is a capable three point shooter, and is developing his handles to make himself a better shot creator.
Other Storylines
Paris Johnson (6’4 2021 W, St. Louis Park)- Scored 20 points against Chaska.
Lakeville North defeated Prior Lake 77-63.
Daveonte Davis (6’3 2019 G, St. Paul Central)- Scored 27 points in a win over St. Paul Harding.