MBCA Showcase: 2022 Top 5 Performers
The MBCA Showcase included three ages of players and today we start with the sophomores-to-be, the top five performers. Top 5 Performers Prince Aligbe of Minnehaha Academy (6’6 wing). “Who is that explosive, strong point guard?”they asked. That’s Prince! “That’s…
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Continue ReadingThe MBCA Showcase included three ages of players and today we start with the sophomores-to-be, the top five performers.
Top 5 Performers
Prince Aligbe of Minnehaha Academy (6’6 wing). “Who is that explosive, strong point guard?”they asked. That’s Prince! “That’s Prince?” Yes everybody that was Prince handling the basketball at lead guard with few turnovers and way more quality assists than I ever expected. Aligbe showed college staffs that he’s not only a better ball handler and passer than they were aware of, Prince can also manage a team if needed to as well. Rebounded well and really surprised as a distributor playing the lead.
Chase Carter of Maranatha Christian (6’5 forward). Love how Carter gets position and uses his frame to touch in attempts. Like father (Randy Carter) like son right? In this case, most definitely. Carter played on a team full of older, D2/D3 future players and assimilated himself perfectly scoring at opportune times. Loved how Chase rendered some older forwards helpless with his position and completion.
Camden Heide of Wayzata (6’6 wing). College coaches at the MBCA Showcase came away most impressed with Heide when it comes to the sophomore group. His outstanding performance with USA Basketball led to teams like Michigan and Michigan State staying later to catch his final game along with offered Minnesota. Heide lived up to the hype to with an outstanding shooting weekend as well as several explosive finishes. In fact Camden’s reputation as a beautiful shooter and aggressive scorer made some forget that going at the rim he’s one of Minnesota’s best highlight finishers. Heide is right there with Holloman and Aligbe as outstanding headline sophomores.
Tre Holloman of CDH (6’3 point guard). This weekend re-certified my thoughts on the high level of player that Tre is at such an early age. Shot selection? I think I saw Tre take one bad shot all weekend. His ability to put the ball on the hands of shooters before the defense can react is my favorite part of his game. That and Tre’s ability to beat rotating defenses for finishes at the cup. It’s actually amazing how high of a percentage Tre shoots at the rim with contesting defenders in his space. Holloman knocked out a couple treys this weekend as well.
Jackson Loge of Morris Area (6’7 forward). Jackson played on a team that had a lot of size and a lot of attacking players. Guys that were going to have the ball in their hands. It was impressive how he adapted to playing the role of an active, off ball mover that finished on the move and scored off of second chance baskets. He’s about 6-foot-7 and agile, with a soft touch. There were few chances to see him go at older players at his size but that’s a big part of his game as well.
Five More
Carter Bjerke of Wayzata (6’8 power forward/center). More range with his soft touch than I expected and used his body well against older players forcing several off balance attempts.
Braeden Carrington of Park Center (6’3 shooting guard). Carrington is known as a shooter and he lived up to the terminology scrambling defenses with his range.
Emmett Johnson of Holy Angles (5’10 point guard). There were a lot of opposing lead guards that quickly became sick of the Johnson ball pressure. He’s going to be one of the state’s best in this regard.
Donovon Smith of Minnehaha Academy (5’10 shooting guard). Came to the event with the reputation of a shooter, left the event with that reputation spread to the college coaches staff of the world. He made four or more treys in three of the four games.
Willie Wilson of Minneapolis North (6’2 combo guard). What was noticed this weekend? Wilson handled the lead guard spot with few turnovers, finished with his pull-up at a high percentage.