Summer Slam: Sunday Standout Forwards PHD
Solid teams from all over the midwest converged on the Pentagon in Sioux Falls last weekend for the Sanford Summer Slam. With teams from North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and even Canada, there was a ton of great…
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Continue ReadingSolid teams from all over the midwest converged on the Pentagon in Sioux Falls last weekend for the Sanford Summer Slam. With teams from North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and even Canada, there was a ton of great competition over a three-day stretch.
Here were some of the standout forwards from Sunday
Easton Larson, ND Attack Blue
Larson was awesome for ND Attack Blue in the championship win Sunday. The 6-foot-5 forward was a foul-drawing machine, active on the offensive and defensive glass and in general, arguably the best player on the floor for large stretches of the game. His athleticism is hard to contend with and at his size, with the way he elevates, he’s tough to stop when he’s able to get his spots. He has the mobility to be a nightmare as a dive man in ball screen actions and the range on defense to defend multiple guys. If Minot gets this Larson next year, the Magicians have a team that can compete for a WDA title.
Zane Alm, Pentagon Schoolers Vincent
Alm is an intriguing long-term player for Schoolers Vincent. He’s light in the shorts but his length and mobility allow him to stress bigs in ways that not a lot of other big guys can. He’s competitive on the block and does a good job looking to establish first contact inside. As a defender, his length is a big plus and he seems to have pretty good awareness for a young player.
Eddie Meylor, Pentagon Schoolers Begeman
Meylor was one of my favorite players to watch last weekend and he was productive in a low-maintenance role. Meylor does a great job running the floor, setting picks, moving without the ball and finishing in traffic. He’s got good hands and did a great job hitting the offensive glass, which created numerous scoring chances for him and his teammates. And on defense, he’s talkative and extremely active. There’s a lot to like about Meylor.
Owen Hektner, Pentagon Schoolers Begeman
Hektner is going to be a breakout guy next winter with Fargo Davies. The 6-foot-5 combo-forward isn’t authoritative in the way he plays but he’s effective on both ends because of his smarts and his skills. He’s a very good shooter and plays well off the ball; and he showed a versatility on the defensive end that will make him a weapon.
Ramsey Heinecke, Pentagon Schoolers Kraning
Heinecke was good again Sunday despite going against a team with elite frontcourt players in MN Matrix. The 6-foot-7 Heinecke did a great job holding down the fort on the defensive end, rebounding at a high rate in traffic and stretching defenses with his shooting. He had a hard time getting going inside but his ability to shoot and pass make him a tough guy to guard for bigger bigs.
Dante Gunville, ND Attack Blue
Gunville is one of the better scorers in North Dakota and he showed what he’s capable of Sunday. Possessing one of the sweetest strokes in the state, Gunville knocked down several triples in ND Attack’s comeback and then showed he’s got the burst to get to the rim and finish in traffic.