Top 250 Expo: Top Guards
The Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo hit Sioux Falls last weekend and some of the best players in North and South Dakota along with Iowa were in house to get in the gym and get some runs in. Here were…
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Continue ReadingThe Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo hit Sioux Falls last weekend and some of the best players in North and South Dakota along with Iowa were in house to get in the gym and get some runs in.
Here were some of the most impressive guards from the event:
Kobe Busch, 2020, Huron, S.D.
Busch is one of the top players in South Dakota’s 2020 class and he showed it throughout the day, excelling in just about all phases of the game. For one, he physically looks like a college sophomore already and he uses his strength well, especially on the defensive end to get into ball handlers or big guys and control space. He’s smart as a help defender, routinely beating guys to spots on the floor to cut off drives or deter passes and his on-ball defense can be disruptive. He didn’t look to score a whole lot Sunday, rather he focused on facilitating. And it’s clear he sees the floor well and has the passing creativity to get teammates easy buckets. He’s a solid outside shooter, knocking down jumpers when given extra space. He makes the game look easy.
Carson Lamp, 2021, Jamestown, N.D.
Lamp is one of North Dakota’s better 2021ers and will be quite the breakout candidate this winter with Jamestown. He looked particular good with the ball in his hands, showing a twitchiness and explosiveness to get to the paint and either finish in traffic or draw defenders before finding teammates for easy layups or kickout shots. He’s a competitive defender and spent a lot of the time Sunday guarding bigger guys but did well in that capacity.
Gannnon Ahrendt, 2023, Luverne, Minn.
Arguably the most impressive player of the day, Ahrendt was one of the best players in the event despite being just a freshman. At 6-foot-2, Ahrendt is really long, explosive and smart. He had several strong finishes at the rim, got into passing lanes and made plays on the defensive end of the floor and showed plenty of skill as a ball-handler, shot-creator and scorer.
Jamison Helmers, 2020, Okoboji, Iowa
Helmers did a little bit of everything Sunday, scoring efficiently from all levels of the court and making plays on the defensive end. Helmers did a great job playing off the ball, cutting with a purpose, sneaking behind guys for offensive rebounds and subtly moving to good spots on the floor to be available for kickout jumpers. He’s got the burst and athleticism to beat defenders and create his own shot at a high rate and his basketball smarts show up especially on the defensive end.
Elliot Whitney, 2023, SF Lincoln, S.D.
Just a freshman, Whitney was another standout Sunday, showing off cat-like quickness and deep range to consistently generate easy offense. His jumper is effortless and he showed he can get it off with minimal separation. But he’s more than just a long-range gunner, as he also made a living blowing by first-row defenders and getting to the paint.