Breakdown Sports Fall League: Top Performers (Week 4)
The Breakdown Sports Fall League concluded with their fourth Sunday of play in the metro, and that means the high school season is right around the corner. We give seven players who stood out during the final week of fall…
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Continue ReadingThe Breakdown Sports Fall League concluded with their fourth Sunday of play in the metro, and that means the high school season is right around the corner. We give seven players who stood out during the final week of fall league play.
Amir Whitlock (6’1 2020 G, DeLaSalle)- Amir figures to be one of the most improved players in the metro this season, and he proved that in a game against Totino-Grace. DeLaSalle was missing all of their players with varsity experience besides Amir, so he was forced to take on a large scoring role. Amir is a knockdown shooter from outside, but he looks much improved attacking the basket, and that’s where he did most of his damage. He was able to absorb contact on his shoulder and extend out to finish with his other hand. Whitlock scored 3 points a contest last year, but should see that number grow with a large role and off-season improvements.
David Ijadimbola (6’2 2020 G, Park Center)- Park Center pulled off wins against Eden Prairie and Hopkins, and in the nail-biting win against Eden Prairie, David played his role to perfection. He’s lightning quick with solid size as a point guard, and he uses that combination to pressure opposing ball handlers. He fits in perfectly with Park Center’s aggressive style of play. On offense he provided another shooting option alongside Josh Brown, and knocked down multiple jumpers from deep while also being able to get to the rim off the dribble.
Tyree Ihenacho (6’3 2020 G, Prior Lake)- Tyree continues to take strides in his game, and the North Dakota commit stepped up with a big performance to defeat Wayzata in fall play. He might be the smoothest player in the state when it comes to attacking the basket, as he simply glides into the lane. He had multiple attacks resulting in finishes, including hammering a dunk home after blowing by his defender. Tyree also stepped outside and knocked down a three pointer with confidence. He’ll combine with Dawson Garcia to form one of the state’s deadliest duos.
TJ Moberg (5’10 2020 PG, Champlin Park)- TJ looked the part of a floor general for a Top-10 team in Class AAAA, and he proved that he can do more than just facilitate an offense. Against East Ridge, TJ himself was outscoring the opposing Raptors for over a quarter of the game. A pair of floaters in the lane and two pull-up threes gave him a quick 10 points, and he continued that success over the course of the game. He can quickly get into space off the dribble, and then pull-up for a jumper and knock it down over his defender. It was an all around impressive performance from the senior point guard.
Kendall Blue (6’5 2022 G, East Ridge)- East Ridge as a team struggled to get much going against Champlin Park, but Kendall Blue’s performance was one of the bright spots. The lanky young guard used his length and athleticism to get to the rim and finish over defenders. He scored East Ridge’s first 8 points, and was able to get some sort of offensive rhythm going for his team. Kendall has developed into a solid outside shooter as well, and his versatile offensive skillset combined with his impressive length will make him a very fun prospect to watch. He has the opportunity to make some noise for an inexperienced team this year.
Paris Johnson Jr. (6’4 2021 G, St. Louis Park)- Paris is a top-20 level player in the 2021 class, with the ceiling to climb higher in those rankings. The lanky guard prospect showed off his tenacity at getting to the rim, scoring time-after-time in a win over Minneapolis Patrick Henry. His jumper wasn’t falling like it usually does, so instead Paris took that as his chance to attack the basket and use his length to score over the smaller Patrick Henry guards. His length combined with his sharp guard-skills make him a difficult match-up, especially after he’s proven capable of scoring tough baskets around the rim.
Drake Dobbs (6’1 2020 PG, Eden Prairie)- I don’t think I’ve ever seen a game where Drake Dobbs isn’t making his presence felt. The Liberty commit is as tough as they come, and he hit some big baskets late on to keep Eden Prairie even with Park Center late. Trailing by 6, Dobbs hit two straight threes to tie it up late. He’s capable of hitting shots in crunch time, and has also improved on his ability to attack the basket and finish. Despite this being his first game back from injury, Dobbs show no signs of being slowed down, and he looks ready to help Eden Prairie make a run at the state title.