Minnesota Open Period (2) – 2022’s Five Best
What five sophomores stood out the most during last weekend’s Minnesota Open Period? We run you through those names and why they stood out. [player_tooltip player_id="850713" first="Carter" last="Bjerke"] Carter Bjerke Carter Bjerke 6'9" | C Wayzata | 2022 State MN…
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Continue ReadingWhat five sophomores stood out the most during last weekend’s Minnesota Open Period? We run you through those names and why they stood out.
[player_tooltip player_id="850713" first="Carter" last="Bjerke"]Carter Bjerke Carter Bjerke 6'9" | C Wayzata | 2022 State MN of Wayzata (6’8 PF). You can see the trust the Wayzata staff has in Carter in the way they called plays for him in each of the last two games we’ve seen during this open period. Carter uses his frame moving to the block very well giving the passer a perfect target while holding off helpless defenders who don’t react quick enough. Add in the usual three point stroke made at 40 percent and the ability to use the fake to clear his man and you have a budding arsenal at a young age that makes Carter a D1 prospect. He also dominated the glass in the first half versus Hopkins.
Mekhi Collins Mekhi Collins 6'5" | PF Mankato West | 2022 State MN of Mankato West (6’5 Forward). Mekhi scored 27 points in the playoff game with most of his production coming late in the game on effort plays. When a 6-foot-1, 160 pounder makes effort plays to the bucket it doesn’t usually end well in traffic but when a 6-foot-5, athletic, 190 pound forward like Collins is sprinting to the rim in transition or within the halfcourt offense catching and finishing like a scholarship athlete it’s a tough thing to deal with. The reason people like Collins is when the game gets long he’s often at his best working to productive space regardless if it’s in Scarlet Red or Fury Powder Blue. I loved the way Collins scored his 27 points including the multiple shots made at the arc showing off a three-point shot that is better than I expected, and of course the above the rim explosive finishes.
[player_tooltip player_id="754315" first="Eli" last="King"]Eli King Eli King 6'2" | PG Caledonia | 2022 State #151 Nation MN of Caledonia (6’3 PG). King has skills and size but what people love is his agility. For example the game winning play was King out-racing Willie Wilson Willie Wilson 6'2" | CG Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN to the in-bounds pass leading to the game winning free throws the other way. And if you leave a defender alone at the top of the key without extended help he will be you, not matter how good the defender is. Eli showed that when he attacked right and hit Austin Klug Austin Klug 6'4" | SG Caledonia | 2021 State MN for a backdoor score. North allowed King way too much space and he beat every defender as Eli is too quick to the edge and once he gets to that edge King is 6-foot-3 with a touch that he can make while controlling his man. Throw in the finishing above the rim and the 38-39 percent three-point shooting and we go back to the phrase we used this weekend, Invest Now.
Samuel Rensch Samuel Rensch 6'6" | SF Hutchinson | 2022 State MN of Hutchinson (6’5 SG). Sam led his team in scoring (total points), rebounding, assists, and steals this season and word is he continues to grow past his winter listed height of 6-foot-4. There is a Cody Schilling like ease to his basket attack as well as his comfort in handling the basketball as a big guard/wing. Sam is also quicker than I think players were ready for because he used rip-throughs and fakes into his first step and the defenders had a terrible time moving their feet to keep up to Sam. Add in the finishes sliding into the touch before the help could contest shots and you have a hell of a prospect. Did Minnesota find it’s next Cody Schilling like player? There are a lot of similarities.
Willie Wilson Willie Wilson 6'2" | CG Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN of Minneapolis North (6’2 SG). Willie Wilson Willie Wilson 6'2" | CG Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN is one of the best young players in transition that I’ve seen. He takes a long board or a turnover and seems to give North points the other way five times in six possessions. If you as a teammate run with Willie in the open floor he is going to reward you at the perfect time. If Wilson is on his own running to the rim against a defender chances are he will beat you to the angle and then extend to a finish regardless of where the defender is. Add in the three triples Wilson made (two late when it was a one score game).