#HardWorkSZN Kickoff: The Stock Risers
Who are the players that really grabbed my attention as playing much higher than I had expected them to at the HardWorkSZN Kickoff? Here are the the Stock Risers from Appleton!
Connor Chappell Connor Chappell 6'6" | PF Orono | 2021 State MN of Minnesota Crossfire Stone (Orono). First things first, Connor Chappell Connor Chappell 6'6" | PF Orono | 2021 State MN earned himself a massive boost the next time we talk prospect rankings. At 6-foot-6 he has the size and agility to be considering a scholarship player. In fact I would expect NAIA schools to start calling right now while MIAC programs put in their work and D2s find his next games online. Connor played with a big motor and his aggressive finishing made a lasting impression. Connor has more bounce to the board/finish, more quickness in his stride than I knew. High percentage finisher this weekend and at Orono this winter making 55-56 percent of his attempts.
Andrew Chisley Andrew Chisley 6'6" | PF Hopkins | 2021 State MN of Minnesota Select Ohnstad (Hopkins). Andrew started the first game of the year for a quality Hopkins program and had a solid junior season coming off of the bench in his first varsity year. He is raw but at 6-foot-6 or 6-foot-7 I saw a lot of improvements this weekend from last winter. There is a new offensive confidence in his game inside/out allowing Andrew to score more with a face-up touch than I expected. His defensive understanding, positioning, and effort is better than I expected as well.
Mikele Kambalo Mikele Kambalo 5'8" | PG Washington | 2022 State SD of South Dakota Venom. I am all in when it comes to appreciation of what Mikele can do. Pound for pound, inch for inch, he is ahead of just about everybody. At 5-foot-8 Mikele is as fast as any player I saw play in Appleton and Mikele uses that speed to the advantage of his team. Mikele has to be the best rebounder I have ever seen at his size grabbing nearly six a contest playing top 16u teams in the event! Mikele was the team’s second leading scorer at 13.6 points a game making about three triples a contest and the biggest thing Kambalo likely did was push the pace ahead of the retreating defense allowing his team to get high percentages quickly the other way.
AJ Kaul of Minnesota Crossfire Barker. AJ is a about a 6-foot-4 wing coming off an 11.7 point per game season where he made about 3-4 of his 7-8 triples each contest on his way to shooting 44 percent from the arc. This weekend Kaul stepped forward as a leader for the Crossfire Baker 16u squad scoring 68 points in three games (22.7 a game average) busting apart zone defenses with a number of triples.
Zach Longueville Zach Longueville 6'1" | PG St. Croix Lutheran | 2021 State MN of Minnesota Crossfire Stone. Zach is a 44 percent three-point shooter the past two seasons for the Crusaders often leading to the label of “shooter” over the year. What you also need to know is that his left handed stroke offers him an edge and he is a crafty player that comes up with some creative ways to get space. There is also a toughness to him that teams follow. After Zach was slapped in the face this weekend he seemed to play in a feistier way that his teammates followed. He also played this winter with a sprained ankle and scored 19 points a game. Showed this weekend that he is a better ball handler than I was aware of.
Jaelen Treml Jaelen Treml 6'4" | SF Hopkins | 2021 State MN of Minnesota Select Ohnstad. What does Jaelen Treml Jaelen Treml 6'4" | SF Hopkins | 2021 State MN have going from that really caught the eye? This weekend was first off, a good reminder that Treml can handle the ball for his team and do it well. Second, this is one of the better defenders in Minnesota and he spent his weekend busting tail to get in front of some of the best players in the event, and doing it well. Also, Treml lived at the foul line and he made 80 percent of his those attempts. He was at the foul line because of his attacks, his late game trust as a handler, and because he forced guys to try and get a body in front of him or reach to the ball. Throw in some charge takes and you have a stock riser.