#HardWorkSZN Kickoff: Top Performers
There were so many top performers in Appleton that we continue with five more guys that had standout weekends in the HardWorkSZN opener. Photo: Alex Conover, Prep Hoops MN DJ Akpati DJ Akpati 6'0" | PG Totino-Grace | 2021 State…
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Continue ReadingThere were so many top performers in Appleton that we continue with five more guys that had standout weekends in the HardWorkSZN opener.
DJ Akpati DJ Akpati 6'0" | PG Totino-Grace | 2021 State MN of Minnesota Select Ohnstad (Totino-Grace). DJ Akpati DJ Akpati 6'0" | PG Totino-Grace | 2021 State MN is what you call a floor general, he is what you call a lockdown defender, and he has some of the best court vision out there. Select won a pair of games this weekend and it was DJ’s leadership both ways that was a key part of that. Akpati scores his baskets but his contributions are usually found in only one spot in the old school scoresheet, the final score.
Nick Gleason of Minnesota Crossfire 16u (Rogers). A player that played a nice role for his team this weekend was six foot guard Nick Gleason from Rogers. Nick played JV this year so he is bit of an unknown. This weekend he was a “new name”, a “stock riser”, and a “top performer” all in one. The Crossfire won all three games and Gleason stepped into the role as the second option and did it well averaging double figures for the weekend.
Tash Lunday of South Dakota Venom 16u (Flandreau). Tash is 6-foot-5 and has all the strength needed in that frame. He averaged 22.3 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 2.86 assists per game as a sophomore earning all state spots and this past weekend there were times where the tough schedule that the Venom played, their opponents couldn’t physically match-up with Tash. Like when he grabbed a board and went coast to coast for a rumbling scorer. Or the pair of threes he hit with Playground Warriors scared to step out to far too guard him. Tash had 17 points and 8 boards against one of the elite shoe teams of the Midwest. He averaged 11-12 a game for the tournament.
Andrew Mandel Andrew Mandel 6'9" | C Orono | 2021 State MN of Minnesota Crossfire (Orono). The 6-foot-9 center from Orono made a nice impression. We saw him score three buckets in the opener and he had double figures in the final game. The biggest thing that grabbed our thoughts though was the shot blocking, shot contesting, and rebounding. Mandel’s feel for these things, his timing, and the fight to make those plays looks to have taken a real step forward.
RJ Spencer RJ Spencer 6'3" | SG Totino-Grace | 2022 State MN of Minnesota Select Davis 16u (Totino-Grace). RJ Spencer RJ Spencer 6'3" | SG Totino-Grace | 2022 State MN really grabbed my attention this weekend. In fact I struggled to know exactly which article to put him in because like Nick Gleason, he was a top performer, a stock riser, and new name to know all in one. I swear, every other time I looked on the fuzzy screen to see who made the play, and what number it was, it was RJ Spencer RJ Spencer 6'3" | SG Totino-Grace | 2022 State MN . For there are usually two main things that really grabbed my attention resulting in a look down at the roster: 1) a worker that looks like he really knows how to play team defense and on the offensive end he is always busting tail to create space with or without the ball, and 2) the guy who made the basket. Spencer was both. I love how aggressive he was defensively and then he was making threes as well as creating space for worker buckets with cuts as well as two nice step-backs. Totino-Grace has another nice player.