Minnesota Heat Open Run Standouts
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Minnesota Heat held some competitive open runs over the weekend, with a variety of players competing. Prep Hoops was in attendance to catch the action, and these are seven of the players who stood out! Pharrel Payne (6’8 2022 F,…
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Continue ReadingMinnesota Heat held some competitive open runs over the weekend, with a variety of players competing. Prep Hoops was in attendance to catch the action, and these are seven of the players who stood out!
Pharrel Payne (6’8 2022 F, Park of Cottage Grove)- A prospect who just continues to raise his stock every time he touches the floor, Pharrel was once again impressive. He looked to be working on his perimeter game a bit, and was comfortable handling the ball and bringing it up the floor. Pharrel also knocked down a few threes, and showed off a some nice touch shooting with a hand in his face from mid-range. When isolated on the post he’s able to score in a variety of ways, and he threw down some explosive dunks both in transition and in the half court.
Mitchell January Mitchell January 6'1" | SG Richfield | 2022 State MN (6’ 2022 G, Richfield)- Mitchell January Mitchell January 6'1" | SG Richfield | 2022 State MN impressed in the games I caught of his, scoring the ball with ease in a variety of ways. He has a quick burst to get to the basket, and was able to beat his man off the dribble leading to some crafty finishes at the rim. Mitch also knocked down a handful of threes off the dribble, and looked extremely dangerous pulling up from mid-range. He gets great elevation on his pull-up jumper, able to elevate over defenders allowing him to shoot over the top of size. January was also the most clutch player on the day, knocking down multiple game winning shots.
Shawn West-Zimpel Shawn West-Zimpel 6'2" | SG South St. Paul | 2022 State MN (6’1 2022 G, South St. Paul)- A lanky guard prospect with a nice feel for the game, Shawn was extremely dangerous off the dribble. He’ll lul his defender to sleep, before using a quick burst to either separate on the perimeter or blow by to get to the rim. The lefty guard does a good job of absorbing contact inside, and is able to extend his arm out while shielding off longer defenders to finish. From outside he did a good job using a quick crossover to create space to get off a three, and he hit them at a nice rate.
Kobe Kirk (6’3 2022 SG, Mounds View)- Kobe Kirk may have been the most impressive shooter on the day, as he showcased deep range from beyond the arc. His confidence continues to grow, and that was evident throughout the day as he lengthened the range in which he was shooting from, and he continued to hit his shots with consistency. What surprised me the most was Kobe’s ability to slash to the rim and finish over trees. He showed off some athleticism, that combined with his size at 6’3, will make him a nice prospect to watch over the next two years.
Brandon Melchior Brandon Melchior 6'10" | C Elk River | 2022 State MN (6’9 2022 C, Elk River)- The junior post prospect showed some nice flashes of potential as a guy that scholarship schools will want to keep tabs on. He has size, strength, and solid mobility, combined with touch to score in the post. Brandon showed that he can explode to dunk with ease, or bang in the post for some tough scores. Although he has an unorthodox shooting form, he was able to knock down shots from both three and mid-range with a confident shooting stroke. Could be one of the more productive 2022 centers in the state this winter.
Liam Carney Liam Carney 6'2" | PG Providence Academy | 2022 State MN (6’3 2022 G, Providence Academy)- From what I saw in the summer and fall, Liam is a more than capable scorer who can put the ball in the rim in a variety of ways. He showed off his ability to glide to the rim off the dribble to finish, and also hit from beyond the arc. What impressed me the most however was his passing ability. Liam had an impressive behind the back pass off an offensive rebound, and was also excelling with his drive and dish ability. Playing on a team with a lot of talented scorers, Liam did a great job of making sure everyone was getting involved in the offense.
Ernest Jarpa (5’11 2022 PG, Maranatha Christian)- Ernest showed up and instantly made an impact with his quickness. He was able to accelerate past defenders off the dribble and get to the rim, where he showcased some crafty finishing ability. Defensively he applied heavy ball pressure, not afraid to pick up deep in his own half and make things difficult for opposing point guards. Ernest was also a transition threat, using his speed to push the ball up the floor for easy buckets for both himself and his teammates.