Week Six’s Underclassman Standouts
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With week six of the high school season wrapped up, I take a look back at some standout freshmen and sophomores that I saw throughout the week. All prospects mentioned were either watched in-person, or on film. Amari McCottry (6’5…
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Continue ReadingWith week six of the high school season wrapped up, I take a look back at some standout freshmen and sophomores that I saw throughout the week. All prospects mentioned were either watched in-person, or on film.
Amari McCottry (6’5 2024 W, Saint Thomas More)- The Milwaukee-area freshman continues to impress this season, and he put up a big game to help his team pick up a conference win on Tuesday. At 6’5 he has the length to play on the wing, but handles ball handling duties for his team, showing that he’s capable of creating for himself or others. He plays very under control, and uses change of pace rather than elite quickness to get by defenders and finish at the rim. Against a zone defense at times, he did a good job of catching at the free throw line and facing up, where he was able to hit the mid-range shot or pass over the top of defenders to cutting teammates. Finished the game with an impressive 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Jaiden Martin (5’9 2024 PG, Dominican)- A key player for a young Dominican team, Jaiden Martin showed a lot of promise against a tough Racine St. Cats squad. Jaiden has a nice handle, playing with rhythm and change-of-pace with the ball in his hands. He was able to create going at the rim, and showed off a nice floater that allowed him to get off his shot against longer players. Jaiden showed promise as an outside shooter, and although his assist numbers don’t reflect it, he also showed some potential as a passer. Jaiden scored 12 points for Dominican in the loss.
Demerius Shakur Demerius Shakur 6'2" | CG Martin Luther | 2023 State WI (6’3 2023 G, Martin Luther)- Demerius put in an efficient and effective game against Freedom on Saturday, showcasing his ability to effect the game on both ends of the floor. He got off to a strong start using his length and quickness to create turnovers, and was a major threat getting out in the open floor in transition. His speed, handle, patience, and balance going up to finish allowed him to get to the rim and score consistently through contact. In the half-court he’s able to change his speed an accelerate to the rim, where he can dish off a pass at the last second or extend to finish. Demerius finished the game with 19 points (6-9 FG), 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals.
John Kinziger John Kinziger 6'0" | CG De Pere | 2023 State #257 Nation WI (5’11 2023 PG, De Pere)- John helped lead his team to a big win over Sheboygan South last week, controlling the tempo and getting his teammates open looks. John has a mature feel for the game, and did a good job of drawing a help defender and quickly finding the open man for a clean look. He also does a good job of moving without the ball, and then he has the ability to catch with his feet and hands ready to shoot. The Toledo offered sophomore finished with 19 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists in the win.
Gabe Herman (6’3 2023 G, De Pere)- Another promising 2023 prospect for De Pere, Gabe has a nice blend of length and shooting touch that make him a prospect to watch moving forward. At 6’3 he showed some defensive versatility, able to guard both spots on the wing, and occasionally in the post at the high school level. He was also extremely efficient from the field, shooting 3-3 from deep and 5-7 overall on his way to a 13 point and 4 rebound game.
Milan Momcilovic Milan Momcilovic 6'8" | SF Pewaukee | 2023 State #44 Nation WI (6’8 2023 F, Pewaukee)- Had the chance to watch Milan play twice last week, and he continues to show why he’s one of the better 2023 prospects in the Midwest. His size and versatility make him a difficult matchup defensively, as he was able to post up smaller forwards and use his footwork to work the angles in the paint to get clean looks, or use his turnaround jumper to score consistently. Milan also does a good job of floating along the perimeter, and using his high releasing shot to knock down three after three. He combined for 29 points and 15 rebounds as Pewaukee went 1-1 over the two game stretch.
Nacir Beamon (6’2 2024 G, Martin Luther)- One of the top freshmen in the state, Nas impressed with his ability to get to the basket and finish at a high rate against Freedom. He played high pressure defense which allowed him to force turnovers and get out in transition to score, but could also get to the rim off the dribble in the half-court no matter who was guarding him. He finished over the top of size, and also absorbed contact in the air while keeping his balance to finish. Also showcased a really quick spin move when attacking the basket. Nas finished with 16 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals.