PH Live: Max’s 17u Stock Risers

Max Wagner April 27, 2021 @ 02:58 PM

With plenty of Minnesota teams competing down in Kansas City for PH Live, I was able to watch as a handful of prospects saw their stock rise! These are seven of the prospects who impressed with their performances over the weekend. [player_tooltip player_id="958675" first="Hakeem" last="Ford"] (6’5 2022 W, Minnesota Heat-Grow 17u)- Hakeem had a strong showing on Friday night and was making impressive plays on both ends of the floor. On the defensive end he has the length and athleticism to excel as both an on-ball defender, and as someone who can contest around the rim as a help side defender. He pinned multiple shots off the backboard and showcased his ability to guard multiple positions. Offensively he was a major threat running the floor in transition, leading to a high flying dunk and another tough finish in the lane. Hakeem capped off his performance with a three and a reverse dunk in half-court settings. Scholarship level length and athleticism, and the skill is starting to catch up. [player_tooltip player_id="958715" first="Pharrel" last="Payne"] (6’9 2022 PF/C, Minnesota Select-Ohnstad 17u)- It seems like every time that Pharrel has stepped on a basketball court over the past 9 months, his stock has continued to rise. Now listed at 6’9, Pharrel dominated from the block offensively, able to use his physicality to muscle defenders below the basket leading to easy finishes, or use his footwork to pivot around his man and score at the rim. Pharrel ran the floor hard in transition, and is able to get off the floor quickly to throw down some powerful dunks. On the defensive end he has the strength to keep opponents away from the rim, has the ability to switch off onto guards, and has great timing to block shots around the rim or from the perimeter. [player_tooltip player_id="1144096" first="Logan" last="Kinsey"] (6’6 2022 F, MSP Elite 2022)- I caught some film on Logan from an earlier AAU tournament and knew I needed to catch a game in Kansas City. I watched MSP Elite in an 8:00am matchup on Saturday morning, and Logan impressed. At 6’6 he could play on the wing or as a power forward, and his impressive explosiveness showed as he threw down two drop-step dunks. Whether it was in transition or slashing from the wing, Logan continuously found ways to get to the rim where he could finish at a high percentage. He also showed some flashes of pulling up off the dribble from mid-range, and being able to stretch the floor from three. A versatile defender as well who’s a definite sleeper in the 2022 class. [player_tooltip player_id="850726" first="Sammy" last="Presthus"] (6’2 2022 PG, D1 Minnesota Prospects 17u)- One of the top on ball defenders I saw over the weekend, Sammy is a pest for opposing ball handlers. Whether it was picking up and guarding a full 94 feet, or fighting over screens and disrupting the flow of an offense, Sammy continued to make plays. He drew multiple charges and was able to pick his man’s pocket to get out in transition on a couple of occassions. On the offensive end he showed his deep shooting range, as well as the ability to fly by his man and finish in a variety of ways around size. Sammy produced at a high level against some talented opponents. [player_tooltip player_id="850723" first="Dylan" last="Wheeler"] (6’3 2022 G, Minnesota Heat-MacDonald 17u)- A consistent contributor for a Heat team filled with talent, Dylan put together two strong performances in a tight loss to Young & Reckless-Brim, and a big win over Showtime Elite LA. He showed composure handling the ball under heavy ball pressure, and was able to get to his spot in the mid-range to pull up and shoot. Dylan was capable of scoring at all three levels while also facilitating the ball at a high level. Picked up an offer from Augustana last summer, and should see his recruitment pick up even more over the next few months. [player_tooltip player_id="850706" first="Jackson" last="Loge"] (6’8 2022 PF, Minnesota Fury-Wilde 17u)- On a team loaded with scholarship level players, [player_tooltip player_id="850706" first="Jackson" last="Loge"] dominated in a win over Alabama Celtics. Arguably the best low-post scorer in the state, Jackson consistently won the battle without the ball, able to seal his man to receive an entry pass and pick up an easy two points. His understanding of angles makes him a major threat in high-low situations, and he was also able to pull off some quick spin moves and crafty finishes. Defensively he blocked two shots, and finished the game with big numbers despite taking an early seat in the running clock win. [player_tooltip player_id="1143878" first="Leo" last="Torbor"] (6’3 2022 SG, Minnesota Select-Ohnstad 17u)- After a breakout winter with Park Center, Leo continued that strong run of play into a 4-0 weekend with Select. An explosive athlete, Leo excelled at blowing by his defender off the dribble and getting to the rim where he was able to hang in the air for some tough finishes. He has excellent body control to absorb contact and remain balanced in the air where he could score with either hand. Leo also looked comfortable knocking down a three and turned a turnover into an explosive dunk in transition. A high level defender who excels at getting to the rim, expect his stock to soar over the summer.