Battle At The Lakes: Max's Minnesota Stock Risers

The Battle At The Lakes took place last weekend with plenty of local talent competing at a high level throughout the three day event. These prospects all came in as known names, but boosted their stock to the next level with some high level performances! [player_tooltip player_id="1143863" first="Jamal" last="Ambrose"] (6’10 2022 C, Gain Elite 17u)- I wrote about Jamal for his strong performance on Friday night, and he added two more solid games on Saturday and Sunday. At 6’10 he was always the tallest player on the floor, and with that came constant physical defense and double teams. When he was left isolated on the block he had the footwork to turn and score at the rim or utilize a nice turnaround jumper that he knocks down consistently. Although he occasionally forced some shots in traffic, when Jamal was able to go up balanced he almost never missed because his touch is just that good. Jamal proved that he can run the floor, put in the effort to defend on the perimeter when switched, and he can get off the floor quickly for rebounds or dunk opportunities. [player_tooltip player_id="958669" first="Kenji" last="Scales"] (6’1 2022 G, Minnesota Select-Ohnstad 17u)- With college coaches lining the baselines at Select’s games, Kenji impressed in a variety of ways. One of the first things that these coaches noticed was his constant effort. He’s a relentless on-ball defender, and has an endless motor sprinting up and down the floor and diving for loose balls. Offensively he was a constant threat from beyond the arc, knocking down threes off the catch or dribble. His ability to run the point or play off the ball makes him a more versatile player, and allowed for Select to throw in a variety of different guard combos over the weekend. [player_tooltip player_id="958645" first="Camden" last="Holter"] (6’3 2022 W, Minnesota Fury-Narum 17u)- In the last game of the weekend I witnessed [player_tooltip player_id="958645" first="Camden" last="Holter"] put together a huge game against a talented Gain Elite team. At 6’3 he can play at the 2 or the 3, and has the athleticism to guard all perimeter spots defensively. Camden showed a lot of confidence on the offensive end, knocking down threes with a smooth stroke, and also attacking the basket in transition and in the half-court. He seems to just glide to the hoop when he looks to attack, being able to hang in the air to avoid shot blockers and finish in a variety of ways. Molley Komara (6’6 2023 F, Minnesota Chill Elite 2023)- Minnesota Chill loves to play an up-tempo style of basketball, and Molley fits the role of their post player perfectly. He’s 6’6 but has a long wingspan that allows him to play even bigger than his size, and his agility allows him to sprint up and down the floor to keep up with guards in transition. Molley can elevate off the floor for dunks, or pull in offensive rebounds and finish them off in the paint. A scrappy player who doesn’t shy away from contact, he works hard on both ends of the floor and picks up rebounds in bunches. He also showed some promise as a shot blocker with his length and timing. [player_tooltip player_id="958665" first="Jacob" last="Butler"] (6’5 2022 W, Minnesota Heat-Grow 17u)- Another weekend, another strong showing from the Minneapolis North wing. At 6’5 he was the tallest player for Heat, and that led to him guarding opposing posts, including a 7’2 center on Saturday night. Jacob did a great job of playing physical and limiting the looks that he received in the post, and then taking advantage of his quickness to beat him off the dribble on the other end. Butler looked a little more athletic than a few months ago, including throwing down a transition dunk and picking up a huge block. Now more than just a three point threat, Jacob is consistently getting to the rim off the dribble and finishing with either hand in a variety of ways. [player_tooltip player_id="850726" first="Sammy" last="Presthus"] (6’2 2022 PG, D1 Minnesota Prospects 17u)- Another player who just loves to compete, Sammy has been a consistent performer all spring. An absolute grinder defensively, Sammy is one of the best in the state at drawing charges, and he does so with his quickness and effort defending opposing ball handlers. Offensively he can run the show and control the pace of the game, and he’s a good outside shooter off the catch. I think his quickness can surprise some defenders as he’s able to blow by them for a few finishes at the rim each game. Had D2 schools watching him closely on the baselines. [player_tooltip player_id="1180660" first="Jonathan" last="Mekonnen"] (6’5 2024 SF, Minnesota Heat PBJ 2024)- I had only seen Jonathan at a fall event before this past weekend, and was impressed with him at that. But his improvements over the past 7-8 months were extremely impressive. At 6’5 he’s handling the ball at times for his team, pulling up from three off the dribble, and showcasing some explosive athleticism around the rim. He guarded every spot on the floor at times, and dominated on the glass on both ends of the floor. After growing some more and becoming even more explosive since the fall, Jonathan produced at a high level against a talented team. Has some high level upside in the 2024 class.