Midwest Showdown: Max’s Best Of The Best
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The Midwest Showdown took place this past weekend in Appleton, with plenty of talent from Wisconsin and surrounding states competing. From nationally ranked names to under-the-radar players coming up with big performances, these seven players competed at a high level…
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Continue ReadingThe Midwest Showdown took place this past weekend in Appleton, with plenty of talent from Wisconsin and surrounding states competing. From nationally ranked names to under-the-radar players coming up with big performances, these seven players competed at a high level throughout the weekend!
Matas Buzelis (6’8 2023 W, Full Package 16u)- At 6’8 with plenty of length, athleticism, and a polished skillset, there isn’t much that Matas can’t do on the court. His team rolled through the competition, and he paved the way with his versatility on both ends of the floor. Capable of sitting low in a stance and guarding point guards while also protecting the rim at a high level, Matas was constantly making plays defensively. On the offensive end he did a bit of everything. He ran the point and made excellent reads in P&R situations, attacked the basket off the dribble, and knocked down threes with ease. Matas has a very tight handle for someone his size, and is able to cross over players half a foot shorter than him to create his own look. Add in some thunderous dunks and you have a no brainer nationally ranked prospect in the 2023 class.
Cal Klesmit Cal Klesmit 6'2" | CG Neenah | 2023 State #235 Nation WI (6’2 2023 G, Wisconsin PGC 2023)- Cal proved why he’s one of the top 2023 prospects in Wisconsin, and already holds an offer from Wofford. Capable of playing on or off the ball, Cal was Playground’s top scoring threat all weekend long. He continously knocked down deep threes including some contested ones, showing a high level of confidence that allows him to get buckets against just about anyone. I liked the way he competed on both ends of the floor, and he brings a lot of energy defensively that spreads throughout his team. His combination of toughness and skill allowed him to put up some big numbers against tough competition.
Dajuan Bates Dajuan Bates 6'1" | PG De La Salle | 2022 State IL (6’2 2022 G, RISE)- DJ Bates was simply unguardable on Saturday morning, putting up a near 40-piece against a tough Minnesota Heat team. He has a solid frame at the guard spot, and is extremely hard to stay in front of due to his quickness and tight handle. His quick burst allows him to blow by his man, but he did the bulk of his damage from beyond the arc. He puts up a lot of shots, but also makes a lot, allowing him to put up big scoring numbers. I also thought he showed some nice flashes as a pick-and-roll ball handler, as he made some nice reads and zipped in a few passes to set up his teammates for clean looks. On the defensive end he made plays picking up full court, and also moved his feet well and fought to get over screens.
John Pitta John Pitta 6'0" | CG Whitnall | 2022 State WI (6′ 2022 G, Wisconsin Starz Elite)- Another electric scorer that I saw play over the weekend was John Pitta John Pitta 6'0" | CG Whitnall | 2022 State WI , who averaged 26.7 ppg including a 40 point game over the weekend. I witnessed his huge performance on Friday night, where he was getting to the rim whenever he wanted to. He’s so shifty off the dribble, and was capable of attacking with either hand and finishing through traffic. John does a nice job of absorbing contact and hanging in the air to complete some difficult looks, and has no fear going up to score against taller players. Defensively he’s a pest defending on the ball due to his quickness and effort, and he was able to turn turnovers into quick points going the other way.
Simeon Murchison Simeon Murchison 6'9" | PF Milwaukee Bay View | 2023 State WI (6’9 2023 PF/C, Playmakers-Milwaukee)- Simeon’s team played up an age group, but that didn’t stop him from dominating in the paint. One of the top post prospects in Wisconsin, Simeon dominated from the block against Chapman Academy on Sunday. At 6’9 he has a slim but strong frame with long arms, and he scored consistently with a variety of simple post moves. He’s a tough player who can power through contact and double teams, and has a soft touch when finishing around the rim. Simeon also showed some flashes of being a threat from beyond the arc, and elevated for a couple of dunks. Defensively he continues to impress with his mobility when switching off and guarding smaller players on the perimeter, but is also a constant threat for opposing players as a rim protector.
Maximus Nelson Maximus Nelson 6'7" | PF Appleton North | 2022 State #236 Nation WI (6’8 2022 PF, Wisconsin PGC)- Despite playing on a very balanced team, Maximus put together some of the best performances I’ve seen out of him this year. At 6’8 he has solid size at the 4 spot, and has improved his athleticism allowing him to elevate off two feet in the paint to finish above the rim. He adds to that a very solid perimeter game, with the ability to score from beyond the arc or from mid-range. Max gets some nice elevation pulling up off the dribble allowing him to shoot over size, and he moves well for his height meaning he can relocate around the perimeter to get off catch-and-shoot threes. He was a consistent performer all weekend long helping lead Playground to some quality wins.
Carlos Harris Carlos Harris 6'1" | SG Curie | 2024 State #283 Nation IL (6’7 2022 SF, Playmakers – Milwaukee 2022)- Despite playing through an injury in both games I watched, Carlos was making big plays on both ends of the floor. Carlos was playing with a limp, and that limited some of his mobility and shortened his playing time, but he impressed me with his ability to catch in the high post and make some nice passes to cutting teammates or shooters. Carlos was also still explosive in transition as he threw down a couple of dunks, and also beat his defender from the wing to throw down a high flying one-handed dunk. Defensively he could act as a rim protector or switch and guard just about every spot on the floor. In the half-court he has a smooth shot from beyond the arc, and can also compete for some tough finishes in the paint.