Midwest Showdown: Saturday Standouts
APPLETON — Breaking down the top individual performances from Saturday’s action at the Prep Hoops Midwest Showdown… [player_tooltip player_id="801152" first="Tyler" last="Borowski"] Tyler Borowski Tyler Borowski 6'2" | PG Appleton East | 2022 State WI – 2022 – PG –…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingAPPLETON — Breaking down the top individual performances from Saturday’s action at the Prep Hoops Midwest Showdown…
Tyler Borowski Tyler Borowski 6'2" | PG Appleton East | 2022 State WI – 2022 – PG – Wisconsin Crusaders
Didn’t notice it live, but went back and watched the film and saw how many terrific plays Borowski made during a Saturday morning win over All-In Athletics. He was surgeon-like as a decision maker, Picking apart the defense, Borowski had at least six assists. A pass-first floor general that can also get his own shot, Borowski would later score 20 points in a loss to Wisconsin Playground Club. The Appleton East guard came out on fire, scoring 11 quick points to get his team off to a great start in what was a very competitive game throughout.
Josiah Butler Josiah Butler 6'3" | CG Fox Valley Lutheran | 2022 State WI – 2022 – SG – Wisconsin Crusaders
Butler pretty much scored at will during Saturday morning’s blowout win over All-In Athletics. The Fox Valley Lutheran guard put up an easy 25 points, getting just about any shot he wanted. One of the state’s most versatile scorers, Butler continues to put the ball in the hole in a variety of ways. He knifes to the bucket in the half court, knocks down his open catch-and-shoot triples, gets coast-to-coast in transition, and has an effective pull-up game in the mid-range. Butler did some terrific things in the open floor, often able to score 1-on-2 with a nasty euro-step. A top 30-40 prospect in the state, Butler should be pushing for Division 2 offers this spring/summer.
Aidan Chislom Aidan Chislom 6'5" | SF McFarland | 2023 State WI – 2023 – F – Wisconsin Starz Elite
Chislom did a variety of things well against the Minnesota Magic on Saturday. The 6-foot-4 forward is a versatile, high-upside prospect. Chislom can handle the ball, score around the rim, distribute from the high post, and step out and shoot it a little bit. Chislom serves as an extra ball handler and can create in isolation settings. A long, athletic prospect, Chislom has defensive versatility as well and doesn’t mind getting matched up against guards. On the interior, Chislom also impacts a lot of shots with his length. A prospect that’s always flashed, the McFarland product could very well be a late bloomer just like his brother, who played big minutes and started early for UW-Whitewater.
Tony Cirillo Tony Cirillo 6'5" | SG Hartford | 2022 State WI – 2022 – SG – Chapman Basketball Academy
An unranked guard that caught my attention on Saturday, Cirillo came off the bench and did some nice things. A 6-foot-5 wing with some really nice length, Cirillo shot the ball well against Next Level Grind. Cirillo shot it well off the bounce and off the catch. A floor spacing wing, Cirillo’s height and length allows him to rise and fire over the top of defenders. There’s some defensive versatility there too. With Hartford graduating its top player last season, there’s a chance for a sizable uptick in Cirillo’s numbers after his averaged around six ppg as a junior.
Dino Cook Dino Cook 6'4" | SF Kingdom Prep | 2023 State WI – 2023 – SF – World Hoops Elite
Cook has shown some good improvement over the last year. The Kingdom Prep wing scored in double figures against a very good Wisconsin Crusaders squad. The 6-foot-4 sophomore is a lengthy perimeter-oriented prospect. His handle is much tighter this spring and Cook is playing low to the ground, allowing him to create more stuff off the dribble. Shot release is still a little long, but definitely more fluid than it had been. Cook hit some tough shots during Saturday’s loss and certainly opened some eyes in the gym.
Jamariea Dalton Jamariea Dalton 6'3" | SG Fond Du Lac | 2023 State WI – 2023 – SG – Kevon Looney Power 5
This kid just lives at the rim and the free throw line. Team Haliburton had no answer for the Fond Du Lac guard, who’s one of the fastest-rising players in the state right now. Dalton just has a knack for getting to the rim and some of the best finishing ability against contact in the 2023 class. Dalton can score off-balance and has tremendous touch in traffic. An explosive athlete, Dalton hits another level when there’s a dunk or a blocked shot available. He’s still working in that jumper, but Dalton does hit a decent percentage to keep defenders honest. Also a plus defender who can compete on that end of the floor without fouling, Dalton is underrated in terms of his ability to eliminate straight-line drives to the rim and get his hands on the basketball on that end of the floor.
Learic Davis Learic Davis 6'7" | SF Milwaukee Bradley Tech | 2022 State WI – 2022 – W – Wisconsin Playground Club
Davis showed some really nice flashes in a tough win over the Wisconsin Crusaders. The Milwaukee Bradley Tech standout scored 13 points in the victory. Always known Davis is a jump out of the gym type athlete, but he shot the ball well, including some tough step-backs off the dribble. When Davis goes up in the air, he can do some scary things. Adding to his value as a college prospect, Davis handles the point duties at 6-foot-7. Holding offers from Texas A&M, Western Illinois, Grambling State, and Tennessee State, Davis’ stock will soar if he continues to shoot the ball consistently and show the ability to create in the halfcourt.
Drew Edmond Drew Edmond 6'0" | PG Brookfield Central | 2023 State WI – 2023 – PG – Kevon Looney Power 5
Second-straight day in which Edmond has shined. The Brookfield Central guard had a terrific final few minutes to lead Power 5 to a come-from-behind win over Team Haliburton. Over the last three minutes, Edmond just made every right play down the stretch and had the game-winning bucket, plus the foul. A skilled and crafty lead guard, Edmond handled pressure extremely well. Team Haliburton picked him up full court, tried to rattle him, but it often backfired as Edmond was able to get into high percentage areas and make something positive happen. Edmond finished with 16 points, scoring 12 of those in the second half alone on top of a handful of assists.
Jordan Hibner Jordan Hibner 6'3" | SG Monona Grove | 2022 State WI – 2022 – SG – Wisconsin Academy
Hibner caught fire in the second half as Wisconsin Academy cruised to a win over D.F. Elite. Hibner hit three straight triples in the second period and had five for the game. The Monona Grove product is a strong guard who can not only shoot it from deep, but can knife his way into gaps and score at the rim. Hibner uses his strength very well inside, able to muscle home contested layups. Off the ball, thought Hibner did an excellent job of cutting and making himself available in high percentage areas. While he scored it at a high clip, Hibner was also pretty unselfish and gave up some of his own good looks in order to get his teammates a great one. Hibner would finish with 20 points in limited duty.
Cal Klesmit Cal Klesmit 6'2" | CG Neenah | 2023 State #235 Nation WI – 2023 – G – Wisconsin Playground Club
Fresh off his first scholarship offer from Wofford, Klesmit just killed Team Haliburton in the nightcap. The Neenah guard showed off his killer instinct offensively was simply lethal from beyond the arc. A highly confident combo guard with in-the-gym range, Klesmit is a threat to score wherever he’s at on the floor. The lefty may not have prototypical size/athleticism right now, but Klesmit plays with a noticeable chip on his shoulder and competitive edge to make up for it. Able to drive and finish with either hand, Klesmit can also fill it up in transition. He scored efficiently against some top athletes on Saturday.
Amari McCottry Amari McCottry 6'5" | SF St. Thomas More | 2024 State #304 Nation WI – 2024 – SF – Team Haliburton
A top five prospect in the 2024 class, McCottry had a solid showing while playing up in 16U. The St. Thomas More standout is a physical mismatch nightmare. At 6-foot-5, McCottry can play a lot of point forward, able to handle the ball in transition and get coast-to-coast. He’s very unique in terms of his ability to adjust in mid-air and avoid shot blockers at this size/age. In the halfcourt, McCottry is an isolation scorer that can size people up and go to work. He also has a junkyard dog like mentality on the offensive glass and thinks every rebound is his.
Alex Sherwood Alex Sherwood 6'4" | SF Xavier | 2023 State WI – 2023 – SF – Wisconsin Crusaders
Sherwood just went nuts in a Saturday night win over Kevon Looney Power 5. Scoring 20 points in short order, everything was falling for Sherwood, who opened the game with three-straight triples. The 6-foot-7 junior is a terrific outside shooter who can even catch and pull the trigger in transition. He’s got a quality face-up game from beyond the arc as well, hitting defenders with a quick jab step, getting them to drop their hands, and shooting over the top. A prospect with some mismatch ability, Sherwood handles the ball well for his size and is capable of bringing the ball up the floor. He’s also made quite an impact defensively this weekend, blocking shots at a high clip.