Midwest Showdown: Sunday Standouts

APPLETON -- Breaking down the top individual performances from Sunday's action at the Prep Hoops Midwest Showdown...   [player_tooltip player_id="981140" first="Dino" last="Cook"] - 2023 - SF - [program_tooltip program_id='2078838' first='World' last='Hoops Elite'] Cook knocked down seven 3's against Wisconsin Playground Club on Sunday. Facing his old team, Cook definitely looked like he had something to prove. The Kingdom Prep wing, who had one of the bigger breakout weekends in Appleton, capped off his tournament with a bang. While he appears to be one of the most improved players in the state since last summer, Cook still has a lot of ceiling left, which should excite schools. A plus-length 6-foot-4 sophomore that's showing flashes as a shot creator, Cook's also improving as a ball handler and ability to size a defender up and go to work. Given his long arms and lateral quickness, the tools to be an outstanding defender are also there. [caption id="attachment_1159277" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/20210328_084358.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1159277 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/20210328_084358-300x155.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="155" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1144570" first="Ty" last="Fernholz"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="1144570" first="Ty" last="Fernholz"] - 2024 - SG - Wisconsin Academy Fernholz secured a spot in the top 15 of the 2024 class rankings with Sunday's performance against Wisconsin Playground Club. The Stoughton guard dropped a very efficient 20 points in a loss. Thought Fernholz got PGC's best shot too. They lined up their top defenders, tried to force the ball out of his hands, and Fernholz still delivered. A high-IQ scorer, Fernholz frees himself off the ball so well. He's also really good at reading screens, when to use and reject them in order to get a clean look at the rim. Also doesn't matter if he's made five shots in a row or missed five. Fernholz's mentality/confidence doesn't waver. A sniper that doesn't take bad shots, Fernholz has the ability to carry a team offensively. [player_tooltip player_id="1200544" first="Josiah" last="Gille"] - 2022 - F - Wisconsin Playmakers South Gille just plays the game extremely hard. Although he's an undersized forward, Gille battles and competes as well as any prospect on the Prep Hoops Circuit. Gille has a motor without an off switch. A strong, powerful presence on the floor, Gille is nearly impossible to keep off the glass. He's good for a handful of second-chance points each time he's on the floor. Able to light a spark with his effort plays, Gille also constantly increases the tempo, He can handle and push the ball in transition. Also a leader on the floor, Gille is constantly pumping up his teammates and is the first to congratulate them when they do something positive. [player_tooltip player_id="1089681" first="Cole" last="Hansen"] - 2024 - SG - Wisconsin Playground Club Hansen shook off some early misses and scored 13 points in a win against a very talented Wisconsin Academy squad. A top 10 prospect in the 2024 class, Hansen is a highly skilled scoring guard that can create his own shot consistently. The Sun Prairie guard has a scorer's mentality and a killer instinct on that end of the floor. Not going to wow anybody athletically right now, but Hansen has a lot of tools when he's got the ball in his hands. Also an exceptional offensive rebounder for a guard, Hansen isn't afraid to stick his face in the fan, battle with the bigs, and either generate second chance opportunities or get to the foul line. [player_tooltip player_id="865859" first="Emmett" last="Loew"] - 2022 - SG - Wisconsin Playground Club Although he plays on a loaded team, Loew just continues to hang around and carve out minutes. A scrappy, competitive prospect that plays with a chip on his shoulder, Loew did some fantastic things during two wins for PGC. He's on the floor to do two things -- shoot 3's and play hard-nosed defense. Loew did both of those things at a high level on Sunday. Loew knocked down his open shots, picked people up 94 feet from the rim and made his man work for everything, and even stood in and took some charges. Loew, who plays on a stacked Pewaukee team as well, does the same thing for his high school program. [caption id="attachment_1063767" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/MAXIMUS-NELSON-138.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1063767 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/MAXIMUS-NELSON-138-300x267.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="267" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="801136" first="Maximus" last="Nelson"][/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="801136" first="Maximus" last="Nelson"] - 2022 - PF - Wisconsin Playground Club When Nelson doesn't think and just shoots the ball, it's a pretty sight. The Appleton North standout put on a show in Sunday's finale against the Minnesota Heat, knocking down all sorts of shots. The 6-foot-8 forward has shooting off the dribble, hitting transition 3's, fadeaway jumpers in the mid-range, and also had a fast break dunk. Nelson has one of the best-looking shots you'll see from a big man. He's been a stretch four up until recently, but continues to add different parts to his game, creating a versatile offensive skillset and finding different ways to put the ball in the hole. Holding three mid-major offers, Nelson could go on run if he plays this way during the Under Armour circuit. [player_tooltip player_id="1198416" first="Jeb" last="Nytes"] - 2022 - PF - Wisconsin Blizzard Post prospect that possesses a lot of intriguing attributes, Nytes had some really good stretches of basketball on Sunday. The Plymouth forward is 6-foot-9, mobile, bouncy, and has some versatility. Nytes averaged about 13 points and six rebounds per game as a junior. Nytes can post hard on the block, but also space the floor from 3-point range. Really like him in transition. Nytes runs the floor, can catch the ball in stride, and get right to the rim. Still scratching the surface, Nytes also has a lot of room to grow physically. Wouldn't be surprised if scholarship schools jump in here, similarly to the recruitment of [player_tooltip player_id="1072737" first="Dawson" last="Nordgaard"] (West De Pere) as Nytes has a lot of things you can't teach, but could also develop quickly later in his career. [player_tooltip player_id="1017073" first="Owen" last="Pawlikowski"] - 2022 - SG - Wisconsin Crusaders Pawlikowski had a terrific surge in the second half to help lift the Crusaders back against Rise 2022. The Kimberly wing had a few assists, some jumpers, and some nice defensive plays as the Crusaders were able to eventually win that the buzzer. An athletic, two-way prospect, Pawlikowski is still under the radar after playing with a loaded Kimberly squad that reached the Division 1 State Championship Game last season. At 6-foot-3, Pawlikowski can shoot from the outside, has an improved mid-range game, play above the rim in transition, and lock up the other team's best player. Think he'll have a few Division 2 offers by the end of the summer. [player_tooltip player_id="950099" first="Carter" last="Thomas"] - 2022 - F - Wisconsin Crusaders Thomas had 16 points to end his day against Rise 2022. The Crusaders didn't have their best stuff and trailed most of the way, but Thomas ensure they stayed within striking distance the whole way and were eventually able to win at the buzzer. The 6-foot-5 forward generates a ton of easy buckets. One of the top slashing forwards in the state, Thomas can get from the 3-point line to the rim in one dribble and had a late go-ahead dunk. He's an improved 3-point shooter that also defends the block and rebounds at a high level. Thomas doesn't have prototypical size and his game is a bit unorthodox, but this is a prospect that's maximized his talent and gets the most out of it every time he's on the floor.