MBCA Showcase: Wing Prospect Standouts
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The MBCA Showcase was loaded with talent from across the state, as college coaches gathered to watch the best of the best compete in one gym. These seven prospects stood out with strong performances from the wing positions! (For the…
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Continue ReadingThe MBCA Showcase was loaded with talent from across the state, as college coaches gathered to watch the best of the best compete in one gym. These seven prospects stood out with strong performances from the wing positions! (For the sake of covering more prospects, I will not be including the players that I detailed in my Day One and Day Two standouts articles.)
Jasper Hedin Jasper Hedin 6'5" | SF Winona | 2022 State MN (6’5 2022 W, Winona)- Jasper has been a steady contributor in just about every game I’ve watched him play. He possesses good positional size at around 6’5, and is a versatile player who can go from handling the ball for his team to attacking and scoring from the wing. Jasper was poised pushing the tempo in transition to help get some easy buckets for his team, while also stretching the floor with his outside shot. When attacking off the dribble he does a nice job of keeping his head up to locate any teammates, and if the gap is there he’s a strong finisher when he gets to the rack.
Hassan Kamara Hassan Kamara 6'4" | SG Columbia Heights | 2022 MN (6’4 2022 SF, Columbia Heights)- Hassan didn’t shoot the ball as well as he would’ve wanted to in his first game, but rebounded with some strong performances to follow it up. Hassan brought his usual energy and ball pressure on the defensive end, as he’s one of those players who can consistently force multiple turnovers and hold guys below their scoring averages. When it comes to taking charges, he’s up there with the best in the state and that showed with his effort to get into position and get his feet set to draw the foul. Offensively he can knock down the three, and has shown improvements to create off the dribble at all three levels. He has a lot of confidence to put points on the board, and when he gets going he’s hard to stop.
Tommy Humphries Tommy Humphries 6'5" | SF Totino-Grace | 2023 State #283 Nation MN (6’5 2023 SF, Totino-Grace)- One of the things I noticed right off the bat watching Tommy play was how much quicker/lighter on his feet he looked. He’s extremely long at 6’5, and now looks even more mobile pushing the ball ahead in transition, and handling the ball through defenders on his way up the floor. When attacking the basket he excels at bumping guys off him to get off a look in the paint, and he does a great job of keeping his balance through that contact. He has soft touch to put up a short floater from 5-8 feet or get all the way to the rim and lay it in. Like some of the others on this list, his long wingspan can cause some issues for teams as he’s able to get up in passing lanes to tip passes or create turnovers.
Khalif Bettis Khalif Bettis 6'6" | SF Burnsville | 2023 State MN (6’5 2023 SF, Apple Valley)- Khalif Bettis Khalif Bettis 6'6" | SF Burnsville | 2023 State MN was a major threat in transition as he has a super smooth game. At 6’5 he glides around the floor and is able to weave through traffic in transition to get to the rim and finish. He consistently knocks down short and mid-range jumpers, and with his long frame it’s difficult for opponents to get a hand up to contest. Not a lot of his game is forced on offense as he takes smart shots and is able to take what the defense gives him and capitalize. A very efficient scorer whose length can cause some problems on the defensive end.
Nick Katona Nick Katona 6'6" | SF Shakopee | 2022 State MN (6’6 2022 SF, Shakopee)- Nick Katona Nick Katona 6'6" | SF Shakopee | 2022 State MN is the type of player who can impact a game without needing to shoot the ball, and his defensive energy is a big reason why. On one play Nick missed a lay-up after a nice spin move in the lane, and instead of just jogging back he sprinted and dove about 10 feet to secure a loose ball for his team. Those type of high effort plays are a consistent component to Nick’s game, combined with his ability to sit and move his feet to shut players down on the perimeter. Offensively he’s a reliable shooter, and took flight for some explosive dunks including one in the presence of a 6’6 defender. Strong contributions from Nick for a team that went 4-0 on the weekend.
CJ O’Hara CJ O’Hara 6'4" | SF Park Center | 2023 State #285 Nation MN (6’4 2023 W, Totino-Grace)- The improvements in CJ’s pull-up jumper were encouraging to see, and if his shooting over the weekend was an indication of how consistent he’ll be moving forward it could be a scary sight for defenders. Already one of the best slashers in the state, CJ has a strong and athletic frame to slice through gaps in the defense on his way to the rim, where he can go up balanced off one or two feet to complete at a high rate. CJ also showed his ability to create space off the dribble to get off a clean look, knocking down a few jumpers in the two games I saw. Defensively he can guard all three spots on the perimeter as his length and athleticism can cause problems for ball handlers.
Cody Pennebaker Cody Pennebaker 6'5" | SF Park Center | 2022 State MN (6’5 2022 W, Park Center)- Cody was playing with an absolutely loaded team so he didn’t get the touches that he did at St. Francis last winter, but still managed to make an impact. Whether it was with hard off-ball cuts or sprinting up the floor in transition, he found ways to get open around the rim, and when he did he showed off his explosiveness with a number of two hand slams. When he has the ball in his hands on the perimeter he has some wiggle to him, as he handles the ball with rhythm to create separation or an opening to attack the basket. He proved to be an unselfish player who can share the ball with the talented players surrounding him, while also having the offensive ability to score in bunches when needed.