NHR State: 16U New Names to Know
In this article:
What new names did we learn of at NHR State from the 16U level? Here is my list of prospects that need to be added for the future. Aidan Higgins Aidan Higgins 6'2" | SG De La Salle | 2023…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWhat new names did we learn of at NHR State from the 16U level? Here is my list of prospects that need to be added for the future.
Aidan Higgins Aidan Higgins 6'2" | SG De La Salle | 2023 State MN of Heat PVR (6’2 2023 Wing, DeLaSalle). How can you not love the way this young man competes? We’ve seen the Islanders with working defenders in their line-up for years, guys that may not have high major offers but are as important to the line-up as the next man. Higgins fits that role well with his high level competitive fight, his rebounding chase, and the lockdown defense complete with the perfect position defense away from the ball. In addition, Higgins looks to have the potential to be more than just the worker/defender. He can surely play that role, but has the potential for even more as the skills are quite solid as well.
Sam Nolan of WOTN Bertsch (5’10 2023 PG, Lakeville North). The Panther younger levels are always full of players that some day will make a varsity impact. Guys that are skilled, tough, and well educated on both ends. Sam Nolan is one of those players. He made an impact this weekend by battling to spots on defense, by moving actively without the ball to catch and help create shots for himself, and others, and Sam made an impact scoring with the touch. We saw him hit feet set jumpers, we saw the pull-up, and the floater on the move was hit a couple times as well. Nice guard that is tough enough and smart enough to play both spots.
Cade Osterman Cade Osterman 6'1" | PG Elk River | 2023 State MN of Comets Elite(6’1 2023 Guard, Elk River). Osterman is not a new name to those that played Elk River, or the Prep Hoops staff that have been tracking talent his year. He scored 15 a game this season and was a top sophomore producer in this state this year. With the Comets, Cade makes an excellent backcourt pair with Eli Laposky Eli Laposky 6'1" | PG Pequot Lakes | 2023 State MN which led the Comets to the NHR title game. Cade has some of the most active hands on defense that I have seen. He uses his feet to get to spots but the hands are always up for a steal, deflection, or simple annoyance. Osterman moves without the ball as well as anybody and utilizes the “one more” pass as well as anybody. He also scores regularly for his team without needing a lot of attempts.
Brady Paumen Brady Paumen 6'6" | SF Becker | 2023 State MN of Comets Elite (6’6 2023 Forward, Becker). Paumen is a balanced, strong forward that gets to space with activity and finishes at the 16u level in high percentages. Brady has a really nice touch around the basket with that right hand that’s completed over a defender or turning away and lifting to space to touch the shot in. Brady is coming off of a 13 plus point per game junior season and he’s been consistent for the Comets.
Ishmael Powell Ishmael Powell 6'2" | SG Stillwater | 2023 State MN of Heat PVR (6’4 2023 Wing, North St. Paul). We talked about Powell in April as an all around constantly engaged player. That has not changed. This weekend he once again filled the stat sheets with 3-4 buckets a game, grabbing team high boards at times, assisting multiple times each game, and recording steals. He had one of the dunks of the weekend showing that explosion but Ishmael is more than that. He’s an energetic all around player that is always engaged.
Trey Smith Trey Smith 6'7" | SF Osseo | 2023 State MN of MN Bounce (6’6 2023 Forward, Osseo). Trey Smith Trey Smith 6'7" | SF Osseo | 2023 State MN has the look of a player that people should keep their eyes on. He’s long at 6’5/6’6, Smith moves well both up and down the floor as well as laterally, and when we saw him knock out some threes and then go chase putbacks to score as well, it really caught our attention. Smith kept that attention when he was asked to defend the post with that length, and then went and defended a skilled wing moving his feet with that player. Top scorer and rebounder for his team both times we saw the Bounce play.