#NHRState: 16U All-Hustle Team
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Minnetonka, Minnesota – The majority of the 16U games for the NHR State Tournament were played at Hopkins High School. This is where I was posted up all weekend. I was impressed with how much hustle and high energy there…
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Continue ReadingMinnetonka, Minnesota – The majority of the 16U games for the NHR State Tournament were played at Hopkins High School. This is where I was posted up all weekend. I was impressed with how much hustle and high energy there was in the gym. It is always great when you see players diving on the floor for a loose ball in hopes of saving or stealing a possession.
Alphabetically, here are the players that showed great Hustle:
Andrew Elton |6-5 F| SW Minnesota Stars/Marshall – He made this list because of how hard he attacked the basket. Andrew also finished physically at the cup. He also did not give up on rebounds. Elton kept after it by trying to get a tip or deflection. Andrew is an intense player that does everything full bore.
Baraka Tarleton |6-3 G/F| MN Bounce/Andover – He made this list because he fought and battled for rebounds like it was the last game of his career. Baraka never gave up even when he was boxed out. I loved how he was persistent and he kept going after the ball. Tarleton also showed toughness when finishing at the rim. I watched him finish a tough AND1 layup after a hard foul.
Blake Schoolmeester Blake Schoolmeester 6'6" | SF Willmar | 2023 State MN |6-5 F| SW Minnesota Stars/Wilmar – The big forward was wild with ambition. Blake would do about anything to get his hands on a rebound. He was sprawling out and wrestling for loose balls on the floor. Blake showed great effort and grittiness. He mas making hustle plays! I also enjoyed the fact that he would pin defenders deep in the post when sealing for a post touch. Schoolmeester is a hard-working player.
Donald Prah Donald Prah 6'1" | PG Anoka | 2023 State MN |6-1 G| MN Comets Elite/Anoka – He made the list because of his and grit willingness to dive on the hardwood. Prah was not afraid to sacrifice his body for an extra possession. Donald also showed great hustle in transition, especially on offense.
Jackson Stewart Jackson Stewart 6'6" | PF Delano | 2023 State MN |6-7 F| MN Comets Elite/Delano – He made this list because I was surprised to see a player with his size diving on the floor for the ball. Typically it is the smaller guard getting dirty on the floor. Jackson was not afraid to mix it up and fight for the ball. That sounds like hustle to me! Stewart also played tough defense. He was not afraid of contact on either end.
Kobe Karels Kobe Karels 6'2" | PG Cambridge | 2023 State MN |6-0 G| Northstar Titans/Cambridge-Isanti – He made this list because of how hard he pushes the ball in transition after he gets an outlet. If he was not able to kick the ball up ahead he weaved through traffic in an up-tempo fashion. Kobe also worked hard when he was guarding the ball. I liked how he “walled up” on D to cut the ball handler off. Karels also blocked a shot because of his great hustle when getting back on defense.
Nathan Fenske Nathan Fenske 6'2" | SG Lakeview | 2023 State MN |6-2 G| SW Minnesota Stars/Lakeview – He made the list because of his high-energy play. Fenske was ubiquitous at times on defense. He was flying all over the court from on-ball defense to help-side and back on the ball with a perfect close-out.
Termaine Fulton Jr. |6-1 G| Minnesota Fury/Shakopee – He made the list because of his effort on the O-boards. When he was out on the perimeter, Fulton would still give his all for the board. Termaine was also impressive when he attacked the defense on every possession. His intensity was second to none.
Will Anderson |5-9 G| MN Bounce/Maple Grove – He made this list because he played hard all the time in the games I watched. Will sprinted in transition, even if he was not going to get the ball. Will is a high NRG player. Anderson can get out in transition and run like the wind.