The Platform – Minnesota Post Standouts
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The Platform took place in Birmingham, Alabama this past weekend, with some of Minnesota’s top teams facing off against competition from across the country! I was able to watch 25+ games over the three day event, and these are seven…
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Continue ReadingThe Platform took place in Birmingham, Alabama this past weekend, with some of Minnesota’s top teams facing off against competition from across the country! I was able to watch 25+ games over the three day event, and these are seven of the Minnesota post prospects who stood out the most.
Molley Komara (6’6 2023 PF/C, Minnesota Chill)- The high energy big man was a major contributor for MN Chill in their game I caught on Saturday. At 6’6 he may not have traditional big man height, but he makes up for it with extreme length and good mobility/explosiveness for his size. He pulled in rebounds in bulk, including a handful of offensive boards that he was immediately able to turn into two points with his quick second leap. Despite defenders constantly swarming every touch in the paint, he still found ways to get off shots and scored at a high rate with his soft touch around the rim. Defensively he has no problem switching off to guard on the wings, and is also a big time shot blocking threat who can move his feet to get into position to make a play.
Antwaun Massey (6’8 2022 PF, KC Spurs Black)- The Minnesota Prep Academy prospect was making his presence known on both ends of the floor, as the long and athletic forward is a highlight waiting to happen. When it came to shot blockers, Antwaun was one of the best in attendance, rejecting five shots during the first game I caught. Two of those he caught off the backboard, and on the second one he sprinted the length of the floor before receiving a pass for a two hand slam. That type of effort to beat his man up the floor led to plenty of transition buckets, as most post players simply can’t keep up with his speed. On the defensive end he has the quickness at 6’8 to defend wings on the perimeter, and also the quick burst off the floor to contest everything around the rim. Offensively he excelled at powering through contact to finish at a high percentage, and showed some flashes of being able to put the ball on the floor and create. Massey also dominated the glass on both ends of the floor.
Pharrel Payne Pharrel Payne 6'9" | C Park Of Cottage Grove | 2022 State #84 Nation MN (6’9 2022 PF/C, Minnesota Select Ohnstad)- Pharrel once again proved himself against high level competition, and that showed as he dominated against multiple high major bigs in Select’s win over Georgia Stars EYBL. The walking double-double swallows up everything on the glass, and pulls in rebounds so hard that you can hear the slap on the ball from a court away. When defending on the block opponents find it difficult to move him even an inch, and that strength allows him to absorb contact while remaining straight up to send shots right back to where they came from. Offensively the jumper wasn’t falling as much as usual, but he still showed his extremely efficient post scoring ability, as Pharrel can turn over either shoulder and has a soft touch to finish with both hands. He also got up and down the floor to make plays in transition, including an alley-oop slam during the second half of the Georgia Stars game.
Kyle Jorgensen (6’7 2024 PF/C, Minnesota Heat PBJ)- Kyle impressed early on Friday morning showcasing an effective inside-out game on offense. He did some damage as a pick-and-pop big, able to set a hard screen and then step out to knock down a shot from beyond the arc. Kyle used that shooting threat to open up some lanes to the basket as well, as an effective shot fake could get his man off his feet, and Kyle then had the skill to put the ball on the floor to try to make things happen. When in the paint he has a strong frame to shield off defenders and move them to put himself into a favorable spot to score over his left shoulder.
Jackson Loge Jackson Loge 6'7" | C Morris Area | 2022 State MN (6’8 2022 C, Minnesota Fury Wilde)- The skilled low post prospect didn’t put up his usual scoring numbers in the games I saw, but still impressed in other ways. At 6’8 he’s a talented passer who can catch on the block and locate slashing teammates or open shooters spotting up from three, and deliver an accurate pass with some zip on it. I also liked how he looks for a body to box out immediately after a shot goes up, allowing him to pull in boards even against longer opponents. Jackson also showed that he can get off the floor pretty quick as well, with one play picking up an offensive rebound and then quickly elevating to throw down a dunk.
Brody Radtke (6’6 2024 PF/C, Minnesota Fury Zurn)- Playing with the Minnesota Fury 2024 team, Brody showed some solid potential. He’s a wiry thin post player with some mobility to make plays on the perimeter. Offensively he was at his best stepping away from the basket where he showcased a nice looking jumper from both three and mid-range. He could also get up and down the floor in transition with some solid quickness for his size. Defensively his length can cause some problems around the rim, and he also looked comfortable stepping out and guarding on the perimeter.
Micah Young Micah Young 6'3" | SF Minneapolis Edison | 2023 State MN (6’4 2023 F, Minnesota Heat Pratt)- Though he projects as more of a wing, Micah is one of the taller players for the Heat and made a lot of his plays around the basket in the game I watched. At 6’4 he has some explosiveness to him to elevate over other players to finish, and he moved well without the ball to open up opportunities to score around the rim. That explosive ability also allows him to get up and rebound at a high level on the defensive end, and he did a nice job of locating his guards for an outlet pass. On the defensive end there weren’t too many players he couldn’t guard during the game I saw, as his mix of size and quickness allowed him to be constantly switching off screens no matter who it matched him up against.