The Platform: Minnesota Standouts
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As the month of July gets into full swing, the Prep Hoops Circuit heads to Birmingham, Alabama. This is the first of several Prep Hoops events in the Midwest as we converge onto the Grit Region Finals in Indianapolis at…
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Continue ReadingAs the month of July gets into full swing, the Prep Hoops Circuit heads to Birmingham, Alabama. This is the first of several Prep Hoops events in the Midwest as we converge onto the Grit Region Finals in Indianapolis at the end of the month. There were a ton of very intriguing games over the weekend, and now, let’s take a look at some of the Standouts from the state of Minnesota.
Khalif Bettis Khalif Bettis 6'6" | SF Burnsville | 2023 State MN – 2023 PF – Apple Valley (MN Chill Elite 2023)
Bettis is a smaller power forward, but he plays very physically and has a pretty high basketball IQ. On the inside, he works hard to get into a good post position, and he has good touch in the paint and around the rim. Bettis also showed off a nice little stop and pop from the mid-range to know down the mid-range. He’s not going to be the biggest player, but he works hard which allows him to make up for some of his lack of size. Look for Bettis to be a stock riser during his junior season.
Owen Carlson Owen Carlson 6'3" | SG Mahtomedi | 2023 State MN – 2023 SG – Mahtomedi (MN Chill Elite 2023)
Carlson is a bigger guard who seemed to hustle every single second that he was on the floor. He has active hands and moves his feet well, and he is never afraid to put his body on the line. He also looked really good in transition as he has the body control and finishing moves to score at the rim. He did struggle shooting the ball in this one, but he looked to have a good shooting stroke, so I think he just had an off game from the outside. Despite this, he played very well for having an off-day, and that is a bright sign for his basketball future.
Ty Creger Ty Creger 6'0" | PG Owatonna | 2022 State MN – 2022 PG – Owatonna (MN Select 2022 Mantay)
Creger is a point guard who can really make plays all over the basketball court for both he and his teammates. He is a good ball-handler who is very shifty in the lane. He is also a very good facilitator and seems to always have a feel for where the ball needs to go. When he gets into the lane, Creger is smooth around the rim, has great touch, and he can finish through contact. It was an impressive performance by Creger in this one.
Bradley Frisch – 2022 SG – Eden Prairie (MN Select 2022 Mantay)
Frisch is a guard with good size, and he may have been one of the best true shooters that I watched all weekend. He has a tremendous outside shot and can hit off of the catch and shoot as well as off the dribble. He also had a couple of triples from NBA range to show his endless range. Though his shooting was enough to catch the eye of anyone, he changed up his gameplay late when the defenders were giving him no space, and he drove to the rim. He attacks the rim strong and can finish strong. He is a true scorer and a team leader which makes him a player that any school should keep their eye on.
Chet Kloss Chet Kloss 6'6" | PF Eastview | 2023 State MN – 2023 SF – Eastview (MN Chill Elite 2023)
Kloss is a physical forward who really dominates in the lane. He attacks the offensive glass and got a couple of easy putbacks because of his hustle. He also showed off several good post moves in the lane. Kloss came up with two steals on the defensive end thanks to just out-hustling his opponents which is an easy way to catch a coach’s eye. He still has to improve on some things in the coming year, but he has potential if he can put it all together going into his senior season.
Evan Nelson – 2022 SF – Hopkins (MN Select 2022 Mantay)
Nelson is a big wing who has a ton of length which makes it hard on opponents. He uses his length well on the defensive end of the floor as his active hands allowed him to come up with several steals. He also showed the ability to lead the fastbreak and finish or dish to an open teammate. Nelson is a big body ad knows how to attack the rim strong, and he can finish well inside. Nelson can also make shots from the outside which just makes him an even tougher player to defend.
Joshua Ofori Joshua Ofori 6'7" | PF Prior Lake | 2023 State MN – 2023 SF – Shakopee (MN Chill Elite 2023)
Ofori is a big wing whose athleticism is off the charts. He attacks the glass on both ends of the floor, and he is always looking to push the ball up the floor as soon as he grabs the rebound. Ofori had several good finishes inside, and he also hit a nice little mid-range jumper. Ofori also missed a big poster dunk early in the game which showed off his athleticism on the court. He still has some obvious gaps in his game, but if he can fine-tune those skills, Ofori is going to be a player that catches every coach’s eye.
Maxwell Woods – 2024 PG – Chanhassen (Minnesota Fury 2024 Zurn)
Woods is a smaller guard whose quickness and ball-handling make him a tough man to defend. He sees the floor so well, and he made so many passes that I did not even see open. On the defensive end of the floor, Woods used his active hands to pick the pocket of the opposing ball handlers and read passing lanes to total 4 or 5 steals. He made plays in many ways and got both he and his teammates involved in the game. He is going to be a fun player to watch in the years to come, and coaches should keep an eye on this kid for the future.