#ThePlatform: Friday evening favorites (16U)
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Isaiah Hanson Isaiah Hanson 6'4" | SG Rochester Mayo | 2023 State MN | Minnesota Heat Pratt 6’3” W Rochester Mayo (MN) ’23 Show-stopper Ball thief Hanson, a uniquely focused and accurate defender, gave an opposing Floridan squad significant hinderances…
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Continue ReadingIsaiah Hanson Isaiah Hanson 6'4" | SG Rochester Mayo | 2023 State MN | Minnesota Heat Pratt |
6’3” W | Rochester Mayo (MN) ’23 |
- Show-stopper
- Ball thief
Hanson, a uniquely focused and accurate defender, gave an opposing Floridan squad significant hinderances Friday afternoon. The junior wing has a great head for making defensive plays, as he showcased on numerous occasions gathering steals in a variety of methods. When locked in with driving wings, he adhered with strong precision and cut off slashing lanes with his hips and rarely committing a foul in the process. Hanson can also deny shots straight-up just as accurately thanks to his focus and precision.
Offensively, he made his presence known, too. Hanson, who scored 7 points, contributed with well-timed transition scoring, tough finishes in the interior, and triples out of the catch.
Aidan Higgins Aidan Higgins 6'2" | SG De La Salle | 2023 State MN | Minnesota Heat Pratt |
6’2” G | DeLaSalle (MN) ’23 |
- Natural scorer
A natural scorer and competitor, Higgins found his way to the rack possession-after-possession Friday afternoon. He finished the match against a Floridan squad with 18 points however he needed to come by them. Often, Higgins simply exploited the open floor in transition, with one of his Heat teammates providing a pass down-court sharply into his hands. Other times, Higgins crashed to the short corner as the opposing defense collapsed on a driver for easy chances at the rim with room for a gather. He also converted on a trio of 3-pointers early in the match.
Akeem Nelson Akeem Nelson 6'1" | PG Minnesota prep academy | 2022 MN | Minnesota Heat Pratt |
6’1” PG | Minnesota Prep Academy (MN) ’23 |
- All-world hall-of-fame dimer badge
Nelson aggressively and confidently attacked the rim Friday afternoon, with most of his trips to the interior ending fortuitously for Minnesota Heat. He controlled the ball well at high-gear, displaying superb pace and leading Heat to a notable transition scoring imbalance compared to the opposing Floridan team.
Even after Heat engaged a full-court trap, Nelson felt little pressure; if anything, the floor opened for him after leaving pairs of defenders in his dust.
He showed early that he could find his way to the interior, establishing for himself later opportunities to drive and kick out to wing shooters. Nelson has an impressive catalog of passes, capable of executing the most appropriate and accurate assists given the situation.
Sam Lewis Sam Lewis 6'5" | SF Oak Park River Forest | 2023 State IL | Meanstreets |
6’5″ W | Oak Park River Forest (IL) ’23 |
- Versatile wing
- Superb athlete
One of the more developed players on the floor Friday evening was Lewis, who scored 16 points in a blowout win against a team from Indiana. Considering his size and athleticism, he was one of the farthest along of the day, but he also had the talent to back it up.
The Hoosiers struggled to contain Lewis’s all-around skill-set. The lanky scorer knocked down a pair of triples on open looks out of the catch, and thanks to his width, there was little that could be done to reliably contest his shot. Also a springy sportsman, Lewis flushed a couple two-handed jams in the full-court to show off his vertical leap.