Hard Work Region Finals: Sunday’s Best
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A season of Prep Hoops Circuit basketball culminated with the Hard Work Region Championship Sunday. Here are the stars and stories of Championship Sunday. Ayden the 17U MVP In mid-July Hibbing point guard Ayden McDonald Ayden McDonald 6'4" |…
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Continue ReadingA season of Prep Hoops Circuit basketball culminated with the Hard Work Region Championship Sunday. Here are the stars and stories of Championship Sunday.
Ayden the 17U MVP
In mid-July Hibbing point guard Ayden McDonald Ayden McDonald 6'4" | PG Omaha Central | 2022 State MN made a switch of summer basketball teams. The Minnesota Fury lost a ball handler and a main scoring option to injury plus had other players that were banged up. With McDonald available the match was perfect and it’s led to outstanding results both for Ayden and his the Fury.
With Ayden McDonald Ayden McDonald 6'4" | PG Omaha Central | 2022 State MN as the lead ball handler the Fury went 8-2 the last two weekends. The headlining wins were a victory over Adidas 3SSB squad Team Loaded NC (with 5 star guard MJ Rice) and yesterday’s Hard Work Region championship game victory over Minnesota Select. Wins over the Alabama Celtics, Wisconsin Crusaders, BTI out of California, and the D1 Minnesota Prospects were added to the resume as well.
McDonald’s play at lead guard was a key part of the success. Ayden did his part on the scoreboard – 7 of 10 from the field in the title game scoring 16 points versus Select – but it was the way McDonald assimilated to the Fury style. Not only did McDonald play well, but some of the better Fury players played their best basketball of the summer with Ayden at lead guard. Brady Helgren Brady Helgren 6'8" | C Edina | 2022 State MN and Nick Katona Nick Katona 6'6" | SF Shakopee | 2022 State MN were good for the Fury all year but their best offensive basketball (from what I’ve seen) was with McDonald running the offense and helping them get the ball in good spots.
Ayden is also a 40% Club member meaning he’s a 40 percent three point shooter. The biggest play of the Hard Work Region 17u Tournament was McDonald’s left wing three point knockdown that put the Fury up for good. Long point made short, if you have Ayden McDonald Ayden McDonald 6'4" | PG Omaha Central | 2022 State MN on the floor the ball will move and it will move to the right places. Talent will have better chances to score and when the ball comes back to Ayden he’s a high percentage shooter.
Birkholz Buckets
“What level of college player is Levi?”
I’ve had a chance to see Levi Birkholz Levi Birkholz 5'2" | SG Lakeside Luthersn | 2023 State #290 Nation WI of the Wisconsin Crusaders play three times the past two weeks and while I still don’t have a true answer to what level he can play in college, I can certainly tell you that he’s a constant producer. In all ways.
The Lakeside Lutheran HS (WI) sophomore led his high school to a 19-5 record last winter shooting 63 percent from the field while averaging 20 points and 6.5 rebounds a game. Somehow when facing the elite 16u teams from Minnesota, Birkholz has upped that level of production even further and in the process led the Crusaders to a 14-7 summer record (including a second place finish in the Hard Work Finals).
Last week we saw Levi put a double-double on the board against D1 Minnesota and then he handed the Minnesota Lightning a loss with his 28 point, dozen rebound, five assist showing (had 24 points and 12 boards vs the #1 ranked 16s in Minnesota last weekend). Not only did Birkholz dominate the glass and get where he wanted offensively, Levi also scored the game winner dropping in a one hand touch shot at the buzzer for the win. The things that amaze me the most about Levi are his ability to fight off bigs for boards, his ability to touch shots in while off balance showing great body control, and the lift he gets while attacking the rim at 109 miles per hour for a dunk or finish at off the glass.
At 6-foot-2 what level of player is Levi? I will just say that if your favorite college basketball team likes players that play hard 100 percent of the game, and likes guys that rebound like a frontcourt player and compete like a UFC fighter with a jumper, they would love Levi.
My Latest “He’s a D1 Player” Prediction
I would say four or five times each 17u season I go out on a limb and publicly say “that’s a division one player in my opinion” when it refers to a top division two rated recruit. My latest statement in this regard is about 6’9 Brady Helgren Brady Helgren 6'8" | C Edina | 2022 State MN of the Minnesota Fury. To be honest I don’t see how he isn’t a division one prospect. Brady has long been known for his face-up shooting touch in a big frame. This makes him a stretch for or a five that sets the high ball screen and the offense can run through him.
In addition, Brady has also grown as a back to the basket player. After a rough first half, Helgren’s second half stretch of two threes sunk and a pair of low post finishes was a monumental piece to the Fury beating Minnesota Select. In that second half Brady showed the range, showed his ability to finish around the cup, and he grabbed most of his six rebounds ending Select possessions. In that Team Loaded win last weekend, Helgren went at a team full of division one prospects and put 16 points on the board with eight boards.
As a skilled big man in college basketball, Helgren has the luxury of being patient. Players with his size and skill are not common when you look through prospect lists state to state. But with 350 teams at the division one level all needing bigs, opportunity will likely come. Especially after D1 schools were four deep on both baselines in Indianapolis last week watching all the action. What’s even better is that Helgren lives in the heart of the Northern Sun, a league where at least half the teams are quite comparable to low major basketball on the coasts.
Opportunity should be knocking on Helgren’s door after his fantastic showings the last two weekends.
Payne’s Last Stand
There isn’t much more I can say about Pharrel Payne Pharrel Payne 6'9" | C Park Of Cottage Grove | 2022 State #84 Nation MN that I haven’t said already. He’s a top 100 level talent and the second best prospect in the state of Minnesota’s senior class. At 6’9 and 230 pounds with a constant motor, bigs both local and national have been outplayed by the post from Park of Cottage Grove.
While Select may have lost to the Fury in the championship game, Payne was dominant. He scored 20 points with 15 rebounds and five blocks on 9 of 13 shooting (had 11 points and a dozen boards in a blowout of Gain Elite). Most of the scoring came in the second half when Select was pounding the ball into the post and Payne pounded scholarship bigs. Pharrel used power finishes drop-stepping on balance, he used patient should turns into touch shots after strong contact on the move, and he stepped out to hit shots at the arc.
The most impressive part of the performance was the rebounding and shot blocking dominance. Payne rebounded his area at a 100 percent success rate and grabbed balls out of his area with two strong hands. Pharrel Payne Pharrel Payne 6'9" | C Park Of Cottage Grove | 2022 State #84 Nation MN cares about finishing and winning which is why he his team have had success and Payne has risen as a top prospect.
Lightning Prospects
The Minnesota Lightning 16s had a nice list of wins this season beating the top Howard Pulley 16s, WOTN’s top team, the really good Team Tyus 15s squad, Sizzle’s second best 16s, Sacred Hoops, and many others. Their team has four really nice prospects that should be recruited next year at a potential scholarship level. They are:
Pal Wal Pal Wal 6'5" | PF Albert Lea | 2023 State MN of Albert Lea (6’5). Long armed, productive power forward that moves really well. Pal was game to game the biggest number producer the Lightning had constantly giving them 5-6 touched in buckets in the paint with 7-8 boards.
Buay Koak Buay Koak 6'4" | SG Lyle-Pacelli | 2023 State MN of Lyle/Austin Pacelli (6’4). Koak is a defensive disruption that uses his length to block shots at the cup and also get deflections and steals, Bouy’s potential on both ends is really high as he’s skilled with agility. Likely the highest potential player on this team as a long armed two guard.
Carter Todd Carter Todd 6'4" | SF La Crescent | 2023 State MN of La Crescent (6’3). Todd is a skilled talent that can play on or off the ball. At his best with a dribble against a moving defender, Todd is a good passer and a strong mid-range shooter. Looked solid when his feet were set catching and shooting, but doesn’t force his offense. All around productive.
Will Opsahl Will Opsahl 6'8" | SF Goodhue | 2023 State MN of Goodhue (6’6). The other player that I think has a high scholarship ceiling from the Lightning. Will is 6’5/6’6 and playing the point guard spot often. You can not guard him with a normal sized point guard as Will is simply too big but many teams tried, and failed. Opsahl brings ball handling and a soft touch in a big frame that schools will want to use on the perimeter.
Young Fury Stars
The Hard Work Region 15U level was won by the Minnesota Fury Zurn squad. It’s a team full of standouts but the two that grabbed my attention the most were Max Woods of Chanhassen and Charlie Theis of East Ridge.
Woods is the Fury 5’10 point guard who played varsity for the Storm this winter. There is so much to like about his the future potential of Woods. Defensively he sits deep in a stance and gets into guys. Back the other way Max mixed his roles as a distributor and a scorer. He fed teammates regularly for a big semi-final win and then scored 28 in the title game knocking out seven threes. The way Woods uses the ball screen reminds me of a young Jordan Taylor but the speed with the ball has some Siyani Chambers to it.
Then you have Charlie Theis. Theis is a 6’4 wing with a confidence that I won’t soon forget. He made big shot after big shot in championship level fashion and went back the other way with a swagger that was fun (and pumped up his bench). Charlie had no problem being the go-to guy in the big moment hitting three late threes to beat the Chicago Swish.
Chicago Standout
Prep Hoops writers have been raving about 6’4 Chicago Swish standout Tavariyaun Williams for four months. From Scotty Burgess to Collin Parker, Keith Agran to Luke Barnes, Johnathon Gilbert to Preston Edwards, and now myself, we have all watched Williams and raved about his future potential this 15u season.
Tavariyaun is from DeLaSalle High School in Illinois and he’s as competitive as they come. You may not see that fire when it comes to losing his cool but you can see it clearly play by play when his team is competing. Williams is a skilled and explosive wing that will take the ball when needed but can also work off the ball and demolish a weakened moving defense. Going at the rim his skill and size were too much for opponents in the Twin Cities and we think Williams has enormous potential for the future.
Hard Work Region Sunday Notes
- By far the best 2025 that I saw this weekend was JJ Hernandez JJ Hernandez 6'6" | PF Glenbard North | 2024 State IL of Chicago Swish 15s. In watching Hernandez play for 15 minutes my first comment was “he must be the son of a coach or long time player because his feel is incredible”. JJ scored 20 against the Fury mixing three triples with five attacking scores. The patience and control of the Hernandez attack wore on defenders. JJ won the corner and then was able to read the moving help to get to his touched in scores. Impressive young talent.
- Benard Omooria Benard Omooria 6'2" | CG Osseo | 2022 State MN ’s shooting is a constant game changer. Hit four thees and scored 16 points in the semis versus Gain Elite.
- Six-foot-7 Alex Sherwood Alex Sherwood 6'4" | SF Xavier | 2023 State WI of the Wisconsin Crusader 16s has a legit chance at being a scholarship prospect. Late in the game with the Lightning Sherwood cut hard baseline, cut, turned left shoulder, and scored a crucial one hander. Sherwood had 13 points and nine boards in the semis and I think his touch back to the basket or facing is what I will remember. That and the crucial late score.
- Puolrah Gong is still a raw prospect but certainly a prospect as an active, agile 6’5 forward. Has the potential to be an amazing college defender.
- Nick Katona Nick Katona 6'6" | SF Shakopee | 2022 State MN of the Minnesota Fury saved his best basketball for the final weeks of play. His four triples against D1 Minnesota Prospects pushed the Fury through to the semis and his defensive efforts were a constant. Katona is the type of guy who can make a big impact on the game while taking only four shots.
- At the high level of AAU play its tough to be a big number contributor all the time. Leo Torbor Leo Torbor 6'1" | PG Park Center | 2022 State MN does it in a variety of ways. Had 10 points, five boards, and six assists beating Gain Elite, and then three buckets with seven boards and four assists in the title game. Oh, Leo also had maybe the dunk of the year going baseline in the semi-final and if you haven’t seen it hit up @northstaralex on twitter who has a great view captured.
- CJ O’Hara CJ O’Hara 6'4" | SF Park Center | 2023 State #285 Nation MN proved his top five ranking in the state and top 200 ranking nationally once again. Jumped on with Gain Elite for the weekend and was a major reason the team made the final four. Gain Elite had a lot of trouble scoring against Minnesota Select but O’Hara was one that produced his regular output scoring 15 with six boards.