Hardwood Elite Week 2 Standouts
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Hardwood Elite’s “The League” entered its second week of play over the weekend, with talent from across the state competing at Bloomington Kennedy High School. I was in attendance to watch the action, and these are seven of the top…
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Continue ReadingHardwood Elite’s “The League” entered its second week of play over the weekend, with talent from across the state competing at Bloomington Kennedy High School. I was in attendance to watch the action, and these are seven of the top performers that I saw play!
Ahjany Lee Ahjany Lee 6'9" | C Byron | 2022 State #145 Nation MN (6’10 2022 PF/C, Totino-Grace)- Ahjany showed off the blend of size, skill, and mobility that have made him a huge pickup for St. Thomas. At 6’9-6’10 he moves like a player half a foot shorter than him, and the handle was looking as tight as ever. He had no problem taking opposing bigs off the dribble to get to the rim and finish like a wing, and was also creating separation on the perimeter to knock down threes and a couple of mid-range shots off the bounce. The opposing defense had no answers for Ahjany, other than just watching and hope his shot didn’t go in.
Joshua Ofori Joshua Ofori 6'7" | PF Prior Lake | 2023 State MN (6’5 2023 SF, Prior Lake)- Joe’s performance on Sunday night had some viewers on the sideline asking questions about him. Going from playing at the lower levels for Shakopee as a sophomore to now being one of the more intriguing small forwards in the 2023 class, there’s a lot to like about his potential. Ofori had a monster second half in the second game of the night, getting to the rim just about whenever he wanted to. Whether he was taking off down the sidelines in transition or using his patented spin-move in the lane, Ofori just kept getting high percentage looks inside. He showed off the explosive ability with a handful of dunks, passed the ball well from the block at times, and was a force on the offensive glass.
Donnavin Hinsz Donnavin Hinsz 6'6" | PF Columbia Heights | 2022 State MN (6’6 2022 PF, Columbia Heights)- Donnavin saw the 7 footer standing across from him on the other team, and made it a mission to go straight at him on offense. He made a statement early with a pull-up jumper, and then continued to play aggressive getting to the rim throughout the night. Not many players in the state match his combo of strength and speed, so he’s able to either turn the edge on his man with a quick first step, or just back the defender down and get a high percentage look around the rim. He had previously been known mostly for his defense as he could guard just about every spot on the floor at the high school level, but is now a serious threat to put the ball in the hoop in multiple ways offensively.
Henry Buchanan (7’ 2024 C, Burnsville)- The seven footer still has a ways to go in his development over his next three years of high school, but he showed a lot of potential and produced at a solid level last weekend. He’ll have to improve his quickness and conditioning to get to a higher level, but despite his thin frame he plays a lot stronger than he looks. Henry keeps a wide base and does a nice job of keeping his balance even when being swarmed in the post. This allows him to stay under control when turning over his right shoulder to score with the left. Defenders recognized that he almost always looks to finish with the left hand, but with his height they still weren’t able to stop him from getting high percentage looks around the basket.
Hayden Tibbits Hayden Tibbits 5'11" | PG Wayzata | 2023 State MN (5’11 2023 PG, Wayzata)- Really like the pace that Hayden plays this game at. He’s so under control at all times, but can flip the switch and blow by guys with his quickness when needed. He keeps his handle low and tight to limit turnovers, and can turn the corner and get his man on his hip when attacking the basket which allows him to get good looks at the rim despite being one of the smaller players on the floor most of the time. Also takes advantage of his speed on defense to force a couple of turnovers each time he steps on the floor. Love the way he competes even in a fall league setting.
Muja Burton Muja Burton 6'4" | SF Columbia Heights | 2022 State MN (6’4 2022 W, Columbia Heights)- Muja heads into his senior season still a skilled scorer, but now looking a bit more explosive than he did as a junior. That was shown as he started off the second game of the night with a one-handed dunk immediately after the opening tip. With the ball in his hands he’s dangerous in isolation as he’s a capable creator of space off the dribble, and has no problem knocking down step-back jumpers. Liked his patience when attacking the basket to use pivots and shot fakes to create an open look around the rim. Finished the ball well on the night and looks a bit more versatile heading into his senior season.
Carter Bjerke Carter Bjerke 6'9" | C Wayzata | 2022 State MN (6’8 2022 PF, Wayzata)- Nothing flashy out of Carter, simply a productive night leading his team to a win. The St. Thomas commit was extremely efficient, working to get high percentage looks and finishing off just about every shot he took on the night. He worked hard with some off-ball cuts and used his strength to provide a clear entry pass to the block when he posted up. That work without the ball leads to simple, and sometimes uncontested finishes within three feet, and he finished easily with either hand. Also showed the usual range from beyond the arc with a couple of three pointers.