22 ND & SD Standouts: SPTS #2
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The second weekend of SPTS happened on Saturday and Sunday in St. Cloud and it was high-level basketball. From top to bottom the league is loaded with talent 15U through 17U. Read below to see who some of the impressive…
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Continue ReadingThe second weekend of SPTS happened on Saturday and Sunday in St. Cloud and it was high-level basketball. From top to bottom the league is loaded with talent 15U through 17U. Read below to see who some of the impressive players were from ND & SD at SPTS #2. The SPTS FINALS happen July 22-24 in Sioux Falls. It will be interesting to see how the teams have changed over the course of the summer.
Impressive Players at SPTS #2
Alec Squires Alec Squires 6'10" | C Sioux Valley | 2024 State #280 Nation SD |6’10 C| Pentagon Schoolers 2023 Vincent/Sioux Valley
He only played on Sunday and Squires immediately made an impact on his Schooler squad. I have said this before, and I have to say it again. Alec Squires Alec Squires 6'10" | C Sioux Valley | 2024 State #280 Nation SD is a STUD and a double-double machine! In his first game on Sunday, Alec had 10 pts, 11 rbs and in the second game, the big man had 20 pts, 13 rbs, 3 blocks and 2 impressive dunks. His mobility on defense has to have college coaches intrigued. He is also deadly in the pick-n-roll game. Squires is a sight to be seen from Volga, SD. Do not miss out on the big man from Sioux Valley.
Jaxson Wingert Jaxson Wingert 6'7" | PF Dakota Valley | 2024 State SD |6’6 PF| Pentagon Schoolers 2023 Vincent/Dakota Valley
This BIG Panther was tough all weekend for the Schoolers. Wingert played extended minutes for coach Vincent’s squad on Saturday when they were missing their center from Sioux Valley. He is a big and physical player that is not afraid of contact. Wingert is a hard worker that gives maximum effort all the time. Jaxson is a very good rebounder and a strong finisher at the cup. Wingert has a soft touch and his jumper is dependable. This kid knows how to win.
Matt Anderson Matt Anderson 6'6" | SF Canton | 2024 State SD |6’5 SF| Pentagon Schoolers 2023 Vincent/Canton
He is a strong and versatile athlete that can play in and out. Anderson has the potential to be a lockdown defender that will put the clamps on the other team’s best player. He showed glimpses of this in the high school season. Anderson can get up and finish above the rim in an impressive fashion. Matt played his best basketball off the AAU season at SPTS #2. He is getting more and more comfortable with the Schooler system. Expect him to keep shining.
Tyson Stevenson Tyson Stevenson 6'2" | SG Hamlin | 2024 State SD |6’2 G| Pentagon Schoolers 2023/Hamlin
He was the top-performing guard for his Schoolers team. Tyson had an impressive scoring game where he put up a cool 21 points. Stevenson is quick and speedy fast. He is great in the open court and he is very good at going downhill with the ball in his hands. Tyson is an athletic and versatile finisher that can make all the moves. His runner is outstanding and Tyson can hit the 3-ball. He was one of my favorite young guards from SD last season and his future is very bright.
Landon Moser Landon Moser 6'1" | PG Northern Cass | 2024 State ND |6’1 G| ND Attack 16U Black/Northern Cass
He had a great weekend for ND Attack while playing against stiff competition at SPTS. Moser shot the ball very well and handled the pressure at the point guard spot. Landon’s stock continues to rise. He had back-to-back great weekends at Battle At The Lakes and SPTS #2. Moser gets ND Attack going offensively with smart handling of the ball and he adds a nice scoring punch. I really like his game and overall skill.
Tony Leal Tony Leal 6'5" | PF West Fargo | 2024 ND |6’4 PF| ND Attack 16 Black/West Fargo
He was super impressive at Battle At The Lakes and Tony had another nice weekend at SPTS. He played with a great post presence on offense and defense in St. Cloud. Leal is strong and powerful. He moves better and is more athletic than I realized. Leal can dominate on the boards, protect the rim, and score around the cup. I like his moves from the block and his physical cutting. Leal continues to be impressive this spring.
Raymond Brown Raymond Brown 5'11" | PG Fargo Davies | 2023 State ND |5’11 G| ECI Prospects 17U/Fargo Davies
He was spectacular in St. Cloud! Ray was an animal on offense and he scored at will in the two ECI wins over MN Rise and MN Comets. Brown was also very good on the defensive end of the floor. Ray plays with endless energy and effort. He never takes a play off. Brown is a next-level athlete and a playmaker. He scores well at the rim, has a sweet floater, and his jumper is accurate and true to the mark.
Zach Kraft Zach Kraft 6'2" | PG Grand Forks Red River | 2023 State ND |6’2 G| ECI Prospects 17U/Grand Forks Red River
The Red River Rifle showed off his shooting skills again. He really went off at SPTS #1 and Kraft caught fire at St. Cloud as well. He is fill it up from beyond the arc. Kraft is deadly off the bounce and when spotting up. He is a very skilled and smooth guard. I love his pull-up game and he can also score in the paint. He is a smart passer and his defense has improved. Kraft is a complete player.
Oliver Vincent Oliver Vincent 6'1" | PG Sioux Valley | 2023 State SD |6’1 G| Pentagon Schoolers National 17U/Sioux Valley
This uber-skilled PG was a machine in St. Cloud. The Sioux Valley star took 8 charges in 4 games, which is unheard of in AAU! Vincent averaged 18 points and 7 assists per game. Oli makes everyone around him better with his court vision, understanding of the game, and ultra-competitiveness. His perimeter jumper always seems to be on and Vincent can make every shot that you can imagine on the way to the rim. He is also a tough defender that will generally take the top guard from the opposing team. He is a one-man press brake and an overall DUDE.
Damon Wilkinson Damon Wilkinson 6'10" | C De Smet | 2023 State SD |6’9 C| Pentagon Schoolers National 17U/De Smet
The big Bulldog has blown up recently with D1 football offers. However, Wilkinson was a standout out this past weekend on the hardwood and not the gridiron. Wilkinson was a walking double-double in St. Cloud with points and rebounds. Damon can score with strength and power around the rim. He has a soft touch that goes along well with his crafty footwork. Wilkinson was also impressive by blocking shots and protecting the rim.
Spencer Barr Spencer Barr 5'11" | PG Aberdeen Central | 2023 State SD |5’11 G| Pentagon Schoolers National 17U/Aberdeen Central
His biggest scoring game at SPTS was 22 points and he averaged in double figures for points in the four games. Barr also stuffed the stat sheet in the rebounding, assists, and steal columns. Spencer’s jump shot is picture perfect and his pull-up game is a work of art. I like how fearless Barr plays, he attacks the rim no matter the size of the defender. Spencer is a sparkplug all over the court. He always sprints the floor and he is tough on defense.
Jeremiah Sem Jeremiah Sem 6'3" | SG Fargo North | 2024 State #303 Nation ND |6’2 G| ECI Prospects 16U/Fargo North
He put together 4 complete games at SPTS. Sem did it on both ends. He defended well against the best player all weekend. Sem led ECI in scoring. The bouncy kid had many splashy dunks. Sem shot it well from deep and he hit clutch shots. One of his biggest shots came against the Comets which helped secure a legit win. Jeremiah proved again why he is a high-level prospect.
Carter Zeller Carter Zeller 6'6" | PF Fargo North | 2024 State ND |6’6 PF| ECI Prospects 16U/Fargo North
He missed the last two tournaments for ECI but Zeller made an immediate impact. Carter had a monster weekend and a glorious presence in the paint. Zeller is an elite rim protector with his physicality. Carter is a workhorse on the glass and he is a man amongst boys on the O-boards. Carter does the dirty work and scores on putbacks. Zeller is constantly improving, his shooting range has stretched and now this Spartan has been hitting 3’s. Zeller showed off his athleticism with a high-octane dunk. This kid is for real!
Matthew Sem Matthew Sem 6'1" | SG Fargo North | 2025 State ND |6’1 G| ECI Prospects 16U/Fargo North
He is a year younger and playing up an age division. The young Sem helped ECI go undefeated in St. Cloud. On the defensive side of the ball, Sem made a difference by applying pressure. This resulted in opportunistic scoring advantages for ECI. Matthew hit big shots from the perimeter down the stretch and he had a monster SLAM vs MN Rise. Sem has easily adjusted to the 16U speed. His athleticism and physicality have made it an easy transition.
Drew Hofstad Drew Hofstad 6'1" | SG Devils Lake | 2024 ND |6’1 G| ECI Prospects 16U/Devils Lake
They went 4-0 this weekend and Drew was a big part of that success. Hofstad was an absolute sharpshooter from the perimeter. He had multiple games at SPTS where he hit 3+ shots from beyond the arc. The Devils Lake kid is becoming a really nice “3 and D” player for ECI. Drew shines on O but he also gets it done on D. Hofstad’s strength and athleticism allow him to guard the opposing team’s best ball handler in the fullcourt. Hofstad showed off his athleticism in St. Cloud when going up to finish above the rim. Drew continues to impress.
Aric Winczewski Aric Winczewski 6'2" | CG Minot | 2025 State ND |6’0 G| ECI Prospects 15U/Minot
If you know anything about Minot players then know that Winczewski is a tough character. He has all the fundamentals and Aric communicates like a college ballplayer. He locked up on defense in St. Cloud and he made plenty of hustle plays. Winczewski scored when playing fast and in the halfcourt. He knows when to push and when to slow things down. Aric knows who to get the ball to in a timely manner and when to look for his own shot. His stock has continued to rise thing spring.
Carter Baasch Carter Baasch 5'7" | SG Maple River | 2025 State ND |5’6 G| ECI Prospects 15U/Maple River
He was impressive on defense while putting the clamp down on opposing guards. Baasch did a nice job of pushing the tempo in transition. Carter did his share of scoring in up-tempo situations. He is not the tallest player on the court but he can still score at the cup. Carter was also impressive dishing and dropping assists all weekend.
Pearce Parks Pearce Parks 6'2" | SG Grand Forks Red River | 2025 State ND |6’1 G/F| ECI Prospects/Grand Forks Red River
He was a monster on the floor this last weekend. Parks is a mismatch nightmare for opposing coaches. There are very few players in 9th grade across the midwest that are built like Parks. He is strong, has good size, and Pearce has the skills to match it. He is truly a do-it-all player. Parks can guard any position with his strength and mobility. He hits the glass hard and can score from all levels.
Drew Kempel Drew Kempel 6'4" | PG Bismarck Century | 2025 State ND |6’3 G| ND Phenom 15U/Bismarck Century
He has good size at the PG position. Kempel consistently gets deep paint penetration and does a good job in making decisions as to score it or move it. Drew had 22 assists against 7 turnovers at the tough SPTS. He is also a stout defensive presence and does a nice job on the glass. Kempel’s per-game stats: 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists on the weekend. He gets better every time I watch this kid. Kempel is an impressive creator and facilitator.
Walker Braaten Walker Braaten 6'4" | CG Westhope/Newburg | 2025 State #278 Nation ND |6’2 G| ND Phenom 15U/Westhope-Newburg
He is really that prototypical old-school 2 guard. Walker gets to the paint for 1 and 2-foot finishes. Braaten is a very capable shooter, he can change the game from beyond the arc. Walker is a really high-level rebounder for a guard. Braaten’s averaged 15.3 points and 7 rebounds on the weekend in St. Cloud. Braaten is a gamer and a competitor that makes winning plays.
Parker Falcon Parker Falcon 6'6" | SG Bismarck Legacy | 2025 State ND |6’4 SG| ND Phenom 15U/Bismarck Legacy
He is a hybrid 3/4 that can really shoot it. Falcon consistently competes defensively and is a very smart player. Parker battles on the glass and is really working to improve his total body strength. He shot 46.7% from the 3-point land this weekend while averaging 10.3 points and 6 rebounds. His stock has really shot up this spring. Falcon has a very high ceiling.
Karson Ouse Karson Ouse 6'8" | SF Kindred | 2025 State #283 Nation ND |6’5 F| ND Phenom 15U/Kindred
Ouse is also a hybrid 3/4 that does a bit of everything on the hardwood. He can score as a slasher, a shooter, a low post, or as a screener. Ouse is consistently in the right places on both ends of the floor. As he keeps getting stronger, his game will continue to expand. Karson shot 45.5% from beyond the arc this weekend while averaging 12 points and 5.5 rebounds. Look out for Ouse, he is a rising star.