Battle at the Lakes: Sunday Standouts
The final day of hoops at the Prep Hoops Battle of the Lakes was full of action! Here are some notes from Sunday at Maple Grove Middle School. Samar Bures (5’9 2024 PG, God’s Gift)- Samar leads his team on…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe final day of hoops at the Prep Hoops Battle of the Lakes was full of action! Here are some notes from Sunday at Maple Grove Middle School.
Samar Bures (5’9 2024 PG, God’s Gift)- Samar leads his team on both ends of the floor. He’s got a quick first step and is quite the high-flyer, this helps him as an undersized guard, get past defenders and maneuver around the bigs at the rim. If you try and block his shot at the basket, he’ll float in the air longer than you and use great ball control to sneak the rock right past you. When he pushes the ball downhill it’s nearly impossible to stop him. His handle is tight and he does a great job of getting guys open. On defense, he ran the point in a full-court 1-3-1 trapping defense. Bures keeps his hands active on D, tipping passes and picking pockets. He plays fast, but he plays under control. He’s comfortable under pressure and plays with great confidence.
Landyn Putman (6’3 2024 SG, 212 Basketball Academy)- Putman set the gym on fire with his shooting performance on Sunday. He tallied 28 points including six threes in his final game! He was hitting from all over the court. He’s an exceptional catch-and-shoot shooter but that doesn’t mean he can’t create his own shot and shoot off the dribble. He’s a dynamic scorer. He’s a taller guard which helps him at the rim. However, it isn’t just scoring that he does well, he has levels to his game. His ability to rebound the ball was on display on Sunday, too. Putman chipped in all across the boxscore to help his short-staffed team secure a win.
Javaris Ellis (6’4 2025 F, Minnesota Falcons)- Ellis is a lengthy post player that is a force in the paint and is very physical on both sides of the ball. In triple-overtime of his final game on Sunday, he had a game-winning block. He’s constantly bothering anyone who tries to come into the paint; contesting lay-ups, good wall-ups, and tipped passes are his bread and butter. Something he does that makes him so valuable is his ability to grab and go. Once he gets that steal/block/rebound on D, he can push the ball in transition himself and go coast-to-coast. He’s got great touch on the offensive end. He’s a super springy player and finds his team many second-chance opportunities. Keep your eye on Javaris as he continues to polish his game, he’s full of potential.
Zeke Ewerdt (6’0 2024 W, Team OT)- You’d guess Ewerdt is 6’6 the way he plays. He is dominant on the boards despite his height, he is physical on defense pestering whoever he is guarding. What’s special about Ewerdt is he can guard 1-5. He is fantastic on the glass. He is a primary rebounder on his squad and stands his ground in the paint. On the other side of the floor, he lights it up. He hit a handful of threes in a win on Sunday. On dribble drives, he muscles his way through defenders and it seems he is always drawing fouls or help-defense through the use of good ball fakes. His team plays a very unselfish brand of basketball and Ewedrt is evident of it.
E1T1 2025-2– This team plays incredibly hard. I was so impressed with the level of intensity and heart they play with. Like all good teams, they understand the importance of trusting your teammates. The level of trust they have in each other is clearly visible each time they step onto the court. They’re physical and fast; numerous players crash the O boards every possession, 50/50 balls aren’t in their vocabulary as they see them 100/0, and everyone is willing to dive on a loose ball. Every time they must return to their bench, they sprint, and if they don’t their coach is sure to let them know. I overheard an assistant tell the bench, “Zero-zero, we fight until the very end”. They play every game like it’s their last and that is such an admirable quality to have.