Midwest Showdown: Max’s Day 1 Standouts
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The Midwest Showdown got kicked off in Appleton, Wisconsin last night, with high level programs from Wisconsin and beyond coming to compete. I was in the gym for three games, and these are some of the prospects who stood out…
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Continue ReadingThe Midwest Showdown got kicked off in Appleton, Wisconsin last night, with high level programs from Wisconsin and beyond coming to compete. I was in the gym for three games, and these are some of the prospects who stood out most!
Alex Sherwood Alex Sherwood 6'4" | SF Xavier | 2023 State WI (6’7 2023 F, Wisconsin Crusaders Premier)- Alex was feeling it early on, knocking down a pair of threes and also dishing off a no-look assist from the block to help his team run out to an early lead over Wisconsin PGC. They continued to build on that lead for the rest of the game as Alex knocked down two more threes and also got to the rim with some hard off-ball cuts that led to a handful of inside finishes. Alex not only finished with 19 points in a big win, but he also showcased some versatility on the defensive end. Utilizes his length well when defending smaller players on the wing, but also holds his ground in the post when matched up against size.
Baiden Bean Baiden Bean 6'1" | PG Farmington | 2023 State MN (6’1 2023 PG, WOTN)- Baiden is typically more of a shooter, both from mid-range and three, but last night he just couldn’t be stopped attacking the basket. He’s so quick both on and off the ball, and that speed allowed him to slip right past his defenders and finish at full speed towards the basket. Is so good at sneaking up on guys defensively with a quick double team, and getting a hand in to poke the ball free and get out the other way in transition. Baiden is so fast getting up and down the court yet he never looks out of control with the ball. Was key in his team’s overtime win.
Ty Fernholz Ty Fernholz 6'2" | SG Stoughton | 2024 State WI (6’2 2024 G, Wisconsin Blizzard)- An absolute competitor on the floor, Ty simply gets it done on both ends. Defensively he was relentless on the ball, and was so good at getting over/through high ball screens to get right back on his man and not allow any pull-up threes. On the offensive end Blizzard likes to run him off a lot of off-ball screens because he’s so good at quickly getting his feet squared up to fire off a shot before his defender can catch up. Quick release from deep and he connects at a high rate. Was putting up some nice scoring numbers while also feeding his two bigs in the block.
Max Tutas (6’2 2023 W, Wisconsin Crusaders)- Nothing flashy about Max’s game, but he simply goes out and produces. At 6’2 he’s built like a football player, and that allows him to power his way through contact around the basket to finish against bigger players. I liked how he utilized a shot fake from the perimeter to open up some straight line drives to the basket. Outside of his finishing, Max was the loudest player on the floor, something that helped organize his team on both offense and defense. Strong rebounder who’s not going to cough the ball up. Max is the type of player that will do anything his coach asks of him to help his team win.
Will Kutzler Will Kutzler 6'7" | PF Lakeville North | 2023 State MN (6’7 2023 F, WOTN)- Lakeville North high school has a ridiculous amount of talent 6’7 and above, with Will being one of those players. Last night he showed off a versatile game for WOTN as he’s someone with excellent touch to catch and finish in the paint, but can also stretch the floor and knock down open threes. Will handled the ball well for his size, and showcased the mobility to float around the perimeter and also slash to the basket. Uses his length to defend and rebound in the paint, but was comfortable when he had to switch off and guard wings on the perimeter. Really versatile forward prospect.
Will Hornseth Will Hornseth 6'8" | PF De Pere | 2024 State #208 Nation WI (6’8 2024 PF, Wisconsin Blizzard)- There’s a reason Will is so highly regarded in Wisconsin’s 2024 class. At around 6’8 he moves so well and is an explosive athlete inside who can finish above the rim or score with touch off the backboard. One thing that sticks out about Will is how hard he runs the floor. Even if it only leads to one transition basket a game, he’s going to sprint to beat his man up the floor because he knows that one basket can be the difference between a win and a loss. Really like how he operates out of the high post as he can catch and see the floor so well. Wisconsin Blizzard will have guys run off him and he’s able to locate open shooters with quick and accurate passes. Had a big time alley-oop dunk to cap the game off for his team.
Kyle Olebaygi (6’6 2023 F, Illinois TWolves)- Kyle is one of the most explosive athletes at this week’s event. At 6’6 he’s able to operate on the wing but is physical enough to play the 4 spot. He started things off early with a two hand slam in the paint, and later in the first half he drove to the basket and threw down a dunk over a defender. That type of quick first step off the dribble catches defenders off guard because they don’t expect a player his size to be so agile. His body control around the rim was incredible as time after time he was taking bumps in the air and still managed to finish at such a high percentage. Had a handful of and-ones to help his team force overtime.
Tyson Keil Tyson Keil 6'6" | PF Appleton East | 2023 State WI (6’7 2023 PF, Wisconsin Crusaders)- The Appleton East forward showed some nice two-way potential last night. Defensively he’s so versatile as he has no problem moving his feet on the wing, and is an explosive shot blocking presence around the rim. Utilized his length and quickness on a high trap that forced a turnover. Offensively this team is so balanced so he doesn’t get a ton of looks, but proved he can score with his back to the basket against some size. Also had one of the most powerful dunks of the spring, taking off down the middle of the floor and just rising up in the lane for an aggressive one handed dunk. High flying athlete with size at 6’7.
Jt Thornton Jt Thornton 6'4" | SF Burnsville | 2023 State MN (6’5 2023 W, WOTN)- Jt Thornton Jt Thornton 6'4" | SF Burnsville | 2023 State MN is a prospect on the rise out of Lakeville North and the WOTN program. It seems like every game he makes a play that wows everyone in the gym. Last night it was him sprinting to the rim and taking flight for a put-back dunk off his teammate’s missed shot. That type of explosive athleticism makes him dangerous at around 6’4-6’5, but he’s also a creative ball handler who can create separation on the perimeter or gain an edge to attack the basket. There were a couple of times he got a big sloppy and turned it over, but you won’t see him pout about it and jog back. If he lost the ball it was instant effort to get it back, even if it meant diving on the floor just to get a fingertip on the ball and keep it out of the other team’s possession.