Midwest Showdown: Minnesota Guard Standouts
A handful of Minnesota programs made the trip out east to take part in the Midwest Showdown. I was in attendance for all three days, and these are seven of the guard prospects who stood out! Baiden Bean Baiden Bean…
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Continue ReadingA handful of Minnesota programs made the trip out east to take part in the Midwest Showdown. I was in attendance for all three days, and these are seven of the guard prospects who stood out!
Baiden Bean Baiden Bean 6'1" | PG Farmington | 2023 State MN (6’1 2023 PG, WOTN)- Baiden Bean Baiden Bean 6'1" | PG Farmington | 2023 State MN was playing at a high level all weekend long for WOTN. In game one he was showcasing his ability to get to the rim and score with ease. Whether it was flying up the floor in transition or using a quick crossover to beat his man from the perimeter, Baiden could not be kept away from the basket. That production then transferred over to some outside shot making before dropping 10 assists in a game on Sunday. Bean has been a consistent performer for WOTN all spring, and he’s a big reason why they continue to win games.
Asher Zubich Asher Zubich 6'1" | PG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2023 State MN (6’1 2023 G, Starks Elite )- Continuing to establish himself as one of the top shooters in the 2023 class, Asher was on fire on Saturday against the Illinois TWolves. The opposing defense definitely didn’t have a scouting report on Asher coming into the game, as he consistently made them pay for giving him too much space. He’s more than just a shooter though, as Asher has a quicker first step than I knew about and he used it to get into the paint to make plays. Does a nice job of dumping it off at the last second to one of his bigs, but is also capable of going full speed to the rim and finishing.
Jaden Neish Jaden Neish 5'9" | PG St. Croix Lutheran | 2024 MN (5’10 2024 G, MN Crossfire)- A strong and physical guard, Jaden has a nice feel for the game when the ball is in his hands. He’s really patient attacking the basket, and knows how to use his strength to dribble into a post up where he can further back his way down to the rim. Finishes well with the left hand around the basket and also has a smooth stroke from beyond the arc. Jaden handles the ball well and can change his speeds to create separation, and also does a nice job of zipping in passes to cutting teammates.
Lorenzo Levy (5’9 2024 PG, Sizzle-Simmons)- Playing up at the 17u level, Lorenzo had a big game to help lead Sizzle to a win on Sunday afternoon. He set the tone early with a deep three before picking up a steal and going all the way for a lay-up on the other end. Lorenzo has a shifty handle to break down his man off the dribble, but can also move off the ball to get into space to shoot. Deep range beyond the arc coupled with crafty finishing ability makes him a dangerous scorer. He also impressed with his willingness to pass the ball ahead in transition, make some cross-court passes to shooters, and get into the paint before zipping in passes to a teammate around the rim.
Anish Ramlall Anish Ramlall 6'2" | PG Rosemount | 2023 State MN (6’3 2023 G, WOTN)- It was another big weekend for the Rosemount standout. I liked how confident he was from beyond the arc, as there was no hesitation to shoot when he had some space on the perimeter. That resulted in a high shooting percentage and consistent double figure scoring efforts even while playing on such a balanced team. Not only is he a three point threat, but Anish is so fast in the open floor that it results in a lot of 2v1 and 3v2 type of situations for his team in transition. Once out in transition he makes smart reads on whether to pass the ball or keep it himself to finish. Uses his combination of speed and length to defend well on the ball while also getting up in the passing lanes to create some steals.
Kaden Braxton Kaden Braxton 6'2" | CG Shakopee | 2024 State MN (6′ 2024 G, MN Crossfire)- Kaden just does a little bit of everything for this Crossfire team. He has a strong frame to play through contact when attacking the basket, and does a nice job of playing off two feet around the rim which allows him to keep his balance and finish at a high percentage. Has the ability to handle the ball as a point guard but also play off the ball as more of a slashing/scoring threat. Defensively Kaden has no problem moving his feet to defend on the ball, and his strong frame allows him to guard bigger wings when needed. Solid all-around prospect coming out of Shakopee.
Kyle Kallenbach Kyle Kallenbach 6'0" | CG Orono | 2023 State MN (6′ 2023 PG, MN Crossfire)- One of the best shooters in the event, I thought Kyle did a nice job of getting into open space in a variety of ways. He’s so good at getting to his spots off the dribble, and in most cases only required one or two dribbles to get there. So dangerous when he finds space to pull-up in the mid-range, and even at his size he’s able to get shots up over length because of how he elevates before releasing his shot. Also a threat to catch and shoot with a quick release to beat the closeout. Had a nice game to help lead Crossfire to a close win on Sunday morning.