Midwest Showdown: Minnesota Wing Standouts
The Midwest Showdown played host to a handful of talented Minnesota programs, and these are eight of the top wings I saw throughout three days of action in Appleton! Jt Thornton Jt Thornton 6'4" | SF Burnsville | 2023 State…
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Continue ReadingThe Midwest Showdown played host to a handful of talented Minnesota programs, and these are eight of the top wings I saw throughout three days of action in Appleton!
Jt Thornton Jt Thornton 6'4" | SF Burnsville | 2023 State MN (6’4 2023 W, WOTN)- JT is a highlight waiting to happen when he steps on the floor. He’s an electrifying wing-guard who can give his team a momentum changing play at any given time. Sometimes those plays are with his high flying athleticism, as he had a put-back dunk off his teammate’s missed three in one game, while taking his man off the dribble and throwing down a one-hand dunk in the lane in another game. When he catches on the wing he has a creative handle that allows him to beat his man off the dribble and get into the lane where he’s a threat to score or distribute. Hard worker on the defensive end as well who can guard the 1-3 and is going to get on the floor for every loose ball in his area.
Khalif Bettis Khalif Bettis 6'6" | SF Burnsville | 2023 State MN (6’5 2023 SF, Minnesota Chill Elite)- Not too many wings in Minnesota can put up points as quickly as Khalif Bettis Khalif Bettis 6'6" | SF Burnsville | 2023 State MN . He showed that on Saturday morning as he scored 12 points in roughly 3 minutes, with all of those points coming from jump shots. Sag off of him and he’s not afraid to pull-up from three. But if you guard him tight he can hit you with a hard jab step before taking one/two dribbles in the opposite direction and nail a mid-range jumper. Khalif has such a high release and gets good elevation on his shot which makes it so hard to contest when he gets to his spots in the mid-range. Showed some explosiveness around the rim as well. Has the length to get up in passing lanes as well as step in and cause disruptions in driving lanes.
Jobe Juenemann Jobe Juenemann 6'2" | SG Duluth East | 2023 State MN (6’2 2023 SG, Starks Elite )- Jobe proved to be more than a shooter for Starks Elite over the weekend. Yes, he was still hitting his outside shots when given the space, but he showcased his ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rack. Does a great job of reading his defender’s closeout to know if he’ll have the time to take a three, or if he’ll be able to blow by before his man has a chance to react. Has some explosiveness off one foot which allows him to hang in the air and alter his body in order to finish around defenders.
Henry Eliason Henry Eliason 6'5" | SF Eastview | 2023 MN (6’5 2023 W, Minnesota Heat MacDonald)- Henry looks lined up for a breakout season at Eastview next winter, as he’s a skilled scorer with length and athleticism on the wing. He’s so smooth creating his own shots off the dribble in a way that not many 6’5 guys can at the high school level. Against Team Iowa he put together a strong run in the second half, knocking down two 3’s off the dribble including a smooth step-back from the top of the key. After every made shot he was picking up full-court, and was able to force two turnovers using his length to poke the ball free from opposing guards. Eliason excels at finding ways to get to the rim off the dribble both in the half-court and transition, and he has the athleticism and body control to finish in traffic.
Demetrius Weems (6’3 2024 W, Minnesota Chill Elite)- Demetrius was a new name that caught my attention on Saturday morning. He’s a long and lanky wing with some shot creation ability off the dribble. Was really dangerous getting into the mid-range and elevating off the floor for pull-up jumpers, but was also able to scrap around the rim for some offensive rebounds and second chance buckets. Demetrius is still a little raw but he showed a lot of flashes of becoming a consistent scoring threat over the next two years of his high school career.
Kayser Hassan Kayser Hassan 6'6" | PF Eastview | 2022 State MN (6’6 2022 SF, WOTN)- The unsigned senior wing continues to produce at a high level for WOTN. After picking up an offer from Minnesota-Crookston last weekend, he helped lead WOTN to a 4-0 record in Appleton. Kayser is a threat sprinting up the floor in transition, and is an improved player creating his own driving opportunities off the dribble. Looks so smooth weaving in and out of traffic on his way to the rim, and uses his long stride well to create some separation between him and his defender before extending to finish. Was really dangerous as a catch-and-shoot guy on the wing as well, as he has a confident looking shot and was hitting at a high level from beyond the arc. Didn’t get the chance to showcase it in the games I saw, but he’s also one of the best dunkers in the 2022 class with some high flying athleticism in the open floor.
Joshua Ofori Joshua Ofori 6'7" | PF Prior Lake | 2023 State MN (6’7 2023 SF, Minnesota Heat MacDonald)- One of the hardest working wings you’ll find is Joe Ofori. He just never takes a play off. He’s had that type of play style for a while, and now that his basketball skills are catching up it makes him a consistent producer. He has prototype length and athleticism as a small forward, and uses that to finish in the paint at a high level. Joe can power through contact around the rim, but also has a high arching floater shot that he’ll use to score from 6-8 feet over the top of a defender. Flashed soft touch from beyond the arc as well. Ofori is a strong rebounder who’s going to crash the glass hard on both ends of the floor, and has the ability to initiate the break on his own with his improved handle.
Zavier Hayes (6’2 2024 SG, Sizzle-Simmons 17u)- Playing up a year at the 17u level, Zavier was a big time shooting threat for Sizzle-Simmons. He’s full of confidence and provided an offensive spark with his ability to quickly catch and shoot from deep. Zavier brings a lot of energy to the floor as well, as you’ll see him getting fired up after his team makes big plays. Is a solid athlete with some lateral mobility to defend on the perimeter. Could step up into a nice 3&D role for Mankato East in the winter after they lose a talented class to graduation.