Midwest Showdown: Saturday 15U AM Standouts
Here are six standout players from Saturday morning’s action at Winneconne High School. Michael Wagner (6’6 2025 C, Minnesota Crossfire Jorgenson)- Wagner is a menace down-low. He asserts his will on anything and everything that comes inside. He’s a…
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Continue ReadingHere are six standout players from Saturday morning’s action at Winneconne High School.
Michael Wagner (6’6 2025 C, Minnesota Crossfire Jorgenson)- Wagner is a menace down-low. He asserts his will on anything and everything that comes inside. He’s a shot-blocking machine. He does an excellent job of walling up and contesting/altering shots without fouling. On the glass, he’s able to sniff out nearly every rebound that comes off the rim. He helped his team win this morning by corraling numerous offensive rebounds creating second-chance opportunities. Wagner plays with great composure, too.
Caleb Poling (6’4 2025 F, 24:UP Mlachnik)- Poling is a unique talent that can do a little bit of everything. He’s a bigger ball-handler which allows him to push through contact and finish over smaller defenders at the rim. He excels at the grab-and-go; on multiple occasions during his game this morning, he secured a defensive rebound, immediately put the ball on the floor, and started the break resulting in a lay-up of his own or a nice dump-off pass when the help came. Polling was clutch for his team, too. Down the stretch, he played poised and smart and found his way to the charity stripe to close things out.
Bennett Buss (5’9 2025 PG, Wisconsin Academy Thompson)- Buss is a speedy guard with a bag full of tricks. He can shoot it, he’s good with the floater, and he does a great job of attacking the rim, drawing the help defense, and finding the open man. It’s in his teammate’s best interest to always be expecting a pass as you never know when he’ll sling something flashy your way. He’s a sneaky defender who constantly looks to shoot the gap and get steals. Buss keeps the ball on a string and dances around defenders to get where he wants.
Dylan Pepper (6’4 2025 W, Spartan Sports Basketball)- Pepper looks awfully comfortable on the court. He’s never rushed, never complains, and is always working. He’s a taller lefty who always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He has a knack for the basketball and is constantly cleaning up broken plays. Offensively, he’s best when in and around the paint. He loves to chase down rebounds from the perimeter and has very active hands. Pepper is a smooth player that plays a fundamental brand of basketball.
Barron Heslip (5’9 2025 G, Great Northern Elite)- Heslip is exceptionally crafty. He scores in a variety of ways including dribble pull-ups, basket drives, floaters, and catch-and-shoot situations. He is a three-level scorer and a primary guard for his team. He loves the 15-foot shot and uses ball fakes and changes in speed to get there. Heslip’s toughness was shown as he battled through an injury this morning while helping his team succeed.
Cody Noel (6’4 2025 C, Great Northern Elite)- Noel is a monster on the boards and he cleans up everything in sight. He’s very physical but with his back to the basket, he has great touch. His footwork is good and it helps him spin around defenders in the paint. His physicality is what separates him as he uses this to bang down-low with even bigger defenders. Noel also displays excellent positioning, this helps him play well above his size.