Saturday Stars: Midwest Showdown
There was very good basketball being played on Saturday in Appleton, Wisconsin at the Midwest Showdown. I caught a few 2023 games. Read below to see which players stood out on Saturday. Saturday Stars Kenneth Garth Kenneth Garth 6'2" Westosha…
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Continue ReadingThere was very good basketball being played on Saturday in Appleton, Wisconsin at the Midwest Showdown. I caught a few 2023 games. Read below to see which players stood out on Saturday.
Saturday Stars
Kenneth Garth Kenneth Garth 6'2" Westosha Central | 2022 WI (2022) |6’2 G| World Hoops Elite 2023
He is an impressive athlete with long arms. I watched Garth rise above the rim and hammer home a dunk. He also showed off his skill with a full-court pass like a QB. This lefty has a quick pull-up jump shot. Garth also has a nice-looking J from beyond the arc. He is an exciting guard that can make splashy plays.
Jamisen Young Jamisen Young 6'0" | PG Sunrise Christian Academy | 2023 KS (2023) |6’0 G| World Hoops Elite 2023
He is a spark plug and a difference-maker. Young is a super-quick athlete that can change the flow of the game in the blink of an eye. He showed a great baseline drive that he finished with a sweet pull-up jumper. Jamisen is very very fast in transition. His quick feet make Young a potential lockdown on-ball defender.
Brett Brown (2023) |6’4 F| Sky Ice Elite 2023
He did a nice job of scoring around the basket and in the paint. Brown can also handle the rock and lead the break coast-to-coast. I liked his physicality and how Brett drew contact to get to the FT-line. Brett can also knock down three-pointers. Brown blocked a shot and he fights for rebounds/battles for position.
Aaron Hull (2023) |6’4 F| Randolph AAU 2023
Early in the game that I watched, Hull showed a classic up-and-under move. It was impressive footwork along with a believable shot fake. Hull did work on the offensive boards. I liked how he battled for rebounds on both ends. Aaron executes well as he had a nice score on a BLOB. I was impressed with how Hull uses his body to protect the ball when finishing at the rim.
Kyan Reichhoff (2023) |6’1 G| Randolph AAU 2023
He showed an awesome midrange pull-up game. Kyan is a smooth customer. I like his poise and timing. Reichhoff hit timely baskets throughout the game that I watched. I was also impressed with how Kyan slashed into the lane, jumped stopped, and spun around for a short fadeaway jumper. This kid can shoot!
Nathan Cotter (2023) |6’3 G| Randolph AAU 2023
He stuck out as an athletic slasher. Cotter showed a very nice drive and score where he used his inside hand to avoid the defender. I liked his unselfishness when attacking on the baseline. Nathan could have taken a contested shot, instead, he kicked the ball to a shooter in the corner. Later in the game, Cotter showed fancy footwork when finishing in traffic. Nathan showed extra effort on the offensive glass and helped give his team extra possessions.
Landyn Nelson Landyn Nelson 6'3" | PF Andover | 2023 MN (2023) |6’3 G| Northstar Titans 2023 Terhaar
He showed impressive feet and hands when stepping into and nailing a 3-pointer off a BLOB. Nelson is very good in the catch-n-shoot game and his shooting release is super quick. He also has a high release which aids Landyn in getting his shot off when a defender is near. He is a shooter but Nelson will also swing the ball crisply. Later in the game, Landyn was fitting more catch-n-shoot 3’s. He also drew contact and got to the charity stripe.
Luke Jacobson Luke Jacobson 6'1" | SG Cretin-Derham Hall | 2023 State MN (2023) |6’1 G| Northstar Titans 2023 Terhaar
There is no question about Jacobson being a shooter. He showed a slick step-back move on Saturday morning. Luke also cashed in an in-rhythm 3-pointer that came off the catch. Jacobson is an opportunistic scorer that got an easy basket on an O-board putback. I thought he stuck out today with very good ball skills.
Gavin Pierce Gavin Pierce 6'5" | SF Prior Lake | 2023 State MN (2023) |6’4 G| Northstar Titans 2023 Terhaar
He went crazy for a while from behind the arc when I was watching. I am not sure how many triples Pierce hit in the game but it had to have been several. Gavin was killing it in the catch-n-shoot game. This long guard shoots it with great confidence and it seems like a defender’s hand in his face is no problem for Pierce. He was knocking down treys all game and he swished a big one late in regulation to take the lead. This kid is a 3-point assassin!
Kobe Karels Kobe Karels 6'2" | PG Cambridge | 2023 State MN (2023) |6’1 G| Northstar Titans 2023 Terhaar
I like his handles, hustle, and effort. Karels is a cool slasher & scorer. He does it smoothly and efficiently. Kobe was also driving and kicking. I like how he draws two defenders and then kicks to the open man. Karels also stuck out to me because of how hard he ran the floor. Kobe’s hustle was impressive when saving a ball from going out of bounds. I like his overall game and skill.
Jake Thomsen Jake Thomsen 6'1" | SG Waukesha West | 2023 WI (2023) |6’0 G| The National Basketball Academy 2023
He stood out right away as a shooter. Thomsen has a good-looking stroke and he can drill the 3-ball. Jake has a fluid jumper and he plays with a natural feel for the game. Thomsen also made plays as a slasher. He is tough off the bounce and Jake changes speeds very well. I like how he kept defenders off balance. Thomsen has a very nice offensive game.
Xavier DuBois (2023) |6’0 G| The National Basketball Academy 2023
I really liked this kids passing. Xavier has gifted ball skills and he sees the floor well. In the first half, Dubois drove baseline and threw a left-handed bounce pass off the dribble to a teammate. That is a tough pass to make. Later on, DuBois was impressive when driving deep into the heart of the defense and kicking out to shooters. I thought Xavier was great at drawing contact when attacking the rim. This brought him to the FT-line. I like Xavier’s court awareness.
Kenyon Davis Kenyon Davis 6'1" Port Washington | 2023 IL (2023) |6’1 G| The National Basketball Academy 2023
He is a very quick player with excellent shake. I thought Kenyon showed a great hesitation move, it helped him get by many defenders. I was impressed with his speedy score in transition. Davis showed off his shooting range with a 3-ball from the corner pocket. Davis showed his playmaking ability with a steal and a quick fastbreak heading the other way. He looks to be a pesky defender. Kenyon is a talented guard with impressive athleticism.