MBCA Elite Camp: Main Court Top Performers
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Who were the top performers from the main court on Friday night at the MBCA Elite Camp? We give you the quick rundown before heading back to Camp today! Matthew Bothun Matthew Bothun 6'9" | PF St. Francis | 2023…
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Continue ReadingWho were the top performers from the main court on Friday night at the MBCA Elite Camp? We give you the quick rundown before heading back to Camp today!
Matthew Bothun Matthew Bothun 6'9" | PF St. Francis | 2023 State MN of St. Francis (2023). Take Notice and Stretch Four! Matthew Bothun Matthew Bothun 6'9" | PF St. Francis | 2023 State MN just had his best night of basketball ever and he did it with tons of scholarship offering college coaches in the stands. His play was one of the two biggest stories of night one. He combined to score 29 points in the two games shooting an impressive 13 of 21 from the floor in those two games. He also had a double-double in the first contest. Matthew’s outside shot was going as it usually is as he is the modern day stretch four type, but last night Matthew did a great job in mixing it up with other size and finishing. Big night for Bothun showing his skill and potential. Now, imagine what he can be when a college weight program adds strength to that frame! Stock up!
Owen Carlson Owen Carlson 6'3" | SG Mahtomedi | 2023 State MN of Mahtomedi (2023). Explosive and Impressive. It was great to finally get a chance to see Owen this off-season and my first impression was, this guy belongs with the other talent on this floor. I know a couple D1 coaches were impressed and will follow through. He had the buzzer beating game winner but to me it was more about how explosive he is in about a 6’3/6’4 guard frame. The tools are there and I think big things are coming for Owen.
Daniel Freitag Daniel Freitag 6'1" | PG Breck | 2024 State #142 Nation MN of Bloomington Jefferson (2024). Resourceful and Productive. Last night was not Daniel’s not shooting the basketball, simply put. He struggled to get shots to go. So what did he do? Took the winning approach and found other ways to help his team win. Daniel made sure that his bigs – Kapke, Grove, and Bothun – all had good touches in a balanced halfcourt approach and all three flourished last night. Daniel also rebounded well, defended hard, hit what was thought to be an attacking game winner, and managed the game so his team could win. The mark of a winner, finding other ways to help a team when the shot isn’t falling.
Grayson Grove Grayson Grove 6'9" | PF Alexandria Area | 2024 State #171 Nation MN of Alexandria (2024). Next and Up. The next time a high major coach legitimately gets on the phone and calls a Minnesota coach giving him his first high major offer, I think it will be Grayson. You can see the skills are there for both the modern pick and pop game (strong kid who will get stronger plus he faces up very well, and Grayson is very good on his feet moving better than people expect) but also Grove will mix it up around the basket showing a toughness that continues to come out. More and more we are seeing Grove become more focused on his offense and it’s helping his team win.
Isaiah Hagen Isaiah Hagen 6'3" | PG Orono | 2023 State MN (2023). Tough and Consistent. Isaiah is one of two guys you have heard me talk about for 2.5 months constantly playing tough and playing so damn well. Hagen is limping around some but that has not stopped him from continually scoring or creating for others against every single guard that he is put up against. Doesn’t matter if it’s this MBCA setting, with Minnesota Select, or the Orono Spartans, everywhere Isaiah goes he has been incredibly productive in both a playmaking and scoring way. I’m hoping that soon the desired opportunities will come his way.
Ryan Heise Ryan Heise 6'8" | SF Lake City | 2023 State MN of Lake City (2023). Long and Developing. At 6’8 and the lateral steps with a defensive fire to go with it, Ryan Heise Ryan Heise 6'8" | SF Lake City | 2023 State MN is growing as a prospect every single day. The jumper? Don’t be distracted by his super long off arm when shooting, that guide arm is perfect and pretty. And the shots are going. If Ryan Heise Ryan Heise 6'8" | SF Lake City | 2023 State MN is making his shots to go with that long frame with good lateral steps and a desire, he is a modern day multi spot defending big wing that teams will want.
Boden Kapke Boden Kapke 6'11" | C Holy Family | 2023 State #153 Nation MN of Holy Family (2023). MVP and Dominant. The Friday night MVP was easily Boden Kapke Boden Kapke 6'11" | C Holy Family | 2023 State #153 Nation MN . He was persistent in his low post dominating approach sprinting the floor to go after every single rebound and every single low post touch physically turning on guys with a physical force to dominate. Kapke also showed us the stretch big game as that shooting touch was there but even more was Boden physically dominating everybody in the paint. He had 19 points and 10 rebounds on 8 of 13 shooting in one of the games and 21 points and 7 rebounds on 10 of 16 shooting in the other game. Easily the night one MVP as nobody could stop his relentless approach. Clemson was up there with multiple coaches watching and I have to believe others were equally impressed.
Ben Kopetzki Ben Kopetzki 6'0" | PG Andover | 2023 State MN of Andover (2023). Clutch and Efficient. The activity and passing the basketball on Friday night was far, far better than what we’ve seen in the past. Bigs touched the basketball regularly and we got about 2.6 passes per possession which is about double what we’ve seen before. Why am I bringing that up with Ben? Because Ben was a key part of that for his team! He didn’t take unnecessary shots, just the shots that were open to him. And the one his team needed him to as he attacked scoring the buzzer beater in sudden death. Ben had 19 points in game two making eight of nine shots including three triples.
Owen Leach Owen Leach 6'6" | SF Dillworth Glyndon-Felton | 2023 State MN of DGF (2023). Versatile and Skilled. These last two weeks have finally given many a chance to see Owen and the return on what people have seen has been a big positive. At 6’6, strong, and a background of having to play around the basket at a small school surely allows you to see Owen can rebound and finish in the paint around size. BUT, that small school also needs him to handle the ball and playmake and Owen clearly is able to do that as well as we’ve seen him handle comfortably against bigger player and create shots for himself. A must see for the local D2s, I love his versatility.
Jeremiah Sem Jeremiah Sem 6'3" | SG Fargo North | 2024 State #303 Nation ND (2024). Explosive and So Explosive. Last year Jeremiah was at this event and he was raw and just wondering. This year he’s been direct, consistent, and using his explosive gifts to give results. The explosion of his first step, of his lift into his jumper, and the bounce off the ground are just too much for most players physically. He scored 17 points on 8 of 17 shooting in the second game as guys couldn’t move with him.
Max Shikenjanski Max Shikenjanski 6'2" | PG Stillwater | 2023 State #288 Nation MN (2023). It’s Damn Time! Need a guy to win games against good teams late? Max does it. Need a guy to pass the ball well at the point? Max is Minnesota’s best passer. Need a guy to make threes? The release comes fast and it goes in consistently, last night he hit three in a row against a top player. Need a guy to work hard? They don’t work any harder than Max. Need a guy that will chew glass while slowly walking over hot coals while staring at you like he wants to dominate you? That’s Max. What more does the guy need to do?
Max Woods Max Woods 5'11" | PG Chanhassen | 2024 State MN (2024). Steady and Dependable. One of the reasons Appalachian State is in the crowd is to see this point guard direct his team. Schools that want a relentless leader who consistently makes the right plays and often makes the hustle plays – like his steal that sent the game into over time in a help situation – will continue to look the way of Max Woods Max Woods 5'11" | PG Chanhassen | 2024 State MN . The team needed him to score 17 and he did it on nine shots, but he also got five assists and chased down nine boards.