Scheels Of EP Fall League: Week 1 Standouts
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The Scheels of Eden Prairie fall league kicked off this past weekend at Concordia St. Paul with teams from across the state competing. I was in the gym for nine of the games and these are some of the prospects…
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Continue ReadingThe Scheels of Eden Prairie fall league kicked off this past weekend at Concordia St. Paul with teams from across the state competing. I was in the gym for nine of the games and these are some of the prospects who impressed!
Mahtomedi looked dangerous in their big win over Mankato West, and Owen Carlson Owen Carlson 6’3″ | SG Mahtomedi | 2023 State MN once again put on a show. Within just the first few minutes of the game he got out for one transition dunk, then threw down another off an alley-oop pass. With his length at 6’4 combined with explosive athleticism, he’s a big time finisher when he gets out in the open floor. Because Mahtomedi doesn’t have a true big man, they like to play fast and take a lot of chances on defense to pick up steals that lead to constant transition opportunities. In the half-court he was showcasing his smooth stroke from three, hit a tough turnaround jumper on the baseline, and was fluid beating his man off the dribble to get to the rim.
As just a freshman Jayden will be heading into his third season playing Class AAAA varsity basketball at Hopkins, and enters as the headline prospect for his team. He’s incredibly shifty with the ball in his hands, and seems to get into the paint just about any time he wants to. Mankato West struggled to find a defender that could stick with him on the ball because of how quickly he changes directions. Moore is fearless looking to finish at the rim against size, but can also stop on a dime and hit short/mid-range jumpers leaving his defender flying by in the opposite direction. With a handful of good shooters around him, Jayden does a great job of driving and kicking it out to get them high percentage looks.
Highlights
Jerome fit right in with Minnehaha’s lineup, and was a major threat to both facilitate and score in the two games I watched. He just floats around the floor with the ball in his hands, and then in a split-second he can explode to blow by his man and get into the paint. Does a great job of hanging in the air around the basket, outlasting defenders before finishing over the top. His shooting range also extended to well beyond the high school arc. Minnehaha may not have the big names that they’ve had in past years, but they have a nice group of weapons offensively and Jerome was doing a great job of getting them all involved. It didn’t matter where they were on the floor, if they had a chance to get off a good shot then Jerome was going to find them.
Highlights
In a game where they were outmatched in terms of talent, Khalif helped keep Burnsville tight against a very talented BSM squad. One thing that really stood out was Khalif’s shot selection and demeanor. He wasn’t forcing up low percentage shots with his team down like I saw some last year, but instead kept the ball working and was trusting his teammates to make plays against a high level opponent. This resulted in efficient scoring at all three levels from Khalif, as he has a dangerous pull-up jumper and has become a tough finisher around the basket even through contact. On defense he never took a possession off and was tasked with defending various spots on the floor throughout the game. One of the more skilled wing scorers you’ll find across the state this season.
Jayden was in attack mode all day long as there weren’t many defenders who could stop him from getting to the basket. He’s long and explosive at 6’4, but has some strength on him which allows him to get to the rim either with change of direction moves, or with straight line drives where he can just bump defenders right off of him. Has the ability to elevate off one or two feet making him unpredictable when he looks to finish, and his body control to hang in the air through contact allows him to convert his chances at a high percentage. He didn’t need to look for it a whole lot as he had success driving, but Jayden also has a nice mid-range shot that he gets excellent elevation on. Defended a variety of spots while also working hard on the glass on both ends of the floor.
Eastview has a very balanced team so no one was really putting up huge numbers offensively, but I was very impressed by Chet’s contributions on the defensive end. The 6’6 forward seemed to be everywhere on the floor, switching out on the perimeter, battling for position on the block, and swatting shots. He did a great job of being in the right spots off the ball, and showed he can get off the ground quickly to contest/block shots. Chet excels at walling up, making sure to elevate straight in the air and not swing his arms much to avoid fouling while altering his man’s shots. He’s not just a defender though as he’s a tough finisher through contact and was also stretching the floor with his shooting touch in two wins for Eastview.
Highlights
Owen is a grinder in the post who managed to be productive against an Eastview team filled with size. If he catches on the block he’s going to work for every inch of space, and is such a tough finisher turning over his left shoulder and scoring with his right hand. Opposing teams know he wants to get to the basket with his right hand, but they still can’t seem to consistently stop him. Owen showcased some explosiveness as well with a two hand dunk in the open floor while also showing a smooth looking shot from beyond the arc. Defensively he’s a hard worker who won’t give up easy looks around the rim and does a good job of finding a body to box out as soon as a shot goes up.