Kettle Moraine Scrimmages: Top Performers
In this article:
Kettle Moraine hosted some preseason scrimmages for teams across Wisconsin to come and compete. I was in attendance and these are some of the prospects who impressed! Kai Rogers WI #2 C #1 HEIGHT 6'10" POS C CLASS 2025 View…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingKettle Moraine hosted some preseason scrimmages for teams across Wisconsin to come and compete. I was in attendance and these are some of the prospects who impressed!
You may have to go back to Diamond Stone to find a Wisconsin prospect at 6’10 that can dominate in the paint like Kai Rogers Kai Rogers 6’10” | C Wauwatosa West | 2025 State #41 Nation WI can. Against Grafton he scored on three straight paint touches, showing he can easily establish low post position and then score with a simple turn over his shoulder. He’s gotten quicker since last winter as well, which really helps him defensively as he’s able to hedge and recover on screens, and also slide into spots under the basket to alter/block shots. One play saw him take a rebound and go coast-to-coast for a dunk, and others saw him hustle to run the floor leading to some alley-oops. Has the physical tools to dominate but also works so hard in the paint.
When considering the most entertaining basketball players in Wisconsin, Devin’s name has to be in the conversation. When the ball is in his hands he’s so unpredictable as he’s incredibly shifty and has an explosive burst to the basket. Davenport is so good at jumping lazy passes to get out in transition, and also has no problem beating one defender off the dribble to get into dangerous spots in the lane. Every time on the floor Devin seems to pull something new out of his bag of tricks. With his creativity and athleticism he’s able to finish in a variety of ways at the rim while also keeping his options open to deliver last second passes. Had a huge game against a tough Tosa West team while also making big plays against Elkhorn.
Juan was already an intriguing prospect due to his skillset as a freshman, but has since grown in height and added a ton of explosiveness. He’s an above the rim threat any time he gets a lane to the hoop, throwing down a few dunks and Grafton utilizing his athleticism with some set plays to get him backdoor lobs. Juan has a flashy handle to create his own shot, whether it’s beating his man to attack the basket or creating space to get off a three point look. Has the ability to hang in the air and outlast his man before finishing as well. Defensively his length will allow him to make an impact by tipping passes and making shots extremely difficult to get off.
Jaquan makes certain aspects of the game appear effortless. His change of speed is on another level than most guards, as he can go from 0-60 in the blink of an eye. Is so good at catching and giving the slightest head-fake like he’s about to shoot before blowing by his man to the rim. Even at his size he’s fearless attacking the basket and has the strength and balance to hang in the air and finish through some contact. Hartford had no answer for him and it resulted in big scoring numbers as well as a handful of assists as he was able to draw in extra defenders and locate his open shooters on the perimeter.
Highlights
I think Payton has the chance to be a breakout player in the Southern Lakes Conference this winter. After averaging 1.3 ppg last season, he looks ready to bring that number into the double digits. At around 6’4-6’5 he has some length to play inside but is also comfortable popping out to the perimeter. Showcased a smooth stroke from three off the catch, but wasn’t afraid to catch on the block and either back his man down to the rim or hit a turnaround jumper. Defensively he does a nice job of finding a man to box out after a shot goes up, and he has some versatility in the spots he can guard.
Highlights
Cole seems to perform even better in games when there’s a lot of energy and some scrappiness. That was the case on Saturday afternoon against a tough Milwaukee Lutheran team, as Cole was shutting down some trash talk from the stands with bucket after bucket. The 6’4 guard has all the confidence in the world in his ability to score, and he does so in a variety of ways. Threes off the catch or dribble, curling off screens and getting into his pull-up jumper, as well as some transition finishes that he earned with his hustle up the floor. He wasn’t just scoring though as Cole was effective as a pick & roll ball handler using his patience and vision to wait for the right moments to thread the needle to one of his bigs rolling to the rim.
Evan has quietly waited his turn at St. Cats, playing behind some talented guards over his years in the program. Now as a senior he’ll play a key role for the always competitive Angels. He’s not the biggest or most athletic guard on the floor, but he knows how to get to his spots and is a high level shooter when he has the space. Evan doesn’t let the ball stick in his hands, and is great at passing and cutting until he gets into open spaces for a shot. Defensively he has that typical Angel toughness in that he’s not going to back down from anyone and he enjoys pressuring the ball to force turnovers for his team.