Battle at the Lakes: Nate’s Sunday Bests & Standouts

Nate Wahl May 10, 2022 @ 10:20 AM

EDEN PRAIRIE– Sunday was a dream in Eden Prairie, as we watched our handful of middle school prospects from all over the Midwest compete at a very high level. We spent Saturday on the gridiron, but returned to the gym on…

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EDEN PRAIRIE– Sunday was a dream in Eden Prairie, as we watched our handful of middle school prospects from all over the Midwest compete at a very high level. We spent Saturday on the gridiron, but returned to the gym on early Sunday morning to watch hoops until the completion of championship Sunday. Find out some of our bests from Sunday, and some key standouts that I liked, before we roll into deeper content here at Prep Hoops Next!

Best Game

ECI 2027 Haman vs. Team 1848 2027

From my four plus years scouting hoops for the Prep Hoops brand I have always noticed that some of the best games you see appear on Sunday mornings usually the first game or second game of the day like this one did. With a 10 point deficit with around one minute left ECI 2027 Haman almost stormed all the way back until the final seconds where a turnover just put them out of reach. From a versatility on both ends of the court standpoint, Brody Shepherd (Bismarck, ND) showed the most poise on the court from baseline to baseline. It didn’t end up in a win for ECI out of North Dakota, but it certainly showed the drive and hustle that this squad will hopefully continue to bring for the rest of the summer at incoming tournaments.

Best Athlete

Donjae Knox | Eagan, MN | Minnesota Magic 2027

Donjae was my favorite athlete all day Sunday in Eden Prairie. It wasn’t how much he scored, it was his ability to do the little things you couldn’t see on a scoresheet. He showed off a physical frame and had a high motor from one end of the court to the other and added an instinctive burst as well. I guessed it while watching him that Donjae probably played football too, and I was right as he also plays WR which I expected. Look for more on this kid over on our sister football site, Prep Redzone Next sometime soon.

Best Team Determination

Chicago Grinders 2026, The Guards

The guards of the Grinders including top performer Ty Houston (Chicago, IL) were one of the most determined backcourts I got to watch on Sunday. They didn’t have the biggest backcourt I watched on the weekend, but Ty Houston and company showed a fearless demeanor on getting to the basket with ease against Wisconsin Blaze resulting in a winning effort in Eden Prairie.

Best Big of the Day

Blessings Kapande | Appleton, WI | Wisconsin Blaze 2026 Black

Talk about a kid with a very bright future in the high school ranks, the Fox Valley will want to know about this kid now. For his age, Blessings has such strong physicality around the rim and if he can’t already, this kid will develop the vertical to dunk the basketball here very soon due to the instincts inside the circle he possesses. Blessings also shows a sound burst with consistent ball-handling when crashing into the inside lane and has smooth body control as well. Blessings certainly was my favorite big when it came to his versatile skillsets on Sunday at Eden Prairie.

More Standouts

Eddie Nett | Monticello, MN | Minnesota Rush 2029

Kaden Anderson | Hopkins, MN | Minnesota Select 2027

Jack Hatfield | Hudson, WI | Border Select 2027

Rock Holubar | Pequot Lakes, MN | Northstar Titans 2027 Bellefeuille

Rankings

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About Our Rankings

Prep Hoops Next prospect rankings have been compiled by our staff with input from high school and club coaches from across the country. Players are ranked formulaically based on their current production as well as their long-term potential as collegiate prospects. We aim to expand and update our prospects rankings several times per year to continue to maintain the most comprehensive, accurate prospect rankings in the country. Feel like we are missing someone? Let us know here and get on our radar by submitting your profile!