MEQUON, Wisc. — College coaches packed the house for Wednesday’s opening night of the annual NY2LA Sports Next Level Invitational during the first of three July live evaluation periods for NCAA Division I college coaches and several players brought their ‘A’ game to Homestead High School in Mequon. Among the highlights was a thrilling comeback victory in the 17U division by the Colorado Titans led by 2018 guard Trent Dykema and others.
Top performers
Flip Rebraca — 2018 — F/C — Colorado Titans
An athletic forward, Rebraca threw down dunks, blocked shots and scored key buckets in the post for the Titans in a win over Indy EBC on Wednesday. A physical 6’8 forward, Rebraca isn’t afraid to mix things up in the paint. He finished with 15 points to lead the Titans, including 13 in the second half.
Trent Dykema — 2018 — PG — Colorado Titans
Kid had quite a late-game performance scoring 16 points in the final four minute stretch for the Titans to lead a big comeback. His personal stretch started with a tip-in, a 3 and a put back of his own miss and ended with a go-ahead 3-pointer with seconds remaining. He can handle the ball, is creative off the bounce and really competes at both ends of the court. Dykema has good size for a point guard and despite leaning toward going right does a good job of creating off the bounce.
Garrett Freeman — 2018 — PG Yanders Law
Springfield, Mo. product is a solid ballhandler who rarely coughs it up and has made himself into a terrific 3-point shooter, He is nails out of the corners and gets a lot of open looks playing with Yanders’ stable of guards. He knocked down five 3-pointers and led all scorers with 20 points in a loss to Inland Empire on Wednesday.
Djuan Seal— 2018 — G — R.E.A.C.H. Legends
Seal is a blur with the ball in the open court, able to go end-to-end in a heartbeat. A 6’4 wing player, Seal gets on the defensive glass and makes plays in the passing lanes at the defensive end and showed the ability to knock down tough jumpers off the bounce and finished in transition with ease. Hill had 12 points in the first half, then added 11 more in the second half on Wednesday in a runaway win over the Wisconsin Playmakers. He also led the Legends with seven rebounds.
Joseph Hedstrom — 2018 — C/PF — Minnesota Comets
Hedstrom has a strong, athletic build with a terrific basketball frame with good size and length for a big man. He really runs the floor well and competes in the paint at both ends of the floor. At last report, the 6’10 2-18 forward held seven Division I offers and several of those schools were on hand to watch him play on Wednesday, including Creighton and Minnesota.
Jason Knolek — 2018 — SG — Wisconsin Playmakers
Knolek is an elite shooter, especially out of the corners, but is an improving playmaker, taking advantage of wild close outs and attacking the basket. At 6’5, Knolek has a long, lanky build with good size and length. He impresses with not only his perimeter shooting but his ability to finish tough chances in traffic. He finished with a team-high 20 points including four 3-pointers in a loss to the R.E.A.C.H. Legends on Wednesday.
Legend Stamps — 2019 — SF — Inland Empire
A long, rangy 6’9 2019 wing player, Stamps had a terrific first half against Colorado Premiere in a contest that turned into a runaway quickly as he knocked down three of the Inland Empire’s ten 3-pointers in the first half. Stamps has a quick release and even showed off a floater in the lane. Has really good size and length making it difficult for opponents to contest his outside shot.
Stock boosters
Andrew Nguyen — 2018 — PG — RL9
A 6’0 point guard, Nguyen plays under control and lets the game come to him. He scored xx points in the first half, showing a smooth outside shooting stroke as well as the ability to create off the bounce and get into the lane and to the free throw line.
Samuel Skaggs — 2019 — PG — MBA Select
Smooth point guard who is playing up an age level for MBA Select. Skaggs has a solid handle and plays with terrific pace, catching opponents off guard as he attacks the basket. Showed a nice outside shooting stroke and is a tough competitor, getting on the defensive boards especially. Skaggs runs a nice pick-and-roll game and showed the ability to knock down several tough mid-range jumpers.
Zavon Goodwing — 2018 — F — R.E.A.C.H. Legends
An athletic forward that likes to hang out on the baseline, Goodwin threw down emphatic slams on three consecutive plays for R.E.A.C.H. Legends in a win on Wednesday over the Wisconsin Playmakers. He brings activity to the court at both ends of the floor and is a versatile defender and plays much bigger than his listed 6’3 height.
Josh Dehike — 2018 — C — Wisconsin Playmakers
Dehike is an athletic and versatile big man that finishes well around the basket and really runs the floor well. At 6’8 he brings an inside-outside game to the court and showed the ability to finish above the rim as well as score through contact in the paint on Wednesday against R.E.A.C.H. Legends. He led the Playmakers with points and rebounds in a loss.
Alex Gross — 2018 — C — MBA Select
Skilled big man had a terrific performance on Wednesday against a good RL9 front line. At 6’8, Gross isn’t an above-the-rim player, but shows terrific footwork, has a nice step through that he uses to clear space and holds his own on the boards and defensively. He also showed off the ability to stretch the defense with a nice shooting touch from 18 feet and even made several slick passes on Wednesday.
Travell Washington — 2018 — C — Inland Empire
He didn’t put a lot of points on the board, but Washington is an athletic 6’9 interior player who moves well and runs the floor well. He holds his own in the paint defensively and challenges shots around the bucket and does a good job on the boards.
Connor Steib — G — Colorado Premiere
Kid has an old school feel about his game as he can get to the basket as well as shoot from the outside. Put a couple of 3-pointers on the board as well as a handful of buckets getting to the basket off the bounce in a loss on Wednesday to Inland Empire.