Hoops on the Lake: Player Profiles

Here is a quick look at some of the the top players in the region. Check back frequently for additions and revisions.

Name: Royce White

School: Hopkins (Minnetonka)
Height: 6-foot-7
Position: Forward
Class: Senior
College prospects: Signed with Minnesota
Notes: Consensus top 30 national recruit...Considered by many to possess skill-set to excel at a high level in college...Rated by Rivals.com as 5 of 5-star recruit and No. 2 SF in the Class of 2009...Exceptional quickness and leaping ability...Proficient passer for size...Chose Minnesota over a number of high-level programs.
Photos (3):
National Signing Day
Nike Global Challenge
2008 Lebron James Camp
vs. Wayzata in section championship

Scout.com profile
Rivals.com profile
White's Blog at gopherhole.com
National Signing Day article

Hoops on the Lake Report Card

OFFENSE: A-
-Inside: A-
-Mid range: B
-Long range: B-
-Passing: A
-Dribbling: B-
-Free throws: C-
DEFENSE: A-
-On ball: B
-Interior: A-
ATHLETICISM: A
-Footwork: A-
-Quickness: A
-Vertical: A
-Strength: A
UPSIDE: A

OVERALL GRADE: A-
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Name: Mike Broghammer

School: Hopkins (Minnetonka)
Height: 6-foot-8
Position: Power Forward
Class: Senior
College prospects: Signed with Notre Dame
Notes: Excellent footwork around the basket...Decent leaping ability...Runs floor well...Rebounds at a high level...Unsure if he will red-shirt freshman season at Notre Dame...May need to play small forward in college...Nephew of former Duke star Christian Laettner.

Scout.com profile
Rivals.com profile

Hoops on the Lake Report Card

OFFENSE: B
-Inside: A
-Mid range: I
-Long range: I
-Passing: B
-Dribbling: C
-Free throws: B
DEFENSE: B+
-On ball: B
-Interior: A-
ATHLETICISM: B
-Footwork: B
-Quickness: C+
-Vertical: B-
-Strength: B+
UPSIDE: B-

OVERALL GRADE: B
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Name: Trent Lockett

School: Hopkins (Minnetonka)
Height: 6-foot-5
Position: Small Forward
Class: Senior
College prospects: Signed with Arizona State
Notes: Smooth athlete with exceptional leaping ability...Has above average touch from beyond the arc...Will likely play shooting guard in college...Averaged almost 15 points-per-game as a junior in 2007-08...Drew serious interest from a number of Division I schools, including Iowa State, Wisconsin and Colorado State...Four-star recruit on Scout.com.
Photos (1):
vs. Wayzata

Scout.com profile
Rivals.com profile

Hoops on the Lake Report Card

OFFENSE: B+
-Inside: B
-Mid range: B+
-Long range: A-
-Passing: B
-Dribbling: B
-Free throws: B+
DEFENSE: A-
-On ball: A
-Interior: B+
ATHLETICISM: B+
-Footwork: B+
-Quickness: A-
-Vertical: A-
-Strength: B-
UPSIDE: A-

OVERALL GRADE: B+
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Name: Raymond Cowels

School: Hopkins (Minnetonka)
Height: 6-foot-3
Position: Shooting guard
Class: Senior
College prospects: Signed with Santa Clara
Notes: Sharp-shooter who can score in bunches...Offensive ability is strongest aspect of game...Four years of varsity experience...Member of 2005-06 Class 4A state championship team...Turned down several offers, including one from Iowa.
Photos (2):
Minnetonka
Badger (Wis.) at Target Center

Scout.com profile
Rivals.com profile

Hoops on the Lake Report Card

OFFENSE: A-
-Inside: I
-Mid range: A
-Long range: A+
-Passing: B
-Dribbling: B+
-Free throws: A
DEFENSE: B-
-On ball: B-
-Interior: I
ATHLETICISM: B-
-Footwork: B
-Quickness: B
-Vertical: C
-Strength: C+
UPSIDE: B-

OVERALL GRADE: B
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Name: Cole Stefan

School: Minnetonka
Height: 6-foot-3
Position: Shooting Guard
Class: Junior
College prospects: Has not signed. Received interest from a number if mid-major schools including UW-Milwaukee, Oral Roberts, Drake, Northern Iowa and Tulsa.
Notes: One of top guards in metro area for class of 2010...Has ability to score 20-plus points on any given night...Member of 2007-08 Class 4A state championship team...Great 3-point touch...Improving on defense...Listed as three of five-star prospect at Rivals.com.

Scout.com profile
Rivals.com profile

Hoops on the Lake Report Card

OFFENSE: B+
-Inside: I
-Mid range: B+
-Long range: A-
-Passing: B
-Dribbling: A-
-Free throws: A
DEFENSE: B-
-On ball: B-
-Interior: C
ATHLETICISM: B-
-Vertical: B
-Footwork: B
-Quickness: A-
-Strength: C
UPSIDE: B+

OVERALL GRADE: B
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Name: Jordan Smith

School: Orono (Long Lake)
Height: 6-foot
Position: Point Guard
Class: Sophomore
College prospects: No offers yet, but has drawn interest from Wisconsin, Iowa, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Minnesota, Iowa State and Pepperdine.
Notes: Considered to be one of top-5 underclassman guards in metro area...Great shooter who hit 49-percent of his 3-pointers in 2007-08...Averaged almost 17 points-per-game as a freshman...Has a quick release from downtown, much like Minnetonka's Cole Stefan (above)...Has a long way to go in terms of overall development, but has all the tools to someday become dynamic player at the high school level...Entering pivotal portion of high school career when college scouts and coaches really begin to take notice of second-tier prosepcts.

Scout.com profile

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Name: Marcus Williams

School: Hopkins (Minnetonka)
Height: 6-foot-2
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
College prospects: Interest from Penn State, Iowa State, Nebraska and George Mason.
Notes: Floor burning, "true" point guard that steers high-octane Hopkins offense...Three-point shot is work in progress...One of state's top two-sport prospects...Could play Division I basketball if he chooses...Teammate Royce White calls him "probably the best point guard in the state."
Photos (1):
Feb. 10 vs. Wayzata

Scout.com profile

Hoops on the Lake Report Card

OFFENSE: B
-Inside: I
-Mid range: B-
-Long range: C
-Passing: A
-Dribbling: A
-Free throws: B
DEFENSE: A
-On ball: A
-Interior: N/A
ATHLETICISM: A
-Footwork: A-
-Quickness: A
-Vertical: A
-Strength: A-
UPSIDE: C+

OVERALL GRADE: B+
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Name: Kellen Taylor
School: Wayzata (Plymouth)
Height: 6-foot-7.5
Position: Forward
Class: Senior
College prospects: Signed with Division II Winona State University
Notes: Blossoming talent who has athletic ability to play at a high level in spurts...Has decent range for player his size...Offensive game is work-in-progress...Turned down three Division I offers to play for D-II power Winona State.

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Name: Kyle Risinger
School: Minnetonka
Height: 6-foot-2
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
College prospects: Has not committed. Recruited at Division II level for football.
Notes: Solid athlete who was a two-way player player for the Minnetonka football team...Has ability to average 15-plus points-per-game...Member of 2007-08 Class 4A state championship team...Could play basketball at Division II level.

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Name: Ollie White

School: Mound Westonka (Mound)
Height: 6-foot-6
Position: Forward
Class: Senior
College prospects: Undecided.
Notes: This guy does everything, including score at a high level...He has decent range for a player his size...Stuck between a very tall shooting guard/average-sized small forward/and undersized power forward in terms of positions for next level...Limited athletic ability, but more than gets buy...Has a very high basketball IQ...Could find success at Division III level, but remains undecided about college plans.

Hoops on the Lake Report Card

OFFENSE: B
-Inside: B
-Mid range: B
-Long range: B+
-Passing: B
-Dribbling: C+
-Free throws: B+
DEFENSE: C+
-On ball: C
-Interior: B
ATHLETICISM: C+
-Footwork: B-
-Quickness: B-
-Vertical: C
-Strength: C
UPSIDE: C

OVERALL GRADE: C+
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Name: Damarius Cruz
School: Robbinsdale Armstrong (Plymouth)
Height: 6-foot-2
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
College prospects: Signed with Division II UM-Crookston
Notes: Hyperquick guard who coach Greg Miller calls "a dynamic scorer and team leader"...Set single-season school record with 78 three-pointers in 2007-08...Isn't afraid to have the ball in his hands with the game on the line...Makes his teammates better...Long arms make him a pesky defender...Elevates high off the floor for jump shot...Will become the centerpiece of the fledging Crookston program as soon as he steps foot on campus...Drew interest from "almost every" in-state D-II program...Had a few D-I offers as well.

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Name: David Nash
School: Blake (Western Minneapolis)
Height: 6-foot
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
College prospects: Unknown.
Notes: Emerged as dangerous offensive threat early in the 2008-09 season...Averaged more than 22 points per game in five six games of season...Lefty with well-built frame...Plays "small" for his height...Limited offensive ability...Opportunistic scorer who goes to spin move quite often...Stand-still jump-shooter.

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-Elite

-T0p-level

-Highly skilled

-Middle of the pack, usually college-bound