Minnesota is one of the last states in America to conclude its high school season, meaning many of the state’s top prospects take a little bit of a break going into AAU season. Minnesota Heat and Minnesota Select (two of the state’s elite independent programs) linked up for the Minnesota Heat x Select Starting Point Tournament. Though just a one day event, the Starting Point really allowed fans and scouts alike to get a jump on a number of the top players that the state had to offer in a different setting than we saw during the school year. Focusing on the underclassmen, we saw a variety of players who had varying impacts on their high school teams and a few talented eighth graders who were already receiving burn on the varsity level (you can do that in Minnesota) throughout the day.

Here are a few of the top performers from the Minnesota Heat x Select Starting Point:

Jayden Moore, 5’10, PG, J-Sizzle 16U 3SSB, 2026
One of the most promising high school players in the state of Minnesota, Moore averaged 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists per game as a freshman for powerhouse Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) in his third year of varsity hoops (he played as a seventh and eighth grader). Moore is an outstanding on-ball defender (coincidentally, he owns offers from defensive powers Baylor and West Virginia), is elite at pushing the ball ahead in transition, and is a scoring threat any time that he has the ball in his hands. “Judah” is the next in line from a storied Hopkins program that has put the likes of Amir Coffey, Zeke Nnaji, and Kris Humphries in the league.

Isaac Asuma, 5’11, PG, D1 Minnesota, 2027
The next in line for the Asuma family (cousins Isaac and Noah are both standout players in their own right), Isaac Asuma has two seasons of varsity ball under his belt and hasn’t even finished his eighth grade academic year. The D1 Minnesota point guard has long arms, can finish through contact at the rack, and maintains his presence on the floor at all times. Having played in two consecutive MSHSL Final Fours at the high school level, Asuma has the poise and experience to do damage against players his own age, as seen by D1 Minnesota’s title in the 15U red division.

Marley Curtis, 6’6, SF, J-Sizzle 3SSB, 2025
A player who has really turned the corner in the past year, Curtis is everything that you look for out of a forward in today’s game. The St.Louis Park sophomore has a powerfully built frame with 6-foot-10 wingspan, can overpower smaller defenders, and was a really reliable 3-point shooter over the weekend (especially from the corners). Curtis just took an unofficial visit to UNLV a week ago and there will be many more to follow.

Tyler Forrest, 6’1, PG, Team Tyus, 2027
Getting it done as an eighth grader on varsity, Forrest averaged 9.6 points per game as a starter for Chaska and showed he was on another level playing against players his own age. Forrest is a creative finisher in the paint, is very patient, and has an automatic pullup jumper off of the bounce. While it’s still incredibly early, many feel that Forrest has already established himself as one of the better lead guards in the Midwest for 2027.

Malachi Hill, 5’11, PG, PJ Hoops, 2027
The younger brother of former Ohio State point guard and overseas pro P.J. Hill, Malachi Hill certainly owns the same type of cerebral game that allowed his brother to contribute in the Big Ten. The athletic lead guard is a gifted passer, has a whole bag of finishes at the cup, and has legit awareness playing out of ball screens. Having played varsity ball as an eighth grader (scored 5 PPG) for Minneapolis South, Hill is another one of the talented lead guards in Minnesota’s 2027 class.

Harrison Aligbe, 6’6, J-Sizzle, 2025
Aligbe didn’t put up huge numbers for Minnesota powerhouse Minnehaha Academy, but that certainly does not mean that he’s not a prospect you want to keep an eye on. The versatile forward is an active defender who can guard multiple spots, is a high activity rebounder on both ends, and is developing as a 3-point shooter. He is the younger brother of Boston College freshman starter Prince Aligbe and continually improving 6’8 Rolyns Aligbe, so there are no shortage of factors working in his favor for the future.

Ty Schlagel, 6’5, SF, PJ Hoops, 2027
Blending size and perimeter skill, Schlagel was the leading scorer for a PJ Hoops squad that won their 15U division playing up a year. A mid-range assassin, the Eden Prairie wing is automatic with his pull-up J off the bounce and has outstanding touch on his floater. The rising freshman is also a threat beyond the 3-point arc and capable straight line driver. Like many on this list, Schlagel saw some varsity playing time as an eighth grader.