"The Sharpshooter Chasing Every Loose Ball"

Brandt Scholten

@BrandtScholten5

6'2, 175lbs, Class of 2028

Allendale HS, MI

AAU: Highland Premier 16U

Brandt is the kind of player who keeps finding ways to impact winning because he brings much more than just a smooth outside shot to the floor. While defenses know he can make them pay from deep, Brandt's game continues to grow into something far more complete. He plays with confidence, competes with purpose, and understands how to fit into whatever role his team needs on a given night. His ability to stretch the floor, make smart decisions, and play within the flow of the game makes him a difficult matchup, while his growing commitment to rebounding, defense, and physicality is adding new layers to his game. The combination of shooting touch, basketball IQ, and a willingness to do the dirty work gives him a valuable combination that coaches love to have on the floor.

His sophomore season provided plenty of reasons for rising expectations after averaging 10.9 points per game while making 39 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. Those numbers showed his ability to consistently score the basketball, but Brandt came away from the season focused on far more than stats. The lessons learned through the ups and downs of the year helped shape a player who now understands the importance of impacting every possession. Rather than being satisfied with what he accomplished, he immediately turned his attention toward becoming a more complete player capable of impacting games in multiple ways.

That growth has continued throughout the AAU season with Highland Premier 16U, one of the top teams in the Great Lakes Basketball League. Competing against strong competition every weekend has challenged him to elevate every aspect of his game while continuing to expand his confidence. The AAU circuit has become another proving ground where Brandt is showing that he can contribute in a variety of ways while continuing to elevate his scoring ability. More importantly, it has reinforced his desire to become a player who affects winning beyond simply putting the ball in the basket.

One of the biggest points of emphasis this offseason has been defense, rebounding, and learning how to play bigger than his frame. Brandt understands that becoming a more complete player opens more opportunities and creates greater value for his team. He wants to be the player who can hit a big shot, grab a key rebound, rotate for a stop, or make the extra pass when the game is on the line. That mindset has fueled some of his biggest improvements and continues to push him forward every day.

Like many players chasing bigger goals, Brandt's journey has included adversity. Those difficult moments have helped strengthen his confidence, sharpen his focus, and teach him how to keep moving forward when things are not going his way. Instead of allowing setbacks to become roadblocks, he has used them as fuel. That resilience continues to shape his approach both on and off the court and has become an important part of his development.

The behind-the-scenes work is where much of his growth has been built. Long after games end and the spotlight fades, Brandt continues to put in the time improving his shot, his body, strengthening his weaknesses, and finding new ways to elevate his game. That commitment to daily improvement is helping transform him from just a lethal shooter into a player capable of impacting every area of the floor.

As he prepares for his junior season, the goals are to help lead his team to a conference championship, make a deep postseason run, and compete for district success while also earning all-conference, all-state, and academic all-state honors. Individually, he is focused on increasing his scoring production while becoming a stronger rebounder, passer, shot blocker, and defender. Coaches can expect a player who brings confidence, composure, and a team-first mindset every time he steps on the floor. They can expect someone who will make shots, create opportunities for teammates, compete on both ends, and embrace whatever role is needed to help his team win.

I assess that Brandt's combination of perimeter shooting, confidence, and basketball IQ gives him a strong foundation to continue building upon. His willingness to focus on defense, rebounding, and physical play shows a mature understanding of what it takes to become a complete player. The fact that he is actively working to expand his impact beyond scoring suggests there is still significant upside ahead.

Brandt is a versatile floor spacer with a silky smooth touch who can make defenses pay when given daylight. What stands out most is his commitment to evolving into a complete player rather than settling into one specialty. His improving defensive presence, growing rebounding ability, and team-first approach add value that does not always show up in the box score. As his overall game continues to expand, he has the tools to become an even bigger difference-maker on both ends of the floor while helping drive winning basketball. Stay tuned.