Summer State: Class AAAA Thoughts
Hopkins will be big, deep, and talented in 2017-18 and they let Minnesota know it Sunday defeating Apple Valley, Cretin-Derham Hall, and Woodbury for the Breakdown title.
Hopkins (1). Hopkins usually isn’t a team that practices a lot in the summer as a high school squad but they have been this June with Siyani Chambers (Former Mr. Basketball and Harvard grad) and Don Zierden (former NBA coach) leading the way. How has that worked? They looked excellent yesterday.
Let’s start with up front. Zeke Nnaji is playing with more confidence resulting in skilled completions and a more aggressive approach each play (scored 20 vs CDH). Joe Hedstrom was more aggressive on Sunday than he’s been leading to near double figure numbers each game as the touch looked good. Dane Zimmer is a skilled worker off the bench, DJ Davis is a senior to be that did well, Andy Stafford was solid, and Andy Dahkne earned a spot on the starting five with his consistency. Anthony Davis did what he usually does (had 19 vs CDH) and Blaise Beauchamp scored 17 in the final showing off his beautiful touch.
Apple Valley (2). When you defeat St. Cloud and Park Center (both had all their top guys) without Tre Jones and Spencer Rolland you make people take notice. So what are they noticing? That even though Apple Valley has stars, they also have a lot of talent around them and one heck of a coaching staff as well. Nathan Macho and Luke Martens had fantastic days. Macho looked like he can be a consistent scorer while Martens scored 19 against Hopkins in the second half just playing tougher than everyone on the floor. The Eagles also got some big contributions from Josh Arnold and Zach Korba.
Cretin-Derham Hall (3). Beat Eden Prairie, outlasted Park Center in a couple overtimes, and had a one score loss to Hopkins. They wanted the title but still walked out of the Lindbergh Center having an excellent day. In the loss to Hopkins Daniel Oturu went head to head with Joe Hedstrom and had an impressive 21 points and a dozen rebounds. Ryan Larson had a fantastic game against EP scoring 21. The point guard’s shooting stroke was on all day. Sy Chatman’s 19 against Eden Prairie was also important.
Park Center (4). Usually a fourth place finish is disappointing but the Pirates beat a likely preseason top five in Lakeville North and took the likely preseason number two Cretin-Derham Hall to a pair of overtimes. Dain Dainja’s creative and skilled finishes around the basket was a highlight of the day as was his mean streak fighting in the post. Jarius Cook was consistent as always, Tommy Chatman continues to play well, and the guy that really caught our eye was DJ Purnell.
Eden Prairie (5). The Eagles are young but they beat Woodbury by nine and Lakeville North by twenty despite not having Kyle Kluge. Austin Andrews had 31 points dominating Woodbury inside on his way to an unofficial 68 points in three games leading Class AAAA in scoring. Drake Dobbs continues to be one of the best shooters in his class and Connor Christensen simply works his butt off. All will be sophomores this winter.
Lakeville North (6). This was an eye opener for the Panthers in different ways. First off, Tyler Lewko looks like a skilled four that will have an excellent year and Tyler Wahl convinced me that his ball handling skills and his touch will allow this young man to play a lot more at the three in the future than I originally thought. The Panthers are adding a lot of new players to the guard and wing spots and that will tell a lot about what they will be.
St. Cloud Tech (7). Tech lost a one score game to Apple Valley and a one score game to Lakeville North before beating Woodbury by 15. This is a talented team with a lot of good seniors, they just have to learn how to win close games against good teams. Cameron Jackson continued to score for Tech like he did this winter.
Woodbury (8). Tough task for Woodbury who had Michael Jones, DJ Fleming, and a bunch of guys from the frosh team and B-squad last year. The majority of their returning varsity/JV roster was not available so the Royals had no depth and it hurt the scoreboard. That said, Michael Jones, despite all the defensive attention, still hit nine threes in three games and went over the 20 point mark twice.