CDH Jamboree Notes (Main Gym)
I hope you folks are feeling recharged after AAU, because we are heading full steam into the varsity basketball season. I kicked things off personally by attending the Cretin-Derham Hall Jamboree on Saturday; thanks to CDH and coach Jerry Kline for hosting, as usual. It’s always a good set of scrimmages. I didn’t catch all of every game (I was bouncing between gyms taking photos), but this is what I noticed in the main gym.
We opened up with a 4:20 p.m. game between Osseo and Rochester Mayo. It was a great first look at the revamped Spartans, a team that benefits from gaining coach Luke Madsen and his sons Gabe and Mason Madsen, all of whom moved in from Bloomer, Wisc. Gabe and Mason are both stud 2020 prospects holding D1 offers and stand about 6-3 or 6-4. They charge down the court with confidence, and Gabe had the crowd going with a series of crossovers and quick jumpers. I liked the energy from their point guard as well (rosters were not available/numbers did not always match last year’s jerseys).
Osseo guard Zach Theisen played as smooth as ever, but his supporting cast is fairly new to the varsity court. He’ll look to be the consistency his team needs. I’ll have a recruiting report with this senior shooter this week.
At 5 p.m., Orono and Columbia Heights went at it in the main gym for a premium Class AAA matchup. Jarvis Omersa is a dominating force around the rim for Orono (showing off with several dunks as well as strong finishes), and his senior guards Max Bjorklund and Colton Codute bring back tons of experience and polish as well. Columbia Heights brings almost everybody back from last year’s state quarterfinal team; Deundra Roberson continues to play his name into recruiting conversations, and junior Jarvis Wright is back as the glue guy. Christian Kelly with a few good buckets as well when I was watching.
The next slate at 5:40 p.m. featured Apple Valley versus DeLaSalle. AV cruised by the Islanders in the first scrimmage, but DeLaSalle won the second when a Tre Jones (Duke-bound five-star) jumper came up short at the buzzer. The Eagles were their usual selves, showing high levels of chemistry and ball movement. Zach Korba has a larger role this year (his older brother Austin plays at St. Olaf). Luke Martens (Winona State commit) sat out of the scrimmage with a broken wrist, but says he will play by midseason.
DeLaSalle is again overflowing with talent, especially after adding D1-offered Jamison Battle as a transfer. He showed off his range early with an effortless stroke. His size (6-7) on the wing will be an absolutely brutal defensive challenge in the Tri-Metro. Add in Gopher-signed sharp-shooter Gabe Kalscheur, D1-caliber point guard Tyrell Terry, big man Malik Lamin and valuable wing CJ Dickson, and you’ve got your Class AAA favorites yet again.
Cretin-Derham Hall and Lakeville South played the 6:20 slot. Lots of people have CDH tabbed as the preseason favorite in Class AAAA with a talented and deep lineup centered around Daniel Oturu, but others look at Apple Valley as a largely intact squad from last year’s state title group led by one of the best players Minnesota has ever seen. Good thing there’s a head-to-head game on December 30th in St. Cloud via the Granite City Classic event (and extremely poor luck that I have a wedding that day).
While Oturu (Gophers) and Jaeden King (Augustana) have already committed, two more guys from Cretin will have interesting recruitments to follow. Sy Chatman is a 6-foot-8 forward with two Division I offers who continues to show confidence and awareness around the rim. I think that scholarship number could easily grow. Point guard Ryan Larson is just so smart, quick and tough, I think he should have more than three NSIC offers at this point.
UW-Milwaukee commit Shae Mitchell is the top talent for Lakeville South, and he has good pieces next to him with fellow seniors Cooper Jackson and Beau Bailey. Jackson is a quality D3 recruit at point (although he’s also a very good runner in track and field) while Bailey is a springy athlete who looked to be putting his abilities together on the court Saturday. Colleges should look at Bailey as someone with considerable physical upside.
The nightcap was Park Center vs. Hopkins. PC has some very quality talent in the sophomore and junior classes and will be a threat for state the next few years as long as this group stays together. Hopkins forward Zeke Nnaji looked much improved, in my eyes (granted, I didn’t see him play this summer). From last winter to now, I thought he has become much more polished and aggressive. Kerwin Walton comes over from Breck and will basically do a little bit of everything. He’s a tireless worker.