Class AAA Breakout Teams
There are teams that get better every year. Some ascensions come out of nowhere. Some improvements are more predictable. Here are some teams that could enjoy improved seasons:
- Big Lake
Big Lake won 10 games last year as it incorporated an entirely new team to the varsity level. But that group is essentially all back. Logan Nagorski is one of the best players in the Mississippi 8 and DeVonne Harris is a potential double-double guy inside. Add in the returning guards like Spencer Hinrichs and Trey Teige and the Hornets should push for 15-plus wins and a lengthy section run.
- Winona
The Winhawks won just eight games last season but in a turmoil-filled season, there were some good developments. All-conference caliber returners like Jake Reeck and Brad Winter give the team very good building blocks plus potential sophomore-to-junior breakout guys in Jackson Nibbelink and Ethan Prodzinski give them even more firepower. They might get off to a slow start with the football season getting long in Winona again this year but with a new coaching staff in place they have a chance to potentially double their win total.
- St. Cloud Apollo
It’s been a while since the Eagles were contending in the Central Lakes Conference but Apollo could be on the rise again. They won 12 games last season and graduated a couple good seniors but leaned on a really talented now-junior class. Deng Diew and Mike Gravelle form a terrific inside-outside duo. Nasurd Mohamed is another intriguing talent up front and Logan Johnson showed the potential to be a double-figure scorer on the perimeter.