Minnesota First Look: Minnesota Valley Lutheran
Minnesota Valley Lutheran is coming off a terrific season in which it won 25 games and reached the Section 2A final. The Chargers were one of the best teams in Class A, thanks to a balanced and explosive offense plus…
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Continue ReadingMinnesota Valley Lutheran is coming off a terrific season in which it won 25 games and reached the Section 2A final. The Chargers were one of the best teams in Class A, thanks to a balanced and explosive offense plus a rock-solid defense. They lose arguably the best player in school history to graduation, but with three double-figure scorers back, the Chargers should be one of the top teams in Class A again this winter.
KEY RETURNERS: Dunwa Omot, Jace Marotz, Mason Cox
Omot’s enjoyed a breakout stretch over the last year and change, going from a fringe varsity guy as an underclassmen to one of the best players in southwest Minnesota. The 6-foot-4 combo guard averaged 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block per game as a junior, then continued his upward progression throughout the summer on the AAU circuit. He’s a terrific shooter, an explosive slasher and an improving playmaker, with the length and athleticism to defend up or down a lineup. He’s in for a huge year.
Marotz has been a varsity stalwart for years and had a solid junior year, averaging 11 points and 4.6 rebounds. He’s just solid all around, functioning effectively with and without the ball while providing excellent defense on the wing.
Cox was another breakout guy last year, averaging 11 points and seven rebounds. He’s an excellent finisher inside, with great hands a knack for establishing good position around the rim. He’s got a strong motor inside and can be a force on the offensive glass.
STEPPING INTO NEW ROLES: Kyreis Harrison, Izayah Harrison, Jacob Norris,
Kyreis Harrison saw quite a bit of playing time as a sophomore and showed steady improvement throughout the season, averaging 5.6 points and 4.8 rebounds. He’ll step into a starting role this winter and could be a breakout candidate for a team that has a lot of weapons for defenses to account for.
Izayah Harrison was rotation guy a year ago, providing playmaking and perimeter defense off the bench. With Jake Kettner gone to graduation, it’ll be an all-hands-on-deck effort in the playmaking department and Harrison will be a guy the Chargers count on.
QUESTION: How good can Dunwa Omot be?
While the Chargers are losing Jake Kettner, one of the best players in the state last year, they’ve still got a solid returning cast of pieces. The guy who I’m most curious about is Omot. He was very good last year playing second-fiddle to Kettner. Now he’s going to be the man. He was terrific all summer with MN Rise and looks like a guy primed for a monster year. Can he take his game to another level with teams focused on slowing him down? If he can, MVL might be the favorite in Section 2A.
SEASON OUTLOOK
Section 2 is without doubt, the deepest and toughest in Class A. Minnesota Valley Lutheran is on the list of teams that will contend for the title. Replacing Kettner and other really good seniors like Matthew Munsen will not be easy, but there’s enough talent for this group to continue on the winning track. Omot, Marotz and Cox give them three all-conference caliber pieces to build around and there’s a solid host of complementary players in house. Expect this team to win 20-plus games, contend in the Tomahawk Conference and be a factor come March.