The 2021-22 Basketball Season – Class AAA First Glance
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We continue looking at next season with a First Glance at Class AAA for the 2021-22 year. Today we will run through the 2020-21 final top ten rankings and look at each squad’s returning talent. (1) Minnehaha Academy Starters…
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Continue ReadingWe continue looking at next season with a First Glance at Class AAA for the 2021-22 year.
Today we will run through the 2020-21 final top ten rankings and look at each squad’s returning talent.
(1) Minnehaha Academy
Starters Returning: Prince Aligbe Prince Aligbe 6'6" | SF Minnehaha Academy | 2022 State #167 Nation MN , Mercy Miller (2)
Reserves Returning: Chase Carter Chase Carter 6'7" | PF Minnehaha Academy | 2022 MN , Nick Parten, Donovan Smith Donovan Smith 5'10" | PG Minnehaha Academy | 2022 OH (injured much of the year)
Up and Coming Name: 2023 big Rolyns Aligbe
Final Say: With really three returning starters with experience and Chase Carter Chase Carter 6'7" | PF Minnehaha Academy | 2022 MN who would start for many schools, the Redhawks have a nice group of players returning. They will need to add depth but another run is ahead of them.
(2) Totino-Grace
Starters Returning: Taison Chatman Taison Chatman 6'4" | PG Totino Grace | 2023 State #35 Nation MN , Demarion Watson, Tommy Humphries Tommy Humphries 6'5" | SF Totino-Grace | 2023 State #283 Nation MN , CJ O’Hara CJ O’Hara 6'4" | SF Park Center | 2023 State #285 Nation MN (4)
Reserves Returning: Patrick Bath
Up and Coming Name: 2024 Zi’Yerre Stewart
Final Say: The Eagles have four starters back and a big in Patrick Bath who is about to be one of the most recruited frontcourt players in the 2023 class. The Eagles also have some juniors that will potentially step into bigger roles and some young talent ready to provide depth. A contender for the title next year.
(3) DeLaSalle
Starters Returning: Amir Everett Amir Everett 6'0" | PG De La Salle | 2022 State MN , Nasir Whitlock Nasir Whitlock 6'2" | PG Delasalle | 2023 State MN (2)
Reserves Returning: Casmir Chavis, Randy McClendon Jr, Kyle Johnson Kyle Johnson 6'2" | SG De La Salle | 2022 State MN
Up and Coming Name: 2023 forwards Aiden Higgins and PJ Pounds II
Final Say: The Islanders don’t return anybody bigger than 6-foot-2 from this year’s roster but the guard play will be outstanding for another 2-3 years at the least. Whitlock, Chavis, and McClendon are top underclassmen while Everett and Johnson are strong defenders.
(4) Alexandria
Starters Returning: Carter Steffensmeier, Kris Hoskins, Erik Hedstrom Erik Hedstrom 6'5" | SF Alexandria | 2022 State MN (3)
Reserves Returning: Myles Sansted, Wyatt Odland
Up and Coming Name: 2024 forward Grayson Grove
Final Say: The Cards only had three seniors last year and often times Sansted was on the floor in place of big Kobe Jenson Kobe Jenson 6'6" | PF Life Christian/Alexandria Area | 2021 MN (pending on match-up) so there is a lot of experience returning. Also, Alex has some really good young players on the way up too.
(5) Richfield
Starters Returning: Mitchell January Mitchell January 6'1" | SG Richfield | 2022 State MN , Jaden Wollmuth Jaden Wollmuth 6'5" | C Richfield | 2022 State MN (2)
Reserves Returning: Jaedyn Patterson
Up and Coming Name: 2023 guard Jaylen Hollins
Final Say: The Spartans didn’t go too far into their bench especially later in the year so it’s a bit unclear what’s coming up but Hollins and Patterson are good players while January and Wollmuth are two of our most improved juniors this season.
(6) South St. Paul
Starters Returning: Alonzo Dodd Alonzo Dodd 6'2" | CG South St Paul | 2022 State MN , Shawn West-Zimpel Shawn West-Zimpel 6'2" | SG South St. Paul | 2022 State MN Jr, Ramontay Harmon Ramontay Harmon 5'10" | PG South St Paul | 2022 State MN , Devin Newsome Devin Newsome 6'1" | SG South St Paul | 2022 State MN (4)
Reserves Returning: Ramontre Harmon Ramontre Harmon 5'10" | PG South St Paul | 2022 State MN , Keon Moore-King, Anthony Faulk Anthony Faulk 6'5" | PF South St Paul | 2022 MN
Up and Coming Name: 6-4 forward America Fitch
Final Say: The Packers lose just one starter, one reserve. There is a ton of talent back which will make them a contender.
(7) Columbia Heights
Starters Returning: Hassan Kamara Hassan Kamara 6'4" | SG Columbia Heights | 2022 MN , Muja Burton Muja Burton 6'4" | SF Columbia Heights | 2022 State MN , Donnavin Hinsz Donnavin Hinsz 6'6" | PF Columbia Heights | 2022 State MN , Terrence Brown Terrence Brown 6'0" | PG Columbia Heights | 2022 State MN (4)
Reserves Returning: Jency Davis, Spencer Alvarez Spencer Alvarez 6'6" | PF Columbia Heights | 2022 MN (injured this year)
Up and Coming Name: 2025 guard Quaylan Hardrict
Final Say: The Hylanders were a top five or better level squad all year and will likely be next year as well. Four starters plus Alvarez back gives them five guys who have started a lot of games. Good young talent too to replace the senior depth. Columbia Heights will contend for the AAA title next year.
(8) Byron
Starters Returning: Trent DeCook Trent DeCook 6'2" | SG Byron | 2022 State MN , Isaac Dearborn Isaac Dearborn 6'0" | PG Byron | 2023 State MN , Ahjany Lee Ahjany Lee 6'9" | C Byron | 2022 State #145 Nation MN (3)
Reserves Returning: Jaxon Marine Jaxon Marine 6'4" | SF Byron | 2022 State MN
Up and Coming Name: 2023 forward Nick Netzke
Final Say: Byron lost their PG and overall half their line-up. Dearborn and DeCook can step in and handle while Marine is an athletic wing. Up front there’s of course Ahjany Lee Ahjany Lee 6'9" | C Byron | 2022 State #145 Nation MN and when Ahjany is in the paint and stays in the paint, he’s one of the most unstoppable two way forces in the state. In fact, I can’t think of another player in Minnesota next year who can rebound, block shots, and finish inside the way Ahjany can. He has the potential to easily be Minnesota’s most dominating inside force next year.
(9) Mankato West
Starters Returning: Buom Jock Buom Jock 6'5" | SF Mankato West | 2022 VA , Brady Haugum Brady Haugum 6'1" | SG Mankato West | 2022 State MN , Mekhi Collins Mekhi Collins 6'5" | PF Mankato West | 2022 State MN , Louis Maggers (4)
Reserves Returning: Aidan Corbett
Up and Coming Name: Not Sure
Final Say: West had a big year and likely played about a year ahead of where I thought they would be. With four starters back and some great potential in the line-up they are a contender
(10) Hibbing
Starters Returning: Ayden McDonald Ayden McDonald 6'4" | PG Omaha Central | 2022 State MN (1)
Reserves Returning: Hayden Verhel Hayden Verhel 6'0" | SF Hibbing | 2022 MN , Amari Manning
Up and Coming Name: Not Sure
Final Say: Hibbing is the one team on this list that will be hit really hard by graduation. Not excessive of course. Ayden is still one of the best guards in the state and there is some good talent in the junior class ready to make an impact, but Hibbing will see more change to their rotation than any of the others in this final top ten.