Class AAAA: First Look
Favorites Apple Valley. The defending state champs bring back their entire starting five including the best junior and sophomore in the state in Gary Trent Jr and Tre Jones (plus three top 50 level senior talents). Not to mention the…
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Apple Valley. The defending state champs bring back their entire starting five including the best junior and sophomore in the state in Gary Trent Jr and Tre Jones (plus three top 50 level senior talents). Not to mention the state did them a favor with the new section alignment so they should be able to return to state without a big challenge this year. What Coach Goring needs to do to win a third state title in four years is keep everybody healthy and develop what right now looks like a thin bench. The talent for another title is definitely there.
Hopkins. The Royals will be the deepest team in state. Consider that they have one of the elite coaches in the state, they went to state last year despite Amir Coffey missing the season, and they bring back the majority of last year’s line-up. Vinnie Shahid, Ishmael El-Amin, Xavier Johnson, Erik Davis, and Simon Wright were five of the top six a year ago and then you add Amir to take John Warren’s place on a 24 win team. Add in youth like Anthony Davis, Daryl Mayfield, and D1 offered 6-foot-10 Joseph Hedstrom and you have depth nobody else does.
Top Contenders
Champlin Park. The Rebels are going to be right back in the top five mix and it’s not just because of top five talent Theo John and McKinley Wright, there is a wealth of talent stepping into the junior and freshman classes. There will be some bumps but juniors Chris Davis, Marcus Hill, Mello Adkins, and Brian Smith have the talent to step in nicely.
Eden Prairie. They will need to replace some beef but the depth and toughness all over the line-up. The group of Nick Geolat, Brady Rudrud, Ryan Jacobus, and Owen Chose in the backcourt should be able to play with anybody These guys are excellent team basketball players plus Jake Ruppert and Jack Vermedahl will be just fine up front. EP plays excellent team ball on both ends and that is the specialty of their senior group.
Lakeville North. Remember the last time the Panthers missed the state tournament? It’s been awhile. Now they have a senior class of Carter Brooks, Cal Pesola, David Lindstrand, and Drew Stewart plus a junior in Nathan Reuvers with a dozen D1 offers. This will be a tough and long team coached by one of the best in Minnesota in John Oxton.
Maple Grove. I feel like they should have a category between the Favorites and Top Contenders. I believe they have the talent to win state but it’s hard to put them up there after the section semi-final loss to Wayzata. The Crimson bring back all of their starters, add transfer Taron Pickford who gives them a corner turning element, plus youth will step in for depth. I think they the pieces: Leader/Playmaker (Brad Davison), Shooter (Jack Hutchison), Pace Pusher/Corner Turner (Taron Pickford), Slasher (Tywhon Pickford), Low Post/Shot Blocking Big (Reed Nikko), Warrior Tough Guys (Kayode and Martinson). The pieces are there, they just cant have a section foul up again. And considering the were moved to 8AAAA I doubt they will.
Tartan. The Titans bring back four starters and many others ready to step up. The loss of a couple seniors will be replaced quickly by guys ready to step into bigger roles: Jarvis Thomas, Jordan Thompson, De’Nario Jackson, and Wisconsin transfer Noah Whalen. Not to mention Jordan Horn, King Myles, Emmanuel Humphrey, and Joevon Walker are two year varsity starters.
Wayzata. The Trojans return their entire line-up, they played together most of the off-season so they are step ahead of others, and this is a deep and skilled team with quality size. They showed a glimpse of what they can do winning seven of their last eight including the Maple Grove sectional win a year ago. Now that Beeninga, Slater, Gelinske, and Sowada and others are seniors with a strong junior group backing them, much can happen.
Top Ten Worthy/Potential Contenders.
Cretin-Derham Hall. CDH lost their core senior group to college basketball but they have a young group that could come together and make a run if things click. Daniel Oturo is ready for a breakout year and he has some fantastic senior wings around him Chris Perry, Jordan Ammons, and Julan-Ousely Brown. Add in a couple transfers and this is an interesting team.
Minnetonka. Tonka has the backcourt talent to be in the above group with Amar and Coatta but there are three questions that make you wait on pushing them there. 1) Chris Carr is a good coach but things are new so adjustments will happen, 2) they lost to Minneapolis South in the sections so it’s tough to call them a state contender yet, 3) size has to step forward. They have great backcourt depth and have the talent to actually play four guards/wings especially considering that Cedric Boone is much better than anybody expected. A very interesting team to watch, they will score a ton.
Rochester JM. Another team that should/could be in the group above but first they have to get over that Lakeville North hurdle in the section final. JM has the talent to do it with Matthew and Michael Hurt plus a solid core around them but they must get over the Panther hurdle first. Can they do it? We think so.
Shakopee. The Sabers lost a lot of guard play so matching the last two seasons third place finish will be tough. They were without Steffon Mitchell at the Bracket Buster and it was ugly. But never count out Steffon, never count out Bruce Kugath, and we love the progression of Booker Coplin.
State Tournament Caliber
Centennial. Tyler Peterson had an amazing junior season and the Cougars have a lot of solid role players that could step up. Alex Facon has D1 talent too so if this team has all the pieces a run could be made.
Chaska. Myles Hanson is now the leader and they have guard talent to step in and replace what graduated. Definitely a team to keep an eye on.
Edina. Will Moreton and Walt McGrory are a fantastic combo for the Hornets who had a good winter a year ago.
Lakeville South. If Sorenson and Mitchell can remain healthy this year and they also get expected contributions from Wacholz and Cuddigan, they could surprise.
New Prague. This may be far fetched but we like the hire of Coach Tesdahl, Lucas Walford may be the best senior in state without a D1 offer, and they went to state a year ago.
Robbindale Armstrong. Many say don’t sleep on Champlin Park but nobody is really sleeping there. I say don’t sleep on True Thompson, Jubie Alade, Race Thompson, Isaiah Rollins, and crew.
Rogers. They interest me because Steffan Musoke, Allen Wilson, and William Alexander are all fast paced talents that can put points on the board.