Last season East Ridge put together a solid campaign, going 21-5 while periodically holding a top 10 ranking in AAAA. With a talented yet youthful team, East Ridge was unable to advance to state, losing to eventual champion Cretin-Derham Hall in their section. East Ridge lost just one starter, and they return with a deep lineup loaded with talent at every position. Take a look at the team that will compete with CDH for Suburban East Conference champs, as well as a trip to state.
Taking a note from the Pittsburgh Steelers' book, East Ridge is led by their "Killer B's". Courtney Brown, Ben Carlson, Kendall Brown, and Kendall Blue provide a division one prospect at all four grades, and provide talent and length at all positions on the floor. Courtney Brown is one of the states top scorers, putting up 20 ppg the past two seasons, and entering his senior year with 1,347 career points. He is an explosive leaper off of two feet, making it hard to stop him around the rim, and this inside game is opened up by his jump shot. He can pull up off the dribble from mid range, and elevates on his three pointer making it extremely hard to defend with his 6'6 frame. Courtney has been the backbone of the Raptors for the past two seasons, and his play will be a key role in East Ridge's hopes of winning state.
The inside will be controlled by junior Ben Carlson, who combines skill and athleticism in a 6'9 body. He has added strength during the off-season which has made him difficult to stop going to the rim. He has excellent body control when finishing which allows him to power through contact down low. As a sophomore Ben averaged 19 ppg, combining with Courtney Brown to form one of the most lethal scoring duos in the state. There's a reason schools like Stanford, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have offered, as Ben has the ability to dominate a game inside.
With Courtney and Ben providing veteran experience, Kendall Brown and Kendall Blue provide a youthful spark to the team. Brown already has a division one offer, and is considered a top 25 nationally ranked player in the class of 2021. Blue on the other hand is one of the top incoming freshmen in the state, and a likely division one caliber player as well. With Brown at 6'6 and Blue at 6'5, both players bring excellent length to the guard position, and are both exceptional athletes as well. At such a young age they already have the ability to throw down some explosive dunks, but also play with poise and composure at the varsity level. Brown averaged 11.1 ppg during a strong freshman campaign, a number that could increase as he becomes more skilled and confident at the varsity level. Blue on the other hand played mostly at the JV level as an 8th grader, where he was able to work on his game against older players. During his limited time on varsity he managed to average 2.3 ppg. It is still unknown what his role on the team will be as a freshman, but he has the talent to be an impact player on this talented team.
With all of this big name talent on the Raptors, it can become easy to overlook the true depth of this squad. Zach Zebrowski is the fourth returning starter for East Ridge and will provide a lethal three point shot. Watching him play before, he brings energy to the floor and is a good communicator. When he gets his shot going he can put up big numbers in a hurry as was evident in his 15 point outing against Minnehaha Academy last season. The depth doesn't stop there though, as Alex Larson brings more size inside. The 6'7 forward would likely be a starter on most teams in the state, and will provide solid contributions either next to, or in place of Ben Carlson at times. After averaging 3.2 ppg as a junior, Alex will look to contribute even more during a senior campaign in which many Division 3 schools will be watching him. Drew Adams and Zac Thomas are two 2021 players who will be returning members of the varsity squad as well. Adams had a really good showing at the NEP event, and has the potential to be a very good player. They bring solid length to an already tall lineup, and could provide solid minutes.
On paper, East Ridge will be looking like one of the favorites to win the AAAA state title. They have a young and energetic coach in Bryce Tesdahl who has been pushing his team to get stronger in the weight room all summer, and is constantly involved in his players' development. With all of these pieces in place, only time will tell if the Raptors can live up to their high expectations.
Predicted Regular Season Record: 23-3
Predicted Scoring Leaders: Courtney Brown 21 ppg
Ben Carlson 20 ppg
Kendall Brown 15 ppg
Friday, September 28, 2018
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Summer Breakthrough For Trejuan Holloman
The summer of 2018 has been huge for freshman point guard Trejuan Holloman. After a very productive eighth grade season for Minneapolis North which saw him average around 11 ppg as the starting point guard, Tre transitioned into the AAU season with Howard Pulley. Howard Pulley is an organization known for its high quality point guards. Tyus Jones, Brad Davison, and Tre Jones are just a few who have gone through the Pulley ranks. Trejuan Holloman is already being recognized as the next great point guard to play for Howard Pulley (alongside 2021 top-25 nationally ranked Kendall Brown). Trejuan has been playing two years up from his age group for a while, playing 16u as a 14 year old. As one of the youngest players in the 16u Nike EYBL circuit, Tre more than held his own as the starting point guard. But this was just the start of his big summer.
Midway through the AAU season, Trejuan made the impressive jump to Howard Pulley's 17u team, seeing playing time in occasional tournaments. Tre continued to turn heads on the AAU circuit with his mature play and exceptional athleticism. One play in particular that caught a lot of attention was a huge one handed poster dunk he threw down in a Las Vegas tournament. It was an extremely impressive play for any point guard, let alone one that is only 14 years old.
Earning an invite to the CP3 Rising Stars camp, Trejuan made the most of his opportunity. He turned a lot of heads at the event, and really began to garner a lot of national attention. Playing against the top freshmen in the country, Tre managed to stand out. He performed well scoring the ball, distributing, and defending, and ended up throwing down another posterizing dunk that garnered a lot of attention on social media. Tre's play earned him a spot in the All Star game, solidifying his spot as one of the top 20 players at the camp.
Next up for Trejuan was the Twin Cities Under The Radar event: a showcase of some of Minnesota's top talent in each grade. In the 2022 game, Tre was putting on a show. He once again showed off his passing ability with a few nice dimes. He showed off his ability to jump passing lanes leading to a few transition dunks. One of those dunks would go on to blow up on Twitter, as he once again posterized a defender (that seems to be a common theme for him).
Most recently, Trejuan attended the John Lucas Invitational down in Houston, another camp that featured some of the elite young talent from across the country. Tre's play once again made him stand out from the competition. He continued to gain recognition for his mature style of play as a lead guard, an instinct well beyond his years. And it wouldn't be a summer event for Tre without a posterizing dunk in transition, so he did just that. With time expiring in the first half of one of the expo games, Tre beat a defender before taking it to the hoop and dunking over not one, but two defenders to beat the buzzer. In a summer full of impressive plays, this was perhaps the most amazing one of them all. Tre's killer mentality when needing to score, combined with a poise well beyond his years is a lethal combination for a young point guard.
Tre also had strong showings at the Wisconsin team camp and the Northern Iowa team camp, playing with Howard Pulley in both events. He has received interest so far from Wisconsin and Iowa, two quality high major programs. After such a strong summer with Howard Pulley, and a freshmen season with powerhouse Cretin-Derham Hall looming, don't be surprised if Trejaun starts bringing in some offers in the near future.
Check out some of Trejuan's 8th Grade Highlights With Minneapolis North!
Midway through the AAU season, Trejuan made the impressive jump to Howard Pulley's 17u team, seeing playing time in occasional tournaments. Tre continued to turn heads on the AAU circuit with his mature play and exceptional athleticism. One play in particular that caught a lot of attention was a huge one handed poster dunk he threw down in a Las Vegas tournament. It was an extremely impressive play for any point guard, let alone one that is only 14 years old.
Earning an invite to the CP3 Rising Stars camp, Trejuan made the most of his opportunity. He turned a lot of heads at the event, and really began to garner a lot of national attention. Playing against the top freshmen in the country, Tre managed to stand out. He performed well scoring the ball, distributing, and defending, and ended up throwing down another posterizing dunk that garnered a lot of attention on social media. Tre's play earned him a spot in the All Star game, solidifying his spot as one of the top 20 players at the camp.
Next up for Trejuan was the Twin Cities Under The Radar event: a showcase of some of Minnesota's top talent in each grade. In the 2022 game, Tre was putting on a show. He once again showed off his passing ability with a few nice dimes. He showed off his ability to jump passing lanes leading to a few transition dunks. One of those dunks would go on to blow up on Twitter, as he once again posterized a defender (that seems to be a common theme for him).
Most recently, Trejuan attended the John Lucas Invitational down in Houston, another camp that featured some of the elite young talent from across the country. Tre's play once again made him stand out from the competition. He continued to gain recognition for his mature style of play as a lead guard, an instinct well beyond his years. And it wouldn't be a summer event for Tre without a posterizing dunk in transition, so he did just that. With time expiring in the first half of one of the expo games, Tre beat a defender before taking it to the hoop and dunking over not one, but two defenders to beat the buzzer. In a summer full of impressive plays, this was perhaps the most amazing one of them all. Tre's killer mentality when needing to score, combined with a poise well beyond his years is a lethal combination for a young point guard.
Tre also had strong showings at the Wisconsin team camp and the Northern Iowa team camp, playing with Howard Pulley in both events. He has received interest so far from Wisconsin and Iowa, two quality high major programs. After such a strong summer with Howard Pulley, and a freshmen season with powerhouse Cretin-Derham Hall looming, don't be surprised if Trejaun starts bringing in some offers in the near future.
Check out some of Trejuan's 8th Grade Highlights With Minneapolis North!
Friday, September 21, 2018
Team Preview: St. Paul Central
Though last season's 16-9 regular season record may not be all that eye-catching, St. Paul Central set themselves up for future success, and proved that they'll be a tough match-up for anyone this season. Their non-conference schedule last year was among the toughest in the state, playing the AA, AAA, and AAAA state champions. They provided one of Cretin-Derham Hall's toughest tests of the season, losing in a hard fought battle 81-74. They only graduated one player from last season, and will be a legitimate force in the Twin Cities area this year.
Perhaps their top player in terms of college potential is 6'4 small forward Dion Ford. Dion put up 19.4 ppg last season and was one of the top players in the St. Paul City Conference. He is a long and athletic lefty who does well to get to the rim, and is a very good finisher. His length and quickness help him defend multiple positions and he is also a very good rebounder at the wing spot. Dion's individual performances will play a key role in Central's success this season, and he could make a strong case for conference player of the year.
Who will be Dion's main competitor for player of the year? That would be his own teammate, Daveonte Davis. Daveonte is the returning player of the year after putting up huge numbers with 23.5 ppg as a junior. At 6'3 Daveonte is a strong slashing guard who is very dangerous driving to the basket. His strength allows him to finish through contact with ease, and he has also shown the ability to post up on other guards. Daveonte is a solid shooter, so his ability to stretch the floor opens up opportunities for his teammates to score inside, and helps his driving ability as defenders cannot sag off of him. Watch out for another big season from Daveonte.
The third member of St. Paul Central's three headed monster is their point guard Ronelle Porter. Standing at 5'7, Ronelle is extremely shifty making him a very hard guard for opposing defenders. Despite his height, Ronelle is fearless attacking the rim where he has a very crafty layup package allowing him to score over taller players. Off the drive he has good vision to make the pass to his open teammates. Porter's scrappy defense also creates a lot of turnovers which allows this fast paced Central team to get a lot of open layups. Ronelle averaged 12 ppg as a junior, and will have another good season as a senior.
Though a majority of the scoring will be done by the three previously mentioned players, Central has a few key role players returning. Khai West returns for his senior season, after putting up 9 ppg as a junior. He's a great asset for Central. 6'3 forward Luke McElroy also comes back for his senior year. He was another 9 ppg scorer last year, and has the scoring ability to force teams to not be able to double Ford or Davis. Senior My'Kel Alexander (6'4) and sophomore Jaelen Thomas (6'5) both saw limited playing time last year, but return to provide good length off the bench. Caron Crowe and Terrell Fountain both averaged 5 ppg last season, playing key roles off the bench.
Perhaps no team in the state returns more of their lineup from last season than St. Paul Central does, and this experience will lead them to a lot of success. They are one of my favorite sleeper teams to make a case for a spot in the AAAA state rankings this season. Once again they play a very difficult non-conference schedule, which should prepare them for the playoffs.
Regular Season Record Prediction: 21-5
Predicted Scoring Leaders: Daveonte Davis 22 ppg
Dion Ford 21 ppg
Ronelle Porter 14 ppg
Perhaps their top player in terms of college potential is 6'4 small forward Dion Ford. Dion put up 19.4 ppg last season and was one of the top players in the St. Paul City Conference. He is a long and athletic lefty who does well to get to the rim, and is a very good finisher. His length and quickness help him defend multiple positions and he is also a very good rebounder at the wing spot. Dion's individual performances will play a key role in Central's success this season, and he could make a strong case for conference player of the year.
Who will be Dion's main competitor for player of the year? That would be his own teammate, Daveonte Davis. Daveonte is the returning player of the year after putting up huge numbers with 23.5 ppg as a junior. At 6'3 Daveonte is a strong slashing guard who is very dangerous driving to the basket. His strength allows him to finish through contact with ease, and he has also shown the ability to post up on other guards. Daveonte is a solid shooter, so his ability to stretch the floor opens up opportunities for his teammates to score inside, and helps his driving ability as defenders cannot sag off of him. Watch out for another big season from Daveonte.
The third member of St. Paul Central's three headed monster is their point guard Ronelle Porter. Standing at 5'7, Ronelle is extremely shifty making him a very hard guard for opposing defenders. Despite his height, Ronelle is fearless attacking the rim where he has a very crafty layup package allowing him to score over taller players. Off the drive he has good vision to make the pass to his open teammates. Porter's scrappy defense also creates a lot of turnovers which allows this fast paced Central team to get a lot of open layups. Ronelle averaged 12 ppg as a junior, and will have another good season as a senior.
Though a majority of the scoring will be done by the three previously mentioned players, Central has a few key role players returning. Khai West returns for his senior season, after putting up 9 ppg as a junior. He's a great asset for Central. 6'3 forward Luke McElroy also comes back for his senior year. He was another 9 ppg scorer last year, and has the scoring ability to force teams to not be able to double Ford or Davis. Senior My'Kel Alexander (6'4) and sophomore Jaelen Thomas (6'5) both saw limited playing time last year, but return to provide good length off the bench. Caron Crowe and Terrell Fountain both averaged 5 ppg last season, playing key roles off the bench.
Perhaps no team in the state returns more of their lineup from last season than St. Paul Central does, and this experience will lead them to a lot of success. They are one of my favorite sleeper teams to make a case for a spot in the AAAA state rankings this season. Once again they play a very difficult non-conference schedule, which should prepare them for the playoffs.
Regular Season Record Prediction: 21-5
Predicted Scoring Leaders: Daveonte Davis 22 ppg
Dion Ford 21 ppg
Ronelle Porter 14 ppg
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Built To Last: Which Minnesota Teams Have The Top Young Talent?
Minnesota is a state that has been loaded with basketball talent over the recent years. Both the 2019 and 2020 classes have multiple players gaining national recognition and rankings for their talent and potential. These players have the level of talent to instantly make their respective teams state contenders. But looking past these upperclassmen leaders, which teams are ready to succeed a few years down the road? I'll be going over teams that have a good crop of young talent in the Twin Cities area, that could be state contenders in the future.
Minnehaha Academy: Minnehaha Academy has been a basketball powerhouse for the past few years, and still reign supreme in Class AA thanks to Jalen Suggs and company. But after Jalen graduates, will Minnehaha still be a top team regardless of class? With young talents like Chet Holmgren, Prince Aligbe, and Donovan Smith: the answer is yes. Chet Holmgren is looking more and more like one of the top centers to come out of Minnesota in the past decade. A very unique talent, Chet brings mobility, shooting, and ball skills to a 7 foot (and possibly still growing) frame. On the defensive end, Chet can completely disrupt an opposing team's offense with his shot blocking ability. As just a freshman, Chet was reported to have blocked 15 shots in a single game. This is made possible by his 7'6 wingspan and great timing. Looking at the 2022 class, Prince Aligbe is staking a claim for one of the top wing prospects nationally, and is likely the best freshman wing in the state of Minnesota. He stands 6'6 with a well built frame, and is an absolute freak of an athlete. Prince is a powerful leaper off of two feet, and is a fluid athlete for someone that tall at his age. He has shown the ability to knock down outside shots, and is also strong around the rim. One of the most impressive attributes in Prince's game is his passing ability. I have witnessed him drop some impressive dimes, with court vision well beyond his years. Donovan Smith is one of the better point guards in the 2022 class, and is a very high level three point shooter. Look for him to be a dangerous piece down the road for Minnehaha.
Minneapolis North: Like Minnehaha, Minneapolis North is a perennial powerhouse among the smaller classes, though often having enough talent to compete with much larger schools. Their constant presence among the state rankings is due to their ability to cultivate their young talent. Though the transferring out of Trejuan Holloman was a big loss, North still features two of the top young talents in the state. Class of 2022 Willie Wilson is arguably a top five freshman in the state, and will be a big time contributor at the varsity level. He spent most of 8th grade dominating at the junior varsity level, but when given the opportunity to play on varsity he could still get buckets. Joining Willie is class of 2021 Davon Townley Jr. Davon currently stands at about 6'6 with great athletic ability. He is capable of playing both on the wing and in the post due to his size and mobility. Like Willie, he played sparingly on varsity last year, but made the most of whatever opportunities he was given. North is known for getting good young talent, so don't be surprised if any more future stars emerge through the Polar program over the next couple of seasons.
Cretin-Derham Hall: I talked about the unfortunate loss of Trejuan Holloman for Minneapolis North, but benefiting from that transfer was CDH. In Tre they gained one of the elite point guard prospects nationally. The 2022 guard is a true floor general with a basketball IQ beyond his years. Every camp, showcase, game, or event he goes to, Tre leaves a lasting impression on everyone watching. He is an impressive athlete, as evident by his posterizing dunk at the Twin Cities Under The Radar event. Tre is the next in line of great point guards in the state of Minnesota. Besides Tre, the Raiders also have a talented sophomore in Tristan Lee. He's a top 30 level player in the state at this point, with lots of potential to improve. Standing at around 6' tall, Tristan is an imposing athlete. He has great strength and vertical leaping ability, as well as a high motor. CDH has a lot of veterans on their squad, but Tristan will likely play a key role for the Raiders in his upperclassmen years.
Hopkins: Hopkins is a staple in the class AAAA state rankings, and are always one of the main contenders to win the state title. It seems that no matter how much talent they lose to graduation, they come back reloaded and just as good as ever. Their current state is no different. Their youth charge is lead by sophomore Andre Gray. The 6'1 point guard brings scoring ability and ball handling to the floor. With increasing athleticism, Andre is becoming an increasingly dangerous prospect, and is one of the top guards in the whole state. Coach Novak will be set at the point guard spot for the next three years with Andre. Gray is joined by fellow sophomore guard Jalen Tremel. Jalen is a 6'2 shooting guard who is a dangerous scorer. He is a part of the talented D1 Minnesota program that is known for developing high level division one players. Jalen is a talented scoring guard, who will be an offensive weapon for the years to come. One of the more intriguing prospects in the Hopkins' ranks is Elvis Ohagwu. Related to current Royals' forward Zeke Nnaji, look for Elvis to inherit some of that length and athleticism that Zeke brings to the table. It is unknown how much of an impact Elvis will have early in his career, but he is oozing potential.
East Ridge: East Ridge has been developing a solid program over the past few years under the guidance of new coach Bryce Tesdahl. Perhaps their most known prospect is sophomore Kendall Brown. One of the top point guards in the 2021 class, Kendall has great length at 6'7 to match with good ball skills and athleticism. He is arguably the top sophomore in the state (him and Chet Holmgren are battling for that spot), and already plays with poise for such a young age. Though Kendall has a solid jump shot, at this point he is most dangerous attacking the rim where he uses his length and athleticism to finish over opposing bigs. Classmate Drew Adams joins Kendall as a top 20 level player in the Minnesota 2021 class. He is a solid post prospect standing at 6'7, and will be able to learn a lot under the guidance of nationally heralded recruit Ben Carlson. As for freshmen, East Ridge has a great one in Kendall Blue. Like Brown, Kendall Blue is a long and lanky guard prospect already standing at about 6'5. He played at the junior varsity level as an 8th grader, and was very productive playing both guard spots. He has good athleticism, and was showing off his vertical in East Ridge's preseason dunk contest last year. Down the road, Kendall could turn into one of the most dangerous players in the state of Minnesota, and will form a lethal duo with Kendall Brown.
DeLaSalle: DeLaSalle is another historic program in Minnesota, known for consistently reloading on talent year after year. Their current crop of youth is no exception to this trend. Cade Haskins is a new transfer to the program, and has a bright future as one of the top 2021 players in the state. A top 10 level talent for his class, Cade possesses a dangerous outside shot with the length to succeed at 6'5. As a freshman he was averaging a dozen points a game during his time at Minneapolis Washburn before transferring to the Island mid season. He is joined by Keijuan White to form a loaded 2021 class for the Islanders. Keijuan is scary athletic and can jump out of the gym. For someone his size (about 6'), Keijuan is capable of throwing down some powerful dunks with his leaping ability. A few years down the road, Keijuan could be one of the top prospects in the state if he continues to develop his basketball skills to match his physical tools.
Minnehaha Academy: Minnehaha Academy has been a basketball powerhouse for the past few years, and still reign supreme in Class AA thanks to Jalen Suggs and company. But after Jalen graduates, will Minnehaha still be a top team regardless of class? With young talents like Chet Holmgren, Prince Aligbe, and Donovan Smith: the answer is yes. Chet Holmgren is looking more and more like one of the top centers to come out of Minnesota in the past decade. A very unique talent, Chet brings mobility, shooting, and ball skills to a 7 foot (and possibly still growing) frame. On the defensive end, Chet can completely disrupt an opposing team's offense with his shot blocking ability. As just a freshman, Chet was reported to have blocked 15 shots in a single game. This is made possible by his 7'6 wingspan and great timing. Looking at the 2022 class, Prince Aligbe is staking a claim for one of the top wing prospects nationally, and is likely the best freshman wing in the state of Minnesota. He stands 6'6 with a well built frame, and is an absolute freak of an athlete. Prince is a powerful leaper off of two feet, and is a fluid athlete for someone that tall at his age. He has shown the ability to knock down outside shots, and is also strong around the rim. One of the most impressive attributes in Prince's game is his passing ability. I have witnessed him drop some impressive dimes, with court vision well beyond his years. Donovan Smith is one of the better point guards in the 2022 class, and is a very high level three point shooter. Look for him to be a dangerous piece down the road for Minnehaha.
Minneapolis North: Like Minnehaha, Minneapolis North is a perennial powerhouse among the smaller classes, though often having enough talent to compete with much larger schools. Their constant presence among the state rankings is due to their ability to cultivate their young talent. Though the transferring out of Trejuan Holloman was a big loss, North still features two of the top young talents in the state. Class of 2022 Willie Wilson is arguably a top five freshman in the state, and will be a big time contributor at the varsity level. He spent most of 8th grade dominating at the junior varsity level, but when given the opportunity to play on varsity he could still get buckets. Joining Willie is class of 2021 Davon Townley Jr. Davon currently stands at about 6'6 with great athletic ability. He is capable of playing both on the wing and in the post due to his size and mobility. Like Willie, he played sparingly on varsity last year, but made the most of whatever opportunities he was given. North is known for getting good young talent, so don't be surprised if any more future stars emerge through the Polar program over the next couple of seasons.
Cretin-Derham Hall: I talked about the unfortunate loss of Trejuan Holloman for Minneapolis North, but benefiting from that transfer was CDH. In Tre they gained one of the elite point guard prospects nationally. The 2022 guard is a true floor general with a basketball IQ beyond his years. Every camp, showcase, game, or event he goes to, Tre leaves a lasting impression on everyone watching. He is an impressive athlete, as evident by his posterizing dunk at the Twin Cities Under The Radar event. Tre is the next in line of great point guards in the state of Minnesota. Besides Tre, the Raiders also have a talented sophomore in Tristan Lee. He's a top 30 level player in the state at this point, with lots of potential to improve. Standing at around 6' tall, Tristan is an imposing athlete. He has great strength and vertical leaping ability, as well as a high motor. CDH has a lot of veterans on their squad, but Tristan will likely play a key role for the Raiders in his upperclassmen years.
Hopkins: Hopkins is a staple in the class AAAA state rankings, and are always one of the main contenders to win the state title. It seems that no matter how much talent they lose to graduation, they come back reloaded and just as good as ever. Their current state is no different. Their youth charge is lead by sophomore Andre Gray. The 6'1 point guard brings scoring ability and ball handling to the floor. With increasing athleticism, Andre is becoming an increasingly dangerous prospect, and is one of the top guards in the whole state. Coach Novak will be set at the point guard spot for the next three years with Andre. Gray is joined by fellow sophomore guard Jalen Tremel. Jalen is a 6'2 shooting guard who is a dangerous scorer. He is a part of the talented D1 Minnesota program that is known for developing high level division one players. Jalen is a talented scoring guard, who will be an offensive weapon for the years to come. One of the more intriguing prospects in the Hopkins' ranks is Elvis Ohagwu. Related to current Royals' forward Zeke Nnaji, look for Elvis to inherit some of that length and athleticism that Zeke brings to the table. It is unknown how much of an impact Elvis will have early in his career, but he is oozing potential.
East Ridge: East Ridge has been developing a solid program over the past few years under the guidance of new coach Bryce Tesdahl. Perhaps their most known prospect is sophomore Kendall Brown. One of the top point guards in the 2021 class, Kendall has great length at 6'7 to match with good ball skills and athleticism. He is arguably the top sophomore in the state (him and Chet Holmgren are battling for that spot), and already plays with poise for such a young age. Though Kendall has a solid jump shot, at this point he is most dangerous attacking the rim where he uses his length and athleticism to finish over opposing bigs. Classmate Drew Adams joins Kendall as a top 20 level player in the Minnesota 2021 class. He is a solid post prospect standing at 6'7, and will be able to learn a lot under the guidance of nationally heralded recruit Ben Carlson. As for freshmen, East Ridge has a great one in Kendall Blue. Like Brown, Kendall Blue is a long and lanky guard prospect already standing at about 6'5. He played at the junior varsity level as an 8th grader, and was very productive playing both guard spots. He has good athleticism, and was showing off his vertical in East Ridge's preseason dunk contest last year. Down the road, Kendall could turn into one of the most dangerous players in the state of Minnesota, and will form a lethal duo with Kendall Brown.
DeLaSalle: DeLaSalle is another historic program in Minnesota, known for consistently reloading on talent year after year. Their current crop of youth is no exception to this trend. Cade Haskins is a new transfer to the program, and has a bright future as one of the top 2021 players in the state. A top 10 level talent for his class, Cade possesses a dangerous outside shot with the length to succeed at 6'5. As a freshman he was averaging a dozen points a game during his time at Minneapolis Washburn before transferring to the Island mid season. He is joined by Keijuan White to form a loaded 2021 class for the Islanders. Keijuan is scary athletic and can jump out of the gym. For someone his size (about 6'), Keijuan is capable of throwing down some powerful dunks with his leaping ability. A few years down the road, Keijuan could be one of the top prospects in the state if he continues to develop his basketball skills to match his physical tools.
Other Schools Of Note
Lakeville South: Lakeville South will be in good hands for the next three seasons, with a talented sophomore duo in Riley Mahlman and Reid Patterson. Riley is one of the top bigs in the 2021 class, while Reid is one of the better guards in the class.
Wayzata: Wayzata constantly puts out a quality basketball team, and with a trio of quality young prospects, their future is bright. Eddie Beeninga and Kody Williams provide a duo of guards both ranked in the top 20 in the 2021 class according to PrepHoops. In the 2022 class, Camden Heide is one of the top players in the state, and is looking like one of the top freshman wing prospects in the midwest. He has the potential to be special in this program.
Cristo Rey: The Burgess brothers have the future looking bright at Cristo Rey. Erick stands at 6'3 and is a terrific scorer, while Derek has a lot of potential on the wing with his 6'5 frame and athleticism. Down the road they'll form one of the top duos in class AA.
Brooklyn Center: Having lost a lot of talent heading into this season, Brooklyn Center's youth will be forced to develop early. They future arguably the top 8th grader in the state in Maxsamus Wilson. He is joined by freshman Akeem Nelson, who saw time at the varsity level as an 8th grader. Quyavant Douglas is another talented 8th grader on the squad. He was on the varsity team as a 7th grader, scoring 2 ppg in his handful of appearances.
Waseca: The Waseca program has a bright future, with two future stars in 2021 pair Andrew Morgan (6'8) and Kyreese Willingham (6'4). They bring size and skill to the lineup.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Prospect Analysis: Tommy Chatman
Tommy Chatman- 6'3 2019 G (Park Center/TC Pirates)
My first experience watching Tommy Chatman was at the Breakdown Fall League last year, in a game against East Ridge that went down to the wire. Chatman was on fire the whole game, hitting plenty of mid-range jumpers and was exceptional in finishing around the basket. As I was new to Minnesota hoops, I had momentarily confused him with Division 1 commit Jarius Cook, because he looked the part of a Division 1 caliber player. Capping off his performance, Tommy hit the game winning layup at the buzzer to defeat a talented East Ridge squad by 1 point. (Tommy's highlights from that game linked here.)
Fast forward 10 months, and Tommy is entering his senior season with high hopes of bringing home a state title to Park Center. Watching him at the Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo recently, it was easy to see how much more polished and improved Tommy was as a player. One thing that really stood out was his increased athleticism. He was showing the ability to dunk with ease, throwing down some nice dunks in transition, including a high flying alley oop. The added explosiveness will make him an even more dangerous scorer, as he will be able to finish at the rim around taller defenders more easily.
Also noticeable was Tommy's court vision and passing. In the past I had pictured him more as a scoring 2-guard, but he's now looking the part of a point guard with his ability to distribute the ball for easy looks to his teammates. Multiple times he was able to launch a long outlet pass to a streaking teammate for a transition layup. In the half court he showed great vision and patience on his drives, drawing in help defense and quickly dishing the ball for an open look. It was hard to overlook the hints of flashiness he put on some of his passes as well, drawing off defenders with his eyes before dropping some sweet no-look dimes.
As a scorer, Tommy looked just as dangerous as I have seen him in the past, but seems to have added a few go-to moves off the drive. Most noticeable was his spin move. Particularly in his fourth game, he was able to earn a few easy looks with a nice spin off the dribble drive. He was good at reading the defenders body to feel where the open space to turn would be, and although he missed a few easy chances off the move, it will prove to be very effective come the high school season. Another move he commonly utilized was a hop-step into the lane. Tommy was great at splitting two defenders with this move, where he then showed off a soft teardrop finish in the lane. His highlight video from the expo will be linked at the end of the article.
Over the past year, Tommy has proved to be a high caliber Division 2 prospect, earning offers from a number of quality programs including Northern State, Winona State, Concordia St. Paul, and a handful of others. I have Tommy ranked as the #15 player in the state for the class of 2019, though his ranking should rise when I update them prior to the beginning of the high school season. He has seen solid Division 1 interest, and if he can put together a strong senior campaign, he could be one of those Ryan Larson type of players who sees a few Division 1 offers late into his senior year.
2017-18 Stats: 11 ppg
My first experience watching Tommy Chatman was at the Breakdown Fall League last year, in a game against East Ridge that went down to the wire. Chatman was on fire the whole game, hitting plenty of mid-range jumpers and was exceptional in finishing around the basket. As I was new to Minnesota hoops, I had momentarily confused him with Division 1 commit Jarius Cook, because he looked the part of a Division 1 caliber player. Capping off his performance, Tommy hit the game winning layup at the buzzer to defeat a talented East Ridge squad by 1 point. (Tommy's highlights from that game linked here.)
Fast forward 10 months, and Tommy is entering his senior season with high hopes of bringing home a state title to Park Center. Watching him at the Prep Hoops Top 250 Expo recently, it was easy to see how much more polished and improved Tommy was as a player. One thing that really stood out was his increased athleticism. He was showing the ability to dunk with ease, throwing down some nice dunks in transition, including a high flying alley oop. The added explosiveness will make him an even more dangerous scorer, as he will be able to finish at the rim around taller defenders more easily.
Also noticeable was Tommy's court vision and passing. In the past I had pictured him more as a scoring 2-guard, but he's now looking the part of a point guard with his ability to distribute the ball for easy looks to his teammates. Multiple times he was able to launch a long outlet pass to a streaking teammate for a transition layup. In the half court he showed great vision and patience on his drives, drawing in help defense and quickly dishing the ball for an open look. It was hard to overlook the hints of flashiness he put on some of his passes as well, drawing off defenders with his eyes before dropping some sweet no-look dimes.
As a scorer, Tommy looked just as dangerous as I have seen him in the past, but seems to have added a few go-to moves off the drive. Most noticeable was his spin move. Particularly in his fourth game, he was able to earn a few easy looks with a nice spin off the dribble drive. He was good at reading the defenders body to feel where the open space to turn would be, and although he missed a few easy chances off the move, it will prove to be very effective come the high school season. Another move he commonly utilized was a hop-step into the lane. Tommy was great at splitting two defenders with this move, where he then showed off a soft teardrop finish in the lane. His highlight video from the expo will be linked at the end of the article.
Over the past year, Tommy has proved to be a high caliber Division 2 prospect, earning offers from a number of quality programs including Northern State, Winona State, Concordia St. Paul, and a handful of others. I have Tommy ranked as the #15 player in the state for the class of 2019, though his ranking should rise when I update them prior to the beginning of the high school season. He has seen solid Division 1 interest, and if he can put together a strong senior campaign, he could be one of those Ryan Larson type of players who sees a few Division 1 offers late into his senior year.
2017-18 Stats: 11 ppg
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