The Minnehaha Academy Redhawks faced adversity last season, but still managed to dominate Class AA, winning their second straight state title. After an explosion in the school, they were left without a home court, but still managed an impressive 22-4 regular season record. The Redhawks will lose veteran starters Javonni Bickham and Lorenzo Smith to graduation, which will be two big holes to fill. Javonni was the size down low for the Redhawks, and will be playing Division 1 basketball at Denver. Lorenzo was a sharp shooting guard who provided poise and leadership. Star 2020 guard Terry Lockett has also transferred to a school in Ohio. With these three losses, how do the Redhawks stack up this season?
Minnehaha returns five-star point guard Jalen Suggs for his fifth season on varsity. Just a junior, opposing fans are patiently waiting for Jalen's graduation to escape his longtime domination over their teams. With Jalen at the helm, the Minnehaha Redhawks will always be in contention for the state title. The freakishly athletic guard has been dominating Minnesota basketball since the 7th grade, and next season will likely be a similar sight. Jalen is extremely effective at driving to the rim, absorbing contact to draw fouls while still having the body control to finish in the most difficult of situations. His drives to the rim often draw the attention of multiple defenders, allowing him to kick it out to one of many sharpshooters on the Redhawks' squad. Aside from the star-power of Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha features a plethora of other standout players.
Suggs will be joined by classmate Kaden Johnson. Kaden is one of the top football recruits in the whole state, but may also be a division one caliber basketball player. He is an exceptional athlete, and standing at 6'4 he has the size to go along with it. Kaden Johnson is one of the top defenders in the state, while also bringing solid offense to the lineup. He averaged 7.6 ppg as a sophomore, while putting up games of 24 and 20. Kaden will provide consistent production and defensive effort for one of the most talented teams in the state.
Replacing Javonni Bickham down low will be sophomore center Chet Holmgren. Chet is a long 7' center, who will likely be ranked among the nation's elite once more 2021 rankings come out. He is an extremely skilled shot blocker, with his 7'6 wingspan allowing him to keep his distance from offensive players to avoid fouling. Playing with Grassroots Sizzle's 17u squad on the UAA, Chet has experience playing against older and stronger competition, which will help him transition easily into the high school season. After averaging 7.1 ppg as a freshman, Chet will look to increase his production even further as he slides into the starting lineup for the Redhawks. He will give Minnehaha the size to dominate at the AA level, and compete with the big AAAA schools as well.
Minnehaha adds even more talented youth with two of the top freshmen in the state in Prince Aligbe and Donavan Smith. Prince is among the nation's top wing prospects, while Donavan is one of the elite shooters in Minnesota's freshman class. Prince has great potential due to his size and athleticism, as he continues to polish on his skillset. Perhaps most impressive in his play is his passing ability. He has displayed great vision as a young player, and has dropped some dimes that even Magic and LeBron would be proud of. He was an offensive threat off the bench last season averaging 5.5 ppg as just an 8th grader, a number that should increase along with his playing time this season. Donavan should see increased playing time this season as well. Last season Minnehaha would draw up situational plays for him to come in and take a three point shot. His ability to spread the floor will give him more opportunity on the court as a freshman.
Siegel Howard will return as a senior to provide valuable minutes off the bench, along with a veteran presence to a young team. Minnehaha had a lot of young talent on the junior varsity team last season, with multiple players who could make the jump to varsity and contribute immediately.
The one potential problem for Minnehaha is their depth. They have the starting lineup to compete with anyone in the state, but their overall success could come down to which bench players can step up in times of need. Overall, Minnehaha has the talent to be the top team in the state regardless of class, and looks primed to win their third straight state title. There will be some competition in class AA, but Minnehaha has the experience and skill to make it happen. Look for Minnehaha to make some noise this upcoming season.
Predicted Regular Season Record: 22-4
Predicted Scoring Leaders: Jalen Suggs 19 ppg
Chet Holmgren 14 ppg
Kaden Johnson 12 ppg
Prince Aligbe 12 ppg
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