Class AAA Guards to Watch
Class AAA should interesting this year as DeLaSalle looks like the far-and-away best team in the state. On paper, after that, there appears to be quite a bit of parity though which could make for a lot of good basketball on any given night. Here are some guys to watch this winter.
J’Vonee Hadley, Jr., Mahtomedi: Hadley is one of the best players in Class AAA and could put up huge numbers for a Mahtomedi club that should be among the best in the state. As a sophomore, the 6-foot-5 swingman averaged 16 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Look for those numbers to all go up.
Stacy Washington, Sr. Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids consistently churns out solid players and Washington is next up to put up big numbers. The senior guard put up 16 a night for the Thunderhawks last season, playing second-fiddle to Nate Seeleye. Now he’s the go-to guy.
Joich Gong, Jr., Mankato East: Mankato East lost a really good senior class but the Cougars are well-insulated to take the hit because of junior guard Jax Madson and Joich Gong. Gong had a huge summer and is starting to garner Division II looks. He’s a terrific shooter and a strong athlete. He’ll be one of the top scorers in the Big 9 for a team that could get back to state.
Tait Nelson, Jr., St. Anthony: St. Anthony always seems to have kids that can fill it up and Nelson is next in line to hold that label. As a sophomore, the 5-foot-11 guard averaged 18 points per night. The Huskies should be improved this winter and Nelson could very-well average 20-25 points per game.
Peter Soumis, Jr., Hermantown: Soumis played a key role in helping the Hawks get to state last year. Now he steps into a starring role. With his skill level, savvy and athleticism, he looks capable of putting up 15-plus points and five assists.
Malik Willingham, Sr., Waseca: Waseca is a top-five team in Class AAA and Willingham might be the best player not wearing a DeLaSalle jersey. Finally a senior, Willingham’s game has improved immensely over the years as he’s gone from a dynamic heat-check scorer to terrific floor-leader. With the young Bluejays around him having another year of experience, Willingham could be even better this winter.
Trey Longstreet, Soph., Delano: The Tigers rode Calvin Wishart (and Keegan O’Neil) to a state title last year. Those two are gone now and a guy that will be attempting to fill those shoes is sophomore guard Trey Longstreet. At 6-foot-4, Longstreet has solid skills and athleticism. He may take some lumps as he transitions to the go-to guy, but he’s a player to watch this winter without doubt.
Jarvis Wright, Sr., Columbia Heights: Heights lost a terrific group of seniors that played a huge part in the team’s last two state tournament appearances. But the Hylanders shouldn’t drop off as they’ve got a lot of young talent in the program. Jarvis Wright is one of the few returning guys and after averaging 10 points per game last year, he’ll step into a feature role this winter. Expect big things.
Desi Sims, Sr., Minneapolis Roosevelt: Sims is one of the best scorers in the state after averaging 26 points per game as a junior. He’s nearly impossible to keep away from the paint and he does a great job drawing fouls and keeping pressure on the defense. If he can get his 3-point shooting numbers up (29 percent as a junior), he could lead Roosevelt to a lot of wins.