Breakdown State Tournament: Class AAAA Top Guards
The Breakdown State Tournament took over Bloomington Sunday, with Henning, Caledonia, Mankato East and Park Center taking home championship honors. With most of the top teams from each respective class in attendance, there was no shortage of high-end talent on…
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Continue ReadingThe Breakdown State Tournament took over Bloomington Sunday, with Henning, Caledonia, Mankato East and Park Center taking home championship honors. With most of the top teams from each respective class in attendance, there was no shortage of high-end talent on display all day long.
Here were some of the standout guards from the Class AAAA tournament:
Drake Dobbs, Eden Prairie
Dobbs has long been a favorite of mine when it comes to Minnesota point guards and he was impressive again Sunday for the Eagles. He just seems to have everything you want. He’s a dead-eye shooter off the catch and off the dribble, has a quick release to make defenders pay for even giving him seemingly an inch of space. He’s quick and strong enough to beat defenders off the dribble and get to the paint. He’s patient enough to probe and make plays for his teammates. And he’s a dog on the defensive end of the floor. He just seems to make the right play every time. Eagles fans get one more year to enjoy it.
Detavius Frierson, Park Center
Frierson is hardly an unknown around the metro area as he was one of Park Center’s best players last season. But I was impressed with how good he looked Sunday for the Pirates. He spent a lot of time playing point guard and his decision-making was sound. He’s big and athletic (like most Park Center players) and uses both things to bend the game to his liking. He’s terrific on the defensive end of the floor where he’s capable of checking pretty much anybody. The Pirates will head into the year a surefire top-five team (possibly No.1) and Frierson will be counted on to be a central piece of the puzzle.
Tre Holloman, Cretin-Derham Hall
It feels like Holloman has been around forever, yet he’s only heading into his sophomore year of high school. He plays much older and could probably make a case as the best point guard in the state after Jalen Suggs. He’s extremely athletic and explosive and that stuff certainly shows up on the defensive end where he’s an absolute menace on and off the ball. For all that stuff, he’s an incredibly cerebral player. He’s in command on the floor. He’s not a fish out of water when he doesn’t have the ball and he can dominate a game in ways so few guys can.
Kody Williams, Wayzata
Williams figures to be the next stud Wayzata guard and he certainly showed he’ll be a handful for teams to deal with on Sunday. His strength is a huge plus, as he’s nearly impossible to keep out of the paint singlehandedly and he can finish a high rate in traffic. He’s smart with and without the ball (a must in that Wayzata offense) and his ability to score at all three levels gives the Trojans two guys that could average 20ish points per game next winter.
Kerwin Walton, Hopkins
Walton is going to have a lot more on his plate than the typical go-to guy at Hopkins might. There isn’t a lot by way of experience coming back for the Royals, which means Walton will have to be on his game consistently. The 6-foot-4 swingman looked good Sunday, showcasing deep range and solid handles. He’s always been a solid shooter and defender, but I was impressed at how well he created shots for himself and his teammates.
John Henry, Eden Prairie
Henry’s got a lot of fans around the state as a super utility glue type guy for the Eagles and he provided more of the same over the weekend. He can shoot, he does great work off the ball as a screener, cutter and spot up guy, and he’s a rock-solid passer on a team with a number of guys wired to score. His defense is top-notch as well as he’s got the ability to chase smaller guys as well as switch onto post players underneath.
Josh Brown, Park Center
Brown is another guy who will be thrust into a more prominent role for the Pirates this winter and judging by his play this summer and on Sunday, he’s ready for it. The senior guard is a solid defender already and a light’s out shooter. He’s a star in that ‘3-and-D’ role. And with guys like Dain Dainja soaking up eyeballs, Brown is going to have more open kickout 3-pointers than he knows what to do with.
Andre Gray, Hopkins
Gray is one of the few returning minute-getters for the Royals from last season and despite being young, looks like he’ll be relied upon to provide big production next winter. He looked good in spurts Sunday, using his handles and his strength to generate offense. He’ll need to do it consistently, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he put up 15ish points per game next winter.
J’Vonne Hadley, Cretin-Derham Hall
Hadley is a nice pickup for the Raiders – who now have arguably the best perimeter core in the state – and he took little time making his presence felt Sunday. There’s work to do when it comes to chemistry, adjusting to more of a role and the Raiders’ systems, but Hadley is also good enough to just go out and play and be really good. He’s very good handling the ball, passing and shooting and when teams can’t dedicate entire gameplans to slowing him down, he’s going to give people a lot of problems.