19-20 First Look: Shakopee

<p>Shakopee was 22-6 a year ago as a top ten team in the state of Minnesota.  And their graduation losses will be replaced by young talent and of course a strong senior class. </p> <p><strong>Moving On</strong>:  Brooks Allen and Tanner Koenen are both starters lost to graduation and both players scored 4-5 times a game for the Sabers.  Each played a role with Allen manning the paint and Koenen being an excellent defender and active player.  Sam Kutina also played from the deep bench for the Sabers.  Allen wasn't a center but he was the closest thing the team had to having a center and his size in the paint will be something that needs to be replaced. </p> <p><strong>Returning Starters</strong>: <strong>Will Cordes, Caleb Druvenga</strong>, and UMD committed <strong>Charlie Katona</strong>, the three leading scorers from a year ago.  Cordes, Druvenga, and Katona all had big roles as freshmen so each of the returning starters is playing their fourth straight season on varsity and not just with experience, but starting experience.  Cordes had a magnificent 17u season playing with the Minnesota Matrix outplaying numerous top guards in this state while Charlie Katona ranks with one of the best seniors I've ever seen that made the choice to play D2 over the division one schools that were calling.  Katona out-played not just D1 kids, but high major players on several occasions with the Minnesota Fury.  Katona scored 16 a game last year with Cordes scoring 14 and Druvenga scoring 11 a contest. </p> <p><strong>Reserves Playing a Bigger Role:   Bruce Lockwood Jr</strong> is another senior that has been playing varsity since he was a freshman and you can expect his toughness to be used in the middle to try and stop all the size that Shakopee will face.  Lockwood's activity and toughness will be needed.  Another reserve from a year ago that will be a senior is <strong>Aaron Bosley</strong>.  Aaron scored 6.7 a game last year and that came off his hot three point shooting hand.  Then you have <strong>Nick Katona</strong> a sophomore that scored twice a game as a freshman and is now entering a sophomore year with big expectations.  How good can Nick Katona be?  I think he has the most college potential of any player on this team, maybe by a long shot.  Nick is a very talented, active, and long player that I have to believe steps into a starting role.  He's that good.  </p> <p><strong>Potentials from the JV: </strong>When Shakopee went ten or eleven on the bench last year you saw a glimpse of the future and that was <strong>Cade McGraw</strong>, a very talented sophomore guard that will fill the shoes of Will Cordes in the future.  And likely play big minutes with Cordes now.  Cade has the talent to handle the ball and let Cordes play off of it at times.  I've ran through seven guys and to be honest it's going to be tough for anybody to take time away from that group of seven.  Juniors <strong>Luke Hart</strong> and <strong>Ethan Mostrom</strong> could be close.  </p>