Minnesota First Look: Cristo Rey Jesuit

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cristo Rey Jesuit was one of the top teams in Class AA last season, winning 19 games before getting knocked out of the Section 4AA tournament in the second round. The Pumas return one of the best trios in the state, and with Minnehaha Academy moving up to Class AAA, their section is suddenly there for the taking.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>KEY RETURNERS:</strong> James Sommer, Erick Burgess, Derek Burgess</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sommer has been a stalwart in the Cristo Rey lineup for years and is one of the best overall players in Class AA. He’s a big, physical guard who can defend up or down in a lineup, knock down 3-pointers, get to the rim and create for his teammates. He’s the go-to guy when the team needs a bucket and their best rebounder. He averaged 24 points and eight rebounds as a junior. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Erick Burgess stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 16 points, six rebounds and five assists per game last season. He’s a long, athletic guard who makes a bigger impact than just what shows up on the stat sheet. He’s terrific on the defensive end of the floor and his energy sets the tone for the entire team. Offensively, he’s excellent creating his own shot, unselfish and nearly impossible to keep out of the paint.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Derek Burgess is the team’s best perimeter shooter and averaged just less than 13 points per game last year, while leading the team in steals. He’s a bulldog on defense, using his strength to get underneath opposing players and put constant pressure on the ball. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>STEPPING INTO NEW ROLES:</strong> Jaylen Cargill, Ja’mauri Funchess, Abdourahman Abdi</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cargill and Funchess were rotation guys last year, contributing to the team’s pressure-oriented defense while supplementing the offense in transition and off the ball. Abdi saw bit minutes last year and will likely have a bigger role off the bench this winter. All three guys struggled shooting the ball from the perimeter, but showed they can make an impact on the defensive end.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>QUESTION:</strong> Can the Panthers win a suddenly open Section 4AA?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Minnehaha Academy moving up to Class AAA, Section 4AA becomes winnable again. Cristo Rey is the team arguably best equipped to go win it. The Pumas were one of the teams that looked like a potential contender to the Redhawks but were knocked out early in the section tournament. With the talent coming back, Cristo Rey, along with St. Croix Prep, is the top contending team now. Can the Pumas take advantage?</span></p> <p><strong>SEASON OUTLOOK</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cristo Rey Jesuit will head into the 2019-20 year ranked in the top-10, with expectations of reaching the state tournament. Sommer, Burgess and Burgess form one of the best trios in the state and set the tone for a team that has the experience and athleticism to win a ton of games and be a threat to anybody they face.</span></p>