Five Stars: Totino-Grace pulls away from Benilde

<p>The first regular evening of high school hoops statewide got underway Tuesday and I headed over to see a private matchup of two Class AAA teams in Totino-Grace and Benilde-St. Margaret's.</p> <p>The Eagles got off to a hot start hitting five triples to open the game and they led 39-26 at half. Then a BSM run led by Nick Peterson cut the lead to three points with 10 minutes left; the Red Knights couldn't get over the hump, though, and T-G's Taison Chatman put the game away with the hosts winning 76-62.</p> <p>Here are five stars plus more from the game:</p> <p><strong>Taison Chatman (PG, 6-2, Fr., Totino-Grace) - </strong>T-G has a bunch of capable underclassmen at their disposal and we'll get to the rest in a minute, but Chatman was the only freshman in the starting lineup and he lived up to the hype right from tipoff. His three-point stroke is extremely polished already with no hesitation to pull from way out, as evidenced by his four makes last night. His feel for the game in an isolation setting is second to none and it almost seems he plays at a slower and more relaxed speed than the rest of the court, in the best way possible. 22 points on 8-14 shooting for the number one 2023 player in Minnesota.</p> <p><strong>Nick Peterson (G, 6-4, Sr., Benilde) - </strong>It's pretty much impossible to not root for Nick. He is the ultimate teammate, encourager and leader for a BSM squad that has potential to grow a lot this year. On top of his intangibles, he's elevated offensively since last season. Scoring 20 points last night he worked some post fadeaway jumpers, getting to the charity stripe, knocking out two above-the-break triples and spinning his way into the lane. Added nine boards and was the main catalyst in the Red Knight run to make it a one-possession game.</p> <p><strong>Devin Burger (PF, 6-6, Jr., Totino-Grace) - </strong>On top of the insane 2023 talent in the Eagle program, the junior class has seen enough varsity time to be the head honchos (there are no seniors on the roster at all). Burger's a true versatile power forward who could get some NSIC looks real fast at his size and shooting ability. He didn't get the main option chances like he got last season but he's always in a position to score off a drive or kickout. Tallied 12 points and seven rebounds in the game.</p> <p><strong>Walker Johnson (SF, 6-5, Sr., Benilde) - </strong>A tough shooting first half didn't get Walker down. He finished with 11 points being aggressive to the rim and drawing contact in half two, digging through openings in the middle for layups. His missed shots were mostly semi-contested triples; if he stays on the attack he'll open up the floor for himself and others. Also had six rebounds.</p> <p><strong>C.J. O'Hara (SF, 6-4, Fr., Totino-Grace) - </strong>Not often do freshmen take on roles of do-everything, especially in their first varsity game. O'Hara was everywhere Tuesday, picking up offensive rebounds, putbacks, transition attacks and outlet passes. He played very unselfishly getting the ball to the hot hand. That's pretty mature basketball. Final line of 12 points, seven rebounds and a few assists.</p> <p><strong><em>Other notes:</em></strong></p> <ul> <li>Benilde has a few more guys in the wings that will prove to be key as the season progresses. Sophomore <strong>Dan Ijadimbola </strong>is a lanky small forward with improving ball skills and smart spacing. <strong>Derric Standifer </strong>scored 13 playing point guard and pulling up off the bounce. <strong>Isaiah Smith </strong>was a bright spot bullying inside against bigger defenders for seven first-half points.</li> <li>T-G rolled out at least ten guys in their rotation. <strong>Joe Alt </strong>started at center and hauled in a bunch of defensive boards, <strong>Carter Weierke </strong>didn't score but moved the ball efficently and played strong D, <strong>DJ Akpati </strong>was close to double figures and forced turnovers and <strong>Tommy Humphries </strong>is another frosh to watch with his athleticism making a difference in many ways.</li> <li>Totino-Grace plays Lakeville North in the Breakdown Tip-Off Classic opener Saturday morning. Benilde-St. Margaret's takes a road trip to play Moorhead on Friday night and Detroit Lakes on Saturday.</li> </ul>