Scouting Minnesota – Best of 5AA Basketball

<p>5AA Basketball.  Here are five key frames to know about entering the next season.  Minneapolis North comes in as the heavy favorite with Blake is a top challenger. </p> <p><strong>The Best of 5AA Basketball</strong>.  A quick rundown of the best of Class AA basketball goes like this:  [player_tooltip player_id="567041" first="Kyreese" last="Willingham"] (Waseca), [player_tooltip player_id="532560" first="Ryan" last="Dufault"] (Waseca), [player_tooltip player_id="532587" first="Andrew" last="Morgan"] (Waseca), Josh Streit (EVW), [player_tooltip player_id="850706" first="Jackson" last="Loge"] (Morris Area), [player_tooltip player_id="754315" first="Eli" last="King"] (Caledonia), [player_tooltip player_id="567035" first="Will" last="Tschetter"] (Stewartville), and three from the North Polars ([player_tooltip player_id="532569" first="Andre" last="Gray"], Davon Townley, and [player_tooltip player_id="850709" first="Willie" last="Wilson"]).  If you look at that you will notice that both of North and Waseca have three (each) of the best ten players in the section plus both teams bring back most of their depth (Waseca brings back everybody, North lost a senior but added Gray).  The Jays won the North/Waseca game each of the last two seasons and they will enter next season as 1 and 2.  </p> <p><strong>The Blake Seniors</strong>.  [player_tooltip player_id="774756" first="Robert" last="Grace IV"], [player_tooltip player_id="774777" first="Gabe" last="Ganz"], and Jasper Lui have been starting together for the last three seasons and will do it for a fourth season next winter. They started their career at 11 wins, improved to 13 wins as sophomores, and 22 wins as juniors.  What’s next?  The trio of Grace, Ganz, and Lui have had a tremendous career and they work so well together. </p> <p><strong>Sleeper Seniors</strong>. Here are some seniors in the section that may not be known state wide but schools that play them know they have to gameplan for these guys regularly:</p> <ul> <li>Jared Morton of Breck.  Has great quickness and scored 14 a game last year as a junior point guard</li> <li>Noah Bush of HLWW.  Noah has a very good feel for the game, type of guy that was a leader in nearly all categories stat wise</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="957210" first="Avery" last="Liestman"] of Litchfield.  Avery may be one of the most underrated players in the class.  A 6-foot-3 wing, scored 16 a game</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="957205" first="Ryan" last="Boysen"] of Rockford.  Ryan isn’t exactly a sleeper, he’s one of the top players in the section.  Excellent combo guard that belongs in this report someplace.</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="957609" first="Tyson" last="Sandness"] of SW Christian. The Stars have a chance to have a great year in 2020-21 and Sandness is a key reason why.  He’s a near 40 percent three-point shooter at shooting guard that scored 15 a game. </li> </ul> <p><strong>The Future</strong>.  We told you about [player_tooltip player_id="850709" first="Willie" last="Wilson"] but there is so much more to the North Polars 2022 group that needs mention.  [player_tooltip player_id="958665" first="Jacob" last="Butler"] is prospect that we think very highly of on both ends of the floor, he’s a scholarship level talent.  Add in Mario Sanders and Meiko Anderson and that’s the Polar future.  Who else has top young players?  Here is a list:</p> <ul> <li>Theo Lui (Blake) 2022</li> <li>Grayson Okoronkwo (Blake) 2024</li> <li>Demari Larkins (Brooklyn Center) 2024</li> <li>Cash Chavis (Brooklyn Center) 2024</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="958714" first="Jeremiah" last="LaVelle"] (Maranatha Christian) 2022</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="962245" first="Isaiah" last="Bluford"] (Maranatha Christian) 2023</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="962244" first="Matthew" last="Bluford"] (Maranatha Christian) 2023</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="962236" first="Bailey" last="McDonald"] (Maranatha Christian) 2023</li> <li>Nick Burke (Southwest Christian) 2022</li> </ul>