Scouting Minnesota – The 8A Rundown

<p>There is a lot to run through in Section 8A as we look forward to some potential summer events and then hopefully a winter season of hoops.  Join us and get to know some players. </p> <p>I want to rundown several notes and I think the best way to do it is by grabbing seven teams and then talking about players from those teams. </p> <p><strong>Badger/Greenbush-Middle River</strong>. The request for <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="955962" first="Adam" last="Benke"]</strong> coming into the season was get stronger.  Benke did that and it allowed him to finish attacks as well as become a more study defender.  Because Adam was already a good shooter and a fierce defender, the addition of finished attacks and holding his defensive ground made him a top player, and maybe the top player in his conference.  Adam will be a senior next fall. </p> <p><strong>Blackduck</strong>. The Drakes won 19 games with senior [player_tooltip player_id="955963" first="Dylan" last="Moen"] and junior <strong>Ethan Merrill</strong> leading the way.  Ethan scored 14 a game and was an all league performer.  Merrill played at a level that was expected of him a senior, as a junior.  Now expectations are very high for Ethan as a senior. </p> <p><strong>Cass Lake-Bena</strong>. Senior-to-be <strong>Timmy Smith</strong> and junior-to-be <strong>Leroy Fairbanks</strong> of Cass Lake-Bena were both all league players with Fairbanks being the Rookie/Newcomer of the Year.  Both will have Panther fans excited and should help them contend for another section title.  What’s also exciting is that Cass Lake-Bena had two 8th graders playing meaning those two - <strong>Dominic Fairbanks and Kaydin Lee</strong> - are about to be talents to know going forward. </p> <p><strong>Fertile-Beltrami</strong>. The Falcons improved by six games (25-5 final record) in 2019-20 and a key reason was the expected depth - point guard <strong>Rylin Petry</strong> and shooting guard <strong>Everett Balstad</strong> - because two of the team’s most important players. Petry has a great IQ and is a high percentage shooter wherever while Balstad is an athletic slasher.  </p> <p><strong>Red Lake</strong>. Get to know <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774786" first="Delwyn" last="Holthusen"]</strong>.   Delwyn averaged 27 points and 17.5 rebounds a game often carrying his team on his back as a team with no seniors gained experience.  Aaron Chaboyea and Riley Chaboyea eventually became comfortable taking pressure off of Delwyn but this 27 and 18 a game guy could be an MVP next year.  </p> <p><strong>Red Lake County</strong>. <strong>Eric Gieseke</strong> led Red Lake County to 20 wins shouldering a big combination of creating shots for others, knocking out jumpers, and attacking the paint for consistent results.  Gieseke is another talent that could have a massive senior year and lead his team to a huge season. </p> <p><strong>Sacred Heart</strong>. One of the top sophomores in Class A this year was <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958850" first="Kobe" last="Tomkinson"]</strong>, a 19 point per game player that pushed Sacred Heat a game over .500. </p>