Class AAA Title Contender Series: Totino-Grace

<p>The Totino-Grace Eagles may have the deepest roster in the state of Minnesota right now.  Really?  We run you through 14 guys that could step on the floor and help most teams consistently, and of course the high level talent that makes them a contender. </p> <p><strong>Key Wins in 19-20</strong>: Champlin Park, Spring Lake Park, Wayzata, Maple Grove, Armstrong</p> <p><strong>Oops:</strong> Minnehaha Academy, Hopkins, Park Center, Spring Lake Park, CDH, Lakeville South</p> <p><strong>Moving On: </strong>Nobody.  The Eagles didn’t have a senior last year. </p> <p><strong>Returning Starters</strong>: When the Eagles took the floor in last year’s section title loss to Minnehaha Academy, they started six foot guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="532550" first="DJ" last="Akpati"]</strong> at point guard (now a senior), now sophomores <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962199" first="CJ" last="O’Hara"] </strong>(6-foot-3) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962198" first="Taison" last="Chatman"]</strong> (6-foot-3) at wings, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="532558" first="Devin" last="Burger"]</strong> (now a 6-foot-6 senior) at the four, and recent 6-foot-8 Notre Dame football commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774802" first="Joe" last="Alt"]</strong> at the five (also a senior this year).  Chatman is a 5-star talent ranking with the elite guards in the entire nation for the 2023 class.  O’Hara is the second ranked sophomore in Minnesota and a top 100-150 ranked player nationally.  Burger and Akpati are experienced, hard working, and dependable.  Akpati handled the ball last year while Burger scored ten a game. </p> <p><strong>Reserves Playing a Bigger Role:  </strong>Six-foot-4 senior wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="532607" first="Carter" last="Weierke"]</strong> and 6-foot-4 sophomore wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962203" first="Tommy" last="Humphries"]</strong> were the first two players off the bench last season, and both are coming off solid summers.  Carter was a key defender and role player for the Minnesota Heat Tauer team, one of the best teams in the entire Midwest.  Carter scored 7-8 a game as did Humphries.  Tommy played with the Howard Pulley 15s and had one of the best summers of all the talent in Minnesota.  In fact Humphries is one of the biggest stock raisers in the state of Minnesota and should have a big sophomore year.  Also, 6-foot-1 senior <strong>Sam Fretheim</strong> was often the 8th/9th man last year when the Eagles needed another forward on the floor. </p> <p><strong>Transferring In</strong>: The Eagles landed one of the biggest impact transfers in the state this summer when 6-foot-7 junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958638" first="Demarion" last="Watson-Saulsberry"]</strong> enrolled at the school.  Watson-Saulsberry has as much potential as any upperclassmen guard/wing in the state of Minnesota and his offer list of six high major schools backs that statement up.  Demarion had an excellent summer and fall, and is now ready to step into a big role with the Eagles.  Demarion isn’t the only top prospect the Eagles added, 6-foot-9 sophomore <strong>Patrick Bath</strong> averaged double figures at Fargo Shanley last year as a freshman and is now one of the top, if not the top big man prospect in Minnesota’s sophomore class.  </p> <p><strong>Potentials from the JV:  </strong>More? Yes.  Wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="796954" first="RJ" last="Spencer"]</strong> was one of the main players on the Minnesota Select 16U team this summer earning him All State 16U honors.  Spencer is a 6-foot-3 guard that provides even more depth to one of the state’s most talented teams.  Then you have 6-foot-9 junior center <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958709" first="PJ" last="Ebeling"]</strong>, a player that has lost a boatload of weight and is now moving very well.  Ebeling is a skilled low post player that may get a ton of experience on JV, may be the back-up big man, or both.  Then you have <strong>Max Hofschulte-Beck</strong>, a 6-foot-3 senior power forward that just wants to mix it up when he can and showed that on Heat Tauer this summer, and 6-foot-1 senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774857" first="Chasen" last="Livingston"]</strong> who played a similar 8th/9th man role at times much like Fretheim did.  </p> <p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong>:  The Eagles join Minnehaha Academy, DeLaSalle, and Minneapolis North in having deep rosters that continue to grab talent away from the Class AAAA level and balance it out throughout Minnesota’s classes.  The Eagles are one of the two or three most talented teams in Minnesota and in terms of talent as well as capable experienced players they may be Minnesota’s deepest team.  Whatever way you look at it, the Minneahaha Academy vs Totino-Grace game next year will be as must see as any game this year.  </p>