The Big South Preview
The Big South Conference has an East and a West, and today we look at both in the Big South Preview at NHR. Conference Commentary Top Ten in State: Waseca, Marshall The Jays are not only top ten in Class AA,…
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Continue ReadingThe Big South Conference has an East and a West, and today we look at both in the Big South Preview at NHR.
Conference Commentary
Top Ten in State: Waseca, Marshall
The Jays are not only top ten in Class AA, they have a legit claim to enter the season at Number one in Class AA. Why? At 25-5 they finished ranked second in Class AA basketball last year behind Caledonia. But unlike Caledonia, Waseca brings back everything. Everybody. They don’t loss a Noah King Noah King 6'3" | PG Caledonia | 2020 State #478 Nation MN . “But Minneapolis North added Andre Gray Andre Gray 6'4" | SG Mpls North | 2021 State MN !” I understand that’s a huge deal. However, Waseca has a team full of experienced players that have beaten Minneapolis North each of the last two years including last year’s 92-74 win. They’ve earned that top spot, now they must defend it.
What about Marshall. The Tigers always graduate some guys, and they just cycle in new guys to mix with the returning talent. A year ago Marshall won 28 of 30 games and form that team they returned experienced talent led by Bryce Lance Bryce Lance 6'3" | PG Marshall | 2021 State MN and Josh Baker Josh Baker 6'3" | SG Marshall | 2021 State MN . Chase Douglas Chase Douglas 5'10" | PG Marshall | 2021 State MN should move into a bigger role and keep an eye on last year’s JV frontcourt Brevin Runia Brevin Runia 6'4" | PF Marshall | 2021 MN and Charlie Jacobson stepping into bigger roles. Did you know? Lance has a 4.0 gpa. Did you know? Baker made 39 percent of his threes last year.
Potential Top Ten: Redwood Valley
Redwood Valley has four of their top six players returning from a 19-win team. Juniors Alex Lang Alex Lang 5'11" | PG Redwood Valley | 2022 State MN and Carson Woodford Carson Woodford 6'7" | C Redwood Valley | 2022 State MN as well as senior Connor Josephson Connor Josephson 5'10" | PG Redwood Valley | 2021 MN make for a nice group that has an outside shot at the West and maybe sneaking into that top ten.
Compete with Most: St Peter, Blue Earth, JCC, Worthington, Pipestone
St. Peter is sneaky to me. Ethan Grant Ethan Grant 5'11" | PG St. Peter | 2021 State MN is a nice player who should lead a solid backcourt. Worthington has talent, they just need to find the right chemistry. If they do it’s a team that could push to 20 win caliber bunch (if it was a normal season). If all that talent gets running in the same direction lookout.
JCC is a total unknown. They won yet another section title but it was a team of seniors. They have next to know varsity experience BUT the program will still win games. To me when you lose your entire rotation it’s some kind of rebuild, although it doesn’t mean it’s a total rebuild so I put them in this category but they really are both. Blue Earth was 14-11 last year and they return most of their team including senior leading scorer Cameron Anderson Cameron Anderson 6'2" | SG Blue Earth | 2021 State MN and senior big Sam Keister. Pipestone Area has three returning double figure scorers led by Dawson Kellen Dawson Kellen 6'5" | PF Pipestone | 2021 State MN .
Rebuilding: St. James, New Ulm, Windom, Luverne, Fairmont
19-20 Conference Predictions
Big South East
- Waseca
- Blue Earth
- St. Peter
- Fairmont
- St. James
- New Ulm
Big South West
- Marshall
- Redwood Valley
- Worthington
- Jackson County Central
- Pipestone Area
- Luverne
- Windom Area
Preseason All Big South
First Team
Josh Baker Josh Baker 6'3" | SG Marshall | 2021 State MN , Marshall (Sr)
Ryan Dufault Ryan Dufault 5'11" | PG Waseca | 2021 State MN , Waseca (Sr)
Bryce Lance Bryce Lance 6'3" | PG Marshall | 2021 State MN , Marshall (Sr)
Andrew Morgan Andrew Morgan 6'9" | C Waseca | 2021 State #178 Nation MN , Waseca (Sr)
Kyreese Willingham Kyreese Willingham 6'5" | SF Waseca | 2021 State MN , Waseca (Sr)
Second Team
Cameron Anderson Cameron Anderson 6'2" | SG Blue Earth | 2021 State MN , Blue Earth (Sr)
Ethan Grant Ethan Grant 5'11" | PG St. Peter | 2021 State MN , St Peter (Sr)
Dawson Kellen Dawson Kellen 6'5" | PF Pipestone | 2021 State MN , Pipestone Area (Sr)
Terbuto Ochothow Terbuto Ochothow 6'0" | PG Worthington | 2021 State MN , Worthington (Sr)
Matt Seberson Matt Seberson 6'5" | PF Waseca | 2021 State MN , Waseca (Sr)
Third Team
Brock Bruns Brock Bruns 6'6" | PF Worthington | 2021 State MN , Worthington (Sr)
Zach Hoehn Zach Hoehn 6'2" | SG Waseca | 2021 MN , Waseca (Sr)
Hayden Jones Hayden Jones 6'6" | PF St. James | 2022 State MN , St. James (Jr)
Zach Jorgensen Zach Jorgensen 6'3" | SG Fairmont | 2022 State MN , Fairmont (Jr)
Sam Keister, Blue Earth (Sr)
Carson Woodford Carson Woodford 6'7" | C Redwood Valley | 2022 State MN , Redwood Valley (Jr)
Fourth Team
Logan Carlson Logan Carlson 5'10" | PG St. James | 2021 State MN , St. James (Sr)
Chase Douglas Chase Douglas 5'10" | PG Marshall | 2021 State MN , Marshall (Sr)
Connor Josephson Connor Josephson 5'10" | PG Redwood Valley | 2021 MN , Redwood Valley (Sr)
Alex Lang Alex Lang 5'11" | PG Redwood Valley | 2022 State MN , Redwood Valley (Jr)
Marenono Opiew Marenono Opiew 6'2" | SF Worthington | 2023 MN , Worthington (Soph)
Charlie Osborne Charlie Osborne 5'10" | PG New Ulm | 2022 State MN , New Ulm (Jr)