Class AAAA Title Contender Series: Cretin-Derham Hall

<p>The Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders.  "But they graduated so many players?"  When you have [player_tooltip player_id="850701" first="Tre" last="Holloman"] leading your team you are always a contender. </p> <p><strong>Key Wins in 19-20 (25-4):   </strong>East Ridge, Woodbury, Mounds View, DeLaSalle, Minnehaha Academy, Totino-Grace, Spring Lake Park</p> <p><strong>Oops</strong>: Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Woodbury, East Ridge</p> <p><strong>Moving On: </strong>CDH graduated eight of the ten guys that played in the rotation last season.  Starters [player_tooltip player_id="846110" first="J’Vonne" last="Hadley"], [player_tooltip player_id="846128" first="Curtis" last="Jones"], [player_tooltip player_id="846138" first="Amari" last="Carter"], and [player_tooltip player_id="721893" first="Will" last="Burke"], but also reserves Josh Garcia, Zion Guerra, [player_tooltip player_id="846204" first="Jack" last="Clipper"], and [player_tooltip player_id="846216" first="Danny" last="McGraw"].  That’s a lot of names, and a lot of talent.  Hadley is now at Northeastern, [player_tooltip player_id="846128" first="Curtis" last="Jones"] is at Indian Hills Community College, and [player_tooltip player_id="846138" first="Amari" last="Carter"] is at Iowa Central CC.  Hadley, Jones, Carter, and Burke were all starters a season ago with Hadley and Jones being two of the top 20 players in the recently graduated senior class.  </p> <p><strong>Returning Starter</strong>:  That’s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850701" first="Tre" last="Holloman"]</strong>, a top 40-60 level player in the nation for his class, and one of the best 2022 point guards in America. Tre is one of the most competitive talents in the class, a player that inspires those around him as well as any player I have seen, and one of the top five players in the state of Minnesota this year regardless of class.  Holloman averaged 11 points, 9.4 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.8 steals a game as a sophomore.  With the Raiders having little returning scoring available, Holloman’s point totals will likely jump considerably. </p> <p><strong>Reserves Playing a Bigger Role:  </strong>Current Raider senior [player_tooltip player_id="532602" first="Jack" last="Tauer"] is currently playing soccer for the Raiders (Holloman is a top football player for the school) so he will step into the season well conditioned.  Tauer has drawn key defensive assignments throughout his time at CDH and that will likely continue this winter.  In addition, you will also see more Tauer as a shooter (good shooter), you will see more of Tauer’s off ball active scoring, and you will see Jack’s assist total double or triple as he is a smart decision maker within the Raider offense. </p> <p><strong>Potentials from the JV: </strong>The main name I am looking at is <strong>Al Fleming</strong>, a 6-foot-4 wing.  Fleming was one of the main scorers on the JV and when CDH was blowing teams out, Fleming stepped on the floor and scored 31 points in about 50 minutes time last year.  Fleming has also had a really nice fall as a second or third option on the floor so he looks primed to step into a key role for the Raiders as a starter. </p> <p>CDH needs some more size.  Any of that coming up from the JV?  Yes.  I’ll start with 6-foot-4 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958746" first="Charlie" last="Plum"]</strong>, a junior.  I’ve only seen Plum a bit but in those viewings Charlie has played well. Charlie was one of two underclassmen moved up last year to compete with Varsity/Junior Varsity on a daily basis (the other was Holloman who has been playing varsity since grade 8).  Charlie could give the Raiders the option of playing Tauer, Fleming, and Plum together giving the Raiders four 6-foot-4 frames.  Another 6-foot-4 senior is <strong>Daniel Mantalbano</strong>.  If the Raiders need traditional center size they can look to 6-foot-8 senior <strong>Peter Howard</strong>.  </p> <p>Backcourt depth?  Two options.  First there is a group of seniors all hoping to get their chance including <strong>Keegan Hilger, Brady Lawler, Jack Plum, Jordan Stewart, and Marselio Mendez</strong>.  The other option could be,,,,</p> <p><strong>Transferring In</strong>: I only have minimal knowledge on the transfer of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962217" first="DeWayne" last="Givens"]</strong> from Minnehaha Academy to Cretin-Derham Hall but I was told the sophomore guard switched schools this year.  I then looked and saw Givens was on the CDH football roster.  At this point I am waiting on confirmation but if Givens is indeed playing for the Raiders that gives them another scoring option. Dewayne averaged 11.6 points a game as an 8th grader at St. Paul Johnson two years ago and was a key player on the Redhawks JV in 2019-20.  He has the talent to be a reliable Raider double figure scorer as Givens is a top 20 level player statewide in the 2023 class. </p> <p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong>:  I think some people will look right over the top of the Raiders because they lost so much to graduation.  And I feel like that will be a mistake.  First off you have [player_tooltip player_id="850701" first="Tre" last="Holloman"] who won’t let this team fall far at all.  In fact he keeps them in contention for section, conference, and state.  Tauer, Fleming, and Givens is a strong group of wings each with a mix of physical gifts and/or varsity experience and/or skills.  And all of them will go well with Holloman.  Add in a player like Plum as well as an array of seniors that have waited for their chance and I think you have a top ten squad.  And in 2020-21 if you are a top ten squad in Class AAAA, you are a state contender! </p> <p>&nbsp;</p>