Class AAAA Title Contender Series: Edina

<p>Next up from Class AAAA as we talk contenders?  The Edina Hornets.  A veteran, heady team with size and skilled backcourt play.  The Hornets are surely a top ten team entering the season. </p> <p><strong>Key Wins in 19-20 (13-14): </strong>Osseo, Minnetonka, Wayzata</p> <p><strong>Oops: </strong>Shakopee, Hopkins, Buffalo</p> <p><strong>Moving On</strong>:  [player_tooltip player_id="846108" first="Jacob" last="Hutson"] led the Hornets in scoring last season as their low post scoring threat and he’s now at Loyola (one of the top recruits entering the Missouri Valley Conference).  In fact the Lindy’s Annual College Basketball preview called Loyola’s landing of Huston the league’s "Number 1 recruiting coup" of the year.  That’s likely because Hutson had offers from mid-major programs all around the nation plus Iowa and Northwestern right there as well.  Hutson has graduated as did starting wing Landon Glenna.  Edina’s 2019-20 bench was mostly seniors - [player_tooltip player_id="956153" first="Chandler" last="Reek"], Grant Tully, Fahat Omar, Miles Harrell, and Noah Koelbl - so there are several bodies that must be replaced as well. </p> <p><strong>Returning Starters</strong>:  Juniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850735" first="Brady" last="Helgren"]</strong> and <strong>Sammy Presthus</strong> are the leaders of the team.  Both were sophomores starters in the Lake and they enter the year as the team’s leading returning scorers.  Both are coming off really good summers: Presthus was the most consistent player that D1 Minnesota 16u had at point guard while Helgren was one of the top Fury squad’s most consistent pieces game to game as their power forward.  I think both Brady and Sammy are scholarship level basketball players and what sets both of them apart for me is how intelligent they play, and how consistent and tough both compete. Very dependable players.  What really helps Helgren is Edina returning starting center <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774757" first="Bastian" last="Swinney"]</strong>, a California committed football recruit.  With Swinney at 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds defending posts and playing with his back to the basket, Helgren can play facing the cup at the arc, or working in high-low type spots.  Edina can use Helgren’s all around skills more with Swinney on the floor, and then when Bastian goes to the bench Helgren has the size and smarts to play some five.  </p> <p><strong>Reserves Playing a Bigger Role:  [player_tooltip player_id="774926" first="Marcus" last="Crawford"]</strong> started games at times too so he could be a returning starter.  But also a 6th man.  Marcus is a 6’1/6’2 shooting guard that scored about nine points a game last season.  He had a nice summer shooting the ball for the D1 Minnesota Prospects team that played way better than most expected, and Crawford was a key part of that.  He will fit in quite nicely as a catch and shoot guy working off of Helgren and Presthus.  Should be a really nice third scoring piece for the Hornets. The other player that saw some varsity action is now 5’9 junior <strong>Gabe Jobe</strong>.  Jobe, a lefty, could be a the 5th starter or first guard off the bench. </p> <p><strong>Potentials from the JV:  </strong>Edina will continue to have size to play against the biggest teams as junior center <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958698" first="Dane" last="Lusty"]</strong> stands 6-foot-7 and should back up Swinney.  As far as the guards go, sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="962231" first="Easton" last="Breyfogle"]</strong> and senior <strong>Charlie Lindberg</strong> (along with Jobe) made for a nice group on the JV.  Senior guards/wings <strong>Alex</strong> and <strong>Tim Haddad</strong> also worked into that mix.  Edina had five sophomores playing on varsity/JV and the fifth (along with Helgren, Resthus, Jobe, and Lusty) was 6-foot-3 <strong>Jack Dickey</strong>.   The group of Jobe, Breyfogle, Dickey, Lindberg, and the Haddads needs to give Edina a starter and 2-3 guards/wings off the bench. </p> <p><strong>Final Thoughts:  </strong>At the moment I feel like Edina and Chaska have the best chance of winning section 2AAAA and hopefully playing in some form of a state tournament.  Like Chaska, Edina has the returning size and skilled/experienced backcourt play to have a big year.  Edina’s returning players may not have the same experience as a winning varsity team that Chaska does, but I think Edina actually has more natural talent than the Hawks.  Throw in Shakopee, Minnetonka, and likely Eden Prairie and Prior Lake (both have a ton to replace so it’s tough to say for sure) and you have a tough section once again.  </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>