Class AAA – Playing Above Expectations

<p>What player has stepped up his play even higher than many expected him to?  Section by Section we pick a talent in Class AAA.</p> <p>Section 1AAA - [player_tooltip player_id="958771" first="Emmanuel" last="Manyuon"] of Austin.  An Austin guard that is emerging as the next big talent from Austin, Minnesota.  We saw Emmanuel score 25 against Winona and that was good.  But nothing like the 11 threes that Manyuon hit scoring 45 points just last week.  A next up talent. </p> <p>Section 2AAA - <strong>Puolrah Gong</strong> of Mankato East.  The versatility that Gong has shown this year has us thinking that his ceiling as a prospect is quite high.  At 6’6 Gong boards and has the length to be an excellent defender.  Skills are there.  He’s had games hitting threes, Puolrah is a strong passer, and he can take most forwards off the bounce.  </p> <p>Section 3AAA - [player_tooltip player_id="958660" first="Jaden" last="Wollmuth"] of Richfield.  When Jaden puts together his junior highlight clips it should be named "The Emergence".  Wollmuth was a strong contributing piece last year averaging nine and nine but this season he’s a double-double consistency that has emerged as a versatile scoring threat (16 a game for Richfield). </p> <p>Section 4AAA - [player_tooltip player_id="962216" first="Will" last="Underwood"] of Mahtomedi.  Underwood has emerged as one of the more explosive young scorers in Minnesota high school basketball this year.  A 6-foot-2 he’s knocking down jumpers feet set or with a dribble, he’s scoring at the rim with some flare, and scoring 24 points a game. </p> <p>Section 5AAA - [player_tooltip player_id="962233" first="Matthew" last="Bothun"] of St. Francis.  The 6-foot-7 forward has put together a 19 point, 9 rebound a game season for the 11-6 Fighting Saints.  Looking at the tape Bothun moves fairly well away from the paint defensively so he can guard a couple spots and he has a nice touch that can force a big to step away. </p> <p>Section 6AAA - <strong>Johnny Spencer</strong> of Minneapolis Edison.  The Tommies have improved from a .500 team to 9-3 so far this year and the 6-foot-4 Johnny Spencer is a huge part of it.  Spencer is scoring 18 a game as teams can’t find a way to stop his drive to the rim.  Has an extending touch on both sides of the rim that he makes from so many angles. </p> <p>Section 7AAA - [player_tooltip player_id="962273" first="Cooper" last="Drews"] of Princeton.  The Tigers are 14-1 on the year and his versatility is a big part of things.  Drews, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, can be used to guard several spots and they can play him just about anywhere in the offense.  Drews is averaging 16.6 points, 6.7 boards, 4.5 assists, and 2.5 steals a game. </p> <p>Section 8AAA - [player_tooltip player_id="957611" first="Ethan" last="Opsahl"] of Sauk Rapids-Rice.  The Storm is a much better team than I anticipated they would be this year.  At 9-6 on the year they are the second best team in 8AAA right now.  A big reason is Opsahl, a 6-foot-4 senior scoring 22-23 a night using his length and athletic ability to score efficiently. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>