The 2021-22 Basketball Season – Class AAA First Glance

<p>We continue looking at next season with a First Glance at Class AAA for the 2021-22 year. </p> <p>Today we will run through the 2020-21 final top ten rankings and look at each squad’s returning talent.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>(1) Minnehaha Academy</strong></p> <p>Starters Returning: [player_tooltip player_id="850702" first="Prince" last="Aligbe"], Mercy Miller (2)</p> <p>Reserves Returning: [player_tooltip player_id="850707" first="Chase" last="Carter"], Nick Parten, [player_tooltip player_id="850724" first="Donovan" last="Smith"] (injured much of the year)</p> <p>Up and Coming Name: 2023 big Rolyns Aligbe</p> <p>Final Say: With really three returning starters with experience and [player_tooltip player_id="850707" first="Chase" last="Carter"] who would start for many schools, the Redhawks have a nice group of players returning.  They will need to add depth but another run is ahead of them. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>(2) Totino-Grace</strong></p> <p>Starters Returning: [player_tooltip player_id="962198" first="Taison" last="Chatman"], Demarion Watson, [player_tooltip player_id="962203" first="Tommy" last="Humphries"], [player_tooltip player_id="962199" first="CJ" last="O’Hara"] (4)</p> <p>Reserves Returning:  Patrick Bath</p> <p>Up and Coming Name: 2024 Zi’Yerre Stewart</p> <p>Final Say: The Eagles have four starters back and a big in Patrick Bath who is about to be one of the most recruited frontcourt players in the 2023 class.  The Eagles also have some juniors that will potentially step into bigger roles and some young talent ready to provide depth.  A contender for the title next year. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>(3) DeLaSalle</strong></p> <p>Starters Returning: [player_tooltip player_id="958672" first="Amir" last="Everett"], [player_tooltip player_id="962218" first="Nasir" last="Whitlock"] (2)</p> <p>Reserves Returning:  Casmir Chavis, Randy McClendon Jr, [player_tooltip player_id="958777" first="Kyle" last="Johnson"]</p> <p>Up and Coming Name: 2023 forwards Aiden Higgins and PJ Pounds II</p> <p>Final Say: The Islanders don’t return anybody bigger than 6-foot-2 from this year’s roster but the guard play will be outstanding for another 2-3 years at the least.  Whitlock, Chavis, and McClendon are top underclassmen while Everett and Johnson are strong defenders. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>(4) Alexandria</strong></p> <p>Starters Returning: Carter Steffensmeier, Kris Hoskins, [player_tooltip player_id="850732" first="Erik" last="Hedstrom"] (3)</p> <p>Reserves Returning: Myles Sansted, Wyatt Odland</p> <p>Up and Coming Name:  2024 forward Grayson Grove</p> <p>Final Say: The Cards only had three seniors last year and often times Sansted was on the floor in place of big [player_tooltip player_id="855974" first="Kobe" last="Jenson"] (pending on match-up) so there is a lot of experience returning.  Also, Alex has some really good young players on the way up too. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>(5) Richfield</strong></p> <p>Starters Returning:  [player_tooltip player_id="958679" first="Mitchell" last="January"], [player_tooltip player_id="958660" first="Jaden" last="Wollmuth"] (2)</p> <p>Reserves Returning:  Jaedyn Patterson</p> <p>Up and Coming Name: 2023 guard Jaylen Hollins</p> <p>Final Say: The Spartans didn’t go too far into their bench especially later in the year so it’s a bit unclear what’s coming up but Hollins and Patterson are good players while January and Wollmuth are two of our most improved juniors this season. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>(6) South St. Paul</strong></p> <p>Starters Returning: [player_tooltip player_id="958636" first="Alonzo" last="Dodd"], [player_tooltip player_id="958644" first="Shawn" last="West-Zimpel"] Jr, [player_tooltip player_id="958773" first="Ramontay" last="Harmon"], [player_tooltip player_id="1143864" first="Devin" last="Newsome"] (4)</p> <p>Reserves Returning:  [player_tooltip player_id="958806" first="Ramontre" last="Harmon"], Keon Moore-King, [player_tooltip player_id="958744" first="Anthony" last="Faulk"]</p> <p>Up and Coming Name: 6-4 forward America Fitch</p> <p>Final Say: The Packers lose just one starter, one reserve. There is a ton of talent back which will make them a contender.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>(7) Columbia Heights</strong></p> <p><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Starters Returning: [player_tooltip player_id="958648" first="Hassan" last="Kamara"], [player_tooltip player_id="850729" first="Muja" last="Burton"], [player_tooltip player_id="958666" first="Donnavin" last="Hinsz"], [player_tooltip player_id="958742" first="Terrence" last="Brown"] (4)</span></p> <p>Reserves Returning:  Jency Davis, [player_tooltip player_id="850719" first="Spencer" last="Alvarez"] (injured this year)</p> <p>Up and Coming Name: 2025 guard Quaylan Hardrict</p> <p>Final Say: The Hylanders were a top five or better level squad all year and will likely be next year as well. Four starters plus Alvarez back gives them five guys who have started a lot of games.  Good young talent too to replace the senior depth.  Columbia Heights will contend for the AAA title next year. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>(8) Byron</strong></p> <p>Starters Returning: [player_tooltip player_id="958753" first="Trent" last="DeCook"], [player_tooltip player_id="962258" first="Isaac" last="Dearborn"], [player_tooltip player_id="891901" first="Ahjany" last="Lee"] (3)</p> <p>Reserves Returning:   [player_tooltip player_id="958741" first="Jaxon" last="Marine"]</p> <p>Up and Coming Name: 2023 forward Nick Netzke</p> <p>Final Say: Byron lost their PG and overall half their line-up.  Dearborn and DeCook can step in and handle while Marine is an athletic wing.   Up front there’s of course [player_tooltip player_id="891901" first="Ahjany" last="Lee"] and when Ahjany is in the paint and stays in the paint, he’s one of the most unstoppable two way forces in the state.  In fact, I can’t think of another player in Minnesota next year who can rebound, block shots, and finish inside the way Ahjany can.  He has the potential to easily be Minnesota’s most dominating inside force next year. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>(9) Mankato West</strong></p> <p>Starters Returning:  [player_tooltip player_id="958702" first="Buom" last="Jock"], [player_tooltip player_id="796953" first="Brady" last="Haugum"], [player_tooltip player_id="958360" first="Mekhi" last="Collins"], Louis Maggers (4)</p> <p>Reserves Returning: Aidan Corbett</p> <p>Up and Coming Name: Not Sure</p> <p>Final Say: West had a big year and likely played about a year ahead of where I thought they would be.  With four starters back and some great potential in the line-up they are a contender</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>(10) Hibbing</strong></p> <p>Starters Returning: [player_tooltip player_id="850731" first="Ayden" last="McDonald"] (1)</p> <p>Reserves Returning:  [player_tooltip player_id="958735" first="Hayden" last="Verhel"], Amari Manning</p> <p>Up and Coming Name: Not Sure</p> <p>Final Say: Hibbing is the one team on this list that will be hit really hard by graduation.  Not excessive of course.  Ayden is still one of the best guards in the state and there is some good talent in the junior class ready to make an impact, but Hibbing will see more change to their rotation than any of the others in this final top ten.</p>