Class AAAA Title Contender Series: Wayzata

<p>The defending champs have the talent to make another run, but can a repeat happen in the wide open world of Class AAAA basketball?  Prep Hoops dives into the Trojan program today. </p> <p><strong>Key Wins in 20-21 (19-2)</strong><strong>: </strong>Cretin-Derham Hall, Shakopee, Duluth East, Hopkins, Minneapolis South, Cooper, Edina, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie</p> <p><strong>Oops</strong>: Hopkins, Minnehaha Academy</p> <p><strong>Moving On:</strong> The Trojans lost three starters:  ball handlers [player_tooltip player_id="774744" first="Eddie" last="Beeninga"] (Minnesota State Moorhead) and [player_tooltip player_id="532609" first="Kody" last="Williams"] (South Kent Prep) as well as leading scorer Camden Heide (Wasatch Academy in Utah) who committed to Purdue over the summer.  That's Wayzata's main two ball handlers and their top scorer.  Beeninga and Williams graduated, Heide went to prep school. Reserve Trey Lance also graduated after playing a nice role off the bench last season. [player_tooltip player_id="1220413" first="Devin" last="Vanterpool"] played a 9th/10th man role for the Trojans last year as a sophomore, he's moved on along with his family (his dad David Vanterpool is now coaching with the Brooklyn Nets) and is now playing at Christ the King in Brooklyn.  Vanterpool has a lot of potential so keep an eye on him going forward.</p> <p><strong>Returning Starters (2):  </strong>The Trojans return do everything guard [player_tooltip player_id="958661" first="Drew" last="Berkland"] (a Minnesota baseball commit) and 6'8 skilled forward [player_tooltip player_id="850713" first="Carter" last="Bjerke"] (committed to UST).  Berkland averaged nine a game plus he's been a steady defender for Wayzata for a couple years now.  He's the type of hard working do everything player that will fit perfectly.  Bjerke was a top 2-3 option for Wayzata last year (scored 14 a game) and should move right into being the main option this season.  He's one of the best shooters in the state plus a quality rebounder and screener.  </p> <p><strong>Reserves Playing a Bigger Role:  </strong>The three key Wayzata reserves from last season all have a chance to step into starting roles.  [player_tooltip player_id="1167554" first="Hayden" last="Tibbits"] is now a junior point guard and he's coming off a solid sophomore year as the back-up PG and a great summer with the Fury 16s as their main ball handler.  Tibbits should transition very well into that main ball handler role.  Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="1201757" first="Spencer" last="Hall"] had an outstanding summer on that same Fury team earning all 16U honors as one of the best 16 and Under performers in the state. The 6'2 guard has the chance to be a key player for Wayzata.  The other piece from the bench that returns is 6'4/6'5 wing [player_tooltip player_id="796955" first="Ryan" last="Harvey"].  Ryan is a skilled wing that scored six points a game.  I could see him as the 5th starter or the 6th Man if the Trojans want to go a bit bigger with their starting five. </p> <p><strong>Potentials from the JV: </strong>We mentioned Vanterpool who is certainly a key figure for the varsity this year.  Another guard from that quality JV team is [player_tooltip player_id="1220414" first="Myles" last="Barnette"].  Barnette is a 6'0 guard who played up on the JV last winter like Vanterpool did.  Barnette had a nice summer playing with the Minnesota Heat earning sixth team all state honors.  Wayzata is the type of school that can have a junior be a very good JV player and then play his first season on varsity as a senior, and be a very, very good player.  <span style="font-weight: 400;">Davis Hay (6'6 forward), Erik Rottinghaus (6'3 guard), [player_tooltip player_id="958724" first="Logan" last="Broady"] (6'2 guard), and Theo Smith (6'0 guard) could all work their way into the line-up. Rottinghaus had an excellent 17u summer and looks like the type of worker that Wayzata would love while Hay has some needed size. </span></p> <p><strong>New to the Varsity program</strong>:  For other schools this may be a spot filled with transfer names but at Wayzata, their JV, B-Team, and Freshmen team combined to lose just two games from last year, so we could see a younger player step into a role as well.  We listed ten guys above and beating out their experience out will be tough.  But the Wayzata bench or their JV could have a guy step in.  Six-foot-7 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="1287438" first="Jackson" last="McAndrew"] had a nice summer with Team Tyus/Howard Pulley and his size (and skill) maybe needed. </p> <p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong>:  Wayzata has as good of a chance as anybody to make a run.  Tibbits and Hall will step right into bigger roles next to Berkland and Bjerke plus they have Harvey with experience as well which would round out a nice starting five.  Barnette and Rottinghaus had excellent summers while Hay and McAndrew have the size needed for the Lake and AAAA basketball.  That's a strong nine plus Smith and Broady are senior guards that could play as well.  </p>