The Race for Mr. Basketball: A New Top Contender

The Race for Mr. Basketball looks interesting and entertaining this year!  The committee will likely have a tough choice to make.  Here’s the latest on the top contenders. 

The Leader:  Braeden Carrington Braeden Carrington 6'4" | SG Park Center | 2022 State #141 Nation MN of Park Center

Carrington’s holiday performances helped his leader status even more.  Braeden was named the MVP of the George Floyd Classic highlighted by a monster performance of 35 points and 6 six rebounds in the title game leading top ranked Park Center over Minneapolis North.  Consistent play.  Undefeated team vs a tough schedule.  New headline moment.  Carrington has all of it going his way right now. 

Final Five Leaders

Braeden Carrington Braeden Carrington 6'4" | SG Park Center | 2022 State #141 Nation MN of Park Center.

Kendall Blue Kendall Blue 6'6" | SG East Ridge | 2022 State #242 Nation MN of East Ridge.  The new name pushing his way into the top of the Mr. Basketball conversation is Kendall Blue Kendall Blue 6'6" | SG East Ridge | 2022 State #242 Nation MN .  The Raptors are 5-2 this season against one of the toughest schedules in the state.  Blue is averaging 24 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals a game with a 3.3 to 1 assist to turnover ratio and he’s still shooting close to 50 percent from the arc.  Even more important, he’s had some big time recent games:  26 points and 13 rebounds with five threes in a win over Eden Prairie followed by 29 points going against Prince Aligbe Prince Aligbe 6'6" | SF Minnehaha Academy | 2022 State #167 Nation MN and Mercy Miller Mercy Miller 6'4" | SG Minnehaha Academy | 2024 VA in a win.  The UST signed guard is currently at his best. 

Alonzo Dodd Alonzo Dodd 6'2" | CG South St Paul | 2022 State MN of South St. Paul.  The Packers are still undefeated despite playing a list of strong opponents and Dodd is leading the way in just about every way a player can.  He plays point guard averaging seven assists a game but also scores 19 a game, rebounds at a clip of 10-11 a night, and averages five assists.  Some would say "are those stats real?" and I will tell you I have took stats for three of their games and I will give you an overwhelming yes.  Dodd simply does that much for his team. 

Tre Holloman Tre Holloman 6'2" | PG Cretin-Derham Hall | 2022 State #57 Nation MN of Cretin-Derham Hall.   After a rough start of some covid games missed and a couple tough performances against Park of Cottage Grove and Wayzata, Tre was much better over the holiday season.  He 23 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists leading the Raiders over Lakeville South and then scored 27 in a one score loss to Eastview. CDH is 2-3 but as this almost entirely new rotation gets more comfortable with one another, that record will jump up. Tre is certainly a top contender. 

Demarion Watson Demarion Watson 6'8" | SF Totino-Grace | 2022 State #150 Nation MN of Totino-Grace.  The Eagles are 4-1 on the year but they’ve had both the Cretin-Derham Hall and Minnnehaha Academy games get postponed (The CDH game has been re-scheduled for Saturday January 15th).  Over the break the Eagles defeated Houston from Tennessee 71-41 led by a balanced effort.  Demarion leads the team at 17 points a game and his performance against DeLaSalle ranks with one of the top showings of the year. 

Next Up.  The talent that we think will join the five above on the top ten. 

Eli King Eli King 6'2" | PG Caledonia | 2022 State #151 Nation MN of Caledonia.   King plays for the number one team in Class AA basketball and is one of the biggest names for Class AA basketball.  So what gives?  He’s been out of the spotlight for so long not playing at all last year and most of 17u season followed by games this season that haven’t been seen by most in this state.  That will change soon though.  This weekend Caledonia plays Byron in the Breakdown Hoops Challenge followed by their games against Minnehaha Academy and DeForest the following week in the Midwest Players Classic.   Expect this name to jump.  And word is, nobody is putting on the highlight reel show game to game that Eli is. 

Pharrel Payne Pharrel Payne 6'9" | C Park Of Cottage Grove | 2022 State #84 Nation MN of Park of Cottage Grove.  Payne has been out with an injury all year and we’ve recently heard it could still be a few more weeks.  It’s unfair but right now you have to wonder if he will play enough games to get in the Mr. Basketball group.

Prince Aligbe Prince Aligbe 6'6" | SF Minnehaha Academy | 2022 State #167 Nation MN of Minnehaha Academy.  At 26 points and 12 rebounds a game Prince is doing everything he can to have a great season.  He’s playing well but his team has started 1-4 and their big showcase game against TG was just cancelled.  Although at times unfair, when the team struggles the player’s award recognition often struggles with it. 

Jackson Loge Jackson Loge 6'7" | C Morris Area | 2022 State MN of Morris Area. Jackson is averaging 31 points and 15 rebounds a game for a top five undefeated team in Class AA basketball.   If Loge’s team remains top five all year and gets to another state tournament he will be almost impossible to keep out of that top five. 

Muja Burton Muja Burton 6'4" | SF Columbia Heights | 2022 State MN of Columbia Heights.  We are staying with last year’s sleeper pick as the Hylanders are 6-0 on the season and Burton is giving his team over 28 points a game.  Burton has a chance to really shine this month as the Hylanders have showcase games against DeLaSalle, Richfield, and Minneapolis South coming up.