Minnesota State Tournament Day 1: Top Performers

The Best of the Best at #MNStateHoops22.  Tuesday’s top performers.  We run through all the top performers now! 

Prince Aligbe Prince Aligbe 6'6" | SF Minnehaha Academy | 2022 State #167 Nation MN of Minnehaha Academy (6’6 2022).  Prince is scoring in massive totals this year and for his team to win, he has to.  Tonight Prince took 26 shots and made 15 of those attempts.  The majority of his scores were varying types of attacks to the front of the cup as Prince pretty much wore his tracks into the Williams Arena floor getting to the front of the rim for dunks, finger rolls, and contested cup buckets.  Prince also had 14 rebounds and was in on four steals to go with those 36 points.

Jamal Ambrose Jamal Ambrose 6'10" | C East View | 2022 State MN of Eastview (6’10 2022).  Ambrose is one of the hottest names in the state right now when it comes to recruiting.  American University has been at a number of Lightning games this year and several others are showing interest.  The reasons: 1) great size, 2) has trimmed down and looks more mobile, 3) the touch.  This is a player that can set a strong screen and move to the wing to catch and hit, and teams have to move with him.  Scored 20 points on 8 of 13 shooting versus Eden Prairie. 

Braeden Carrington Braeden Carrington 6'4" | SG Park Center | 2022 State #141 Nation MN of Park Center (6’4 2022).  Braeden scored his 16 although it was not the shooting day he wanted (5 of 12 with a bank make).  Carrington scored baskets early his team needed to keep the Pirates with Andover when their offense struggled, but the more important item was the way Carrington passed the basketball.  Halfcourt or in transition, Braeden’s feel for the pace of play and movement of the floor is at such a high level.  Combo guard in college?  Every game he plays Braeden looks more and more like he could play that role.  

Ty Creger Ty Creger 6'0" | PG Owatonna | 2022 State MN of Owatonna (6’1 2022).  The Owatonna ball handler stepped forward and made some clutch plays for his team down the stretch of a tight ball game.  With Brayden Williams Brayden Williams 6'3" | PG Owatonna | 2022 State MN denied the ball and in foul trouble Creger went to the basket for clutch scores.  Creger had 16 and I continue to believe he will make a great D3 or NAIA lead guard for somebody.  

Taison Chatman Taison Chatman 6'4" | PG Totino Grace | 2023 State #35 Nation MN of Totino-Grace (6’4 2023).  Chatman is notorious for finding his touch and changing games.  Late in the first half against Hermantown, Chatman hit a couple threes and the next thing you know he had seven first half makes and the Eagles were up 20 plus points.  That’s the difference he provides. Also has the size to board (8) and the ball handling ability to keep the ball moving so his teammates can play in comfort.  Took one shot in the second half opting to move the ball to allow teammates to score comfortably.  Had 19 points on 8 of 10 shooting.  

Jake Dallman Jake Dallman 6'2" | SF Mound-Westonka | 2022 State MN of Mound-Westonka (6’3 2022).  The Whitehawks were 7-7 at one point this season but then Jake got comfortable.  Really comfortable.  Dallman has spent most of his life playing the wing but he’s been MW’s point guard this year and once he found a rhythm the team has been excellent.  Dallman is more of a combo guard as we saw today when he scored 21 points using that excellent first dribble and deadly touch to find space.  Dallman made all seven foul shots he took and 7 of 10 field goals.  Jake also did a nice job getting to defensive boards and then controlling pace as the one.  Had a double double with his 21 points and 10 boards. 

Cooper Drews Cooper Drews 6'4" | SF Princeton | 2023 State MN of Princeton (6’5 2023).  Drew knocked out six threes against the Austin zone.  When Princeton beat the pressure and Austin had to scramble against the Princeton ball movement, Drews made them pay.  His six threes led to 22 points plus Drews grabbed a dozen rebounds. 

Kayser Hassan Kayser Hassan 6'6" | PF Eastview | 2022 State MN of Eastview (6’5 2022).  What a story Kasyer is.  He didn’t even go out for basketball last year.  This year he’s a starter and oftentimes the best all around contributor for his team.  Hassan’s defense, his rebounding, and activity are all key pieces to what Eastview does but today Kayser got the team going with three first half triples.  Hassan often plays the three for Eastview meaning he gets his strong and long frame in front of defenders which was a key part of the three blocks and two steals.  Scored 17 points with seven boards as well. 

Tre Holloman Tre Holloman 6'2" | PG Cretin-Derham Hall | 2022 State #57 Nation MN of Cretin-Derham Hall (6’3 2022).  Playing in front of his future college coach Tom Izzo, Tre had the game winning assist for his team freeing up Adam Tauer Adam Tauer 6'3" | SG Andover Central | 2023 State MN with a drive for the open shot.  Holloman also had a big time assist, freeing Brandon Melchoir up for a score at the rim.  Both of these creations were late and they were both clutch.  What I really liked about them both was that they were after plays that Tre quickly put behind him (a slip before a back out and reset, an NBA three pointer miss).  Holloman once again refused to allow his team to lose.  Holloman had 17 points on 6 of 13 shooting, five boards, four steals, and nine assists against eight turnovers.  

Mitchel Jaskowiak Mitchel Jaskowiak 6'4" | PF Glencoe-Silver Lake | 2022 State MN of Glencoe-Silver Lake (6’4 2022).   Jaskowiak is a physical forward with skill.  He can get to the rim and finish through contact or powering over players, or he can skillfully use the dribble or shoot in many ways.  The future Idaho football talent scored 37 points highlight by seven threes and 12 of 23 overall shooting.  The Panthers lost to the Polars but they gave the top seed a run. 

Kyle Johnson Kyle Johnson 6'2" | SG De La Salle | 2022 State MN of DeLaSalle (6’2 2022).  Johnson’s movements around the screen, into his shot, the form and release, it all looks so fluid and natural. Type of player that knows space and how to flow through the offense to catch and do damage.  He started the game red hot and put 19 points in the books against Tech.  Kyle is also so much stronger than before as he keeps growing as a player and student athlete.  Don’t want to call him Joe Scott but there are shades of it. 

Jackson Loge Jackson Loge 6'7" | C Morris Area | 2022 State MN of Morris Area (6’8 2022).  Jackson Loge Jackson Loge 6'7" | C Morris Area | 2022 State MN did a lot of everything for his team to beat Minnehaha Academy.  Loge scored five times on his way to 18 points and he got his body in front of the ball for five blocks.  Loge ended Redhawk possessions and kept possessions alive for his team with 16 boards overall.  The biggest thing Loge did though was pass the ball and be an option to pass to in the press.  Loge made it so Minnehaha Academy had to defend five guys when they pressed and that was big.  He also continually hit cutters for scores with six assists. 

Brandon Melchior Brandon Melchior 6'10" | C Elk River | 2022 State MN of Cretin-Derham Hall (6’9 2022).  Need to get Brandon in here.  His late game dunk was important, he had ten points and seven boards, but the biggest thing he did was (along with Charlie Plum Charlie Plum 6'5" | PF Cretin-Derham Hall | 2022 State MN ) fight Evan Dushek Evan Dushek 6'8" | C Owatonna | 2022 State MN off the block some and make the Owatonna big score over his length.  Dushek was 6 of 19 from the floor and Brandon played a big part of that.  Plus his roll to the rim for the late score was big too. 

BJ Omot BJ Omot 6'8" | PF Mankato East | 2022 State #231 Nation MN of Mankato East (6’8 2022).  Omot had a quiet first half and then an amazing second half.  East put Omot at the front of their zone press with BJ immediately putting length on the ball after Mound-Westonka entered into play.  The agile feet and extreme length of Omot disrupted the Whitehawks continually.  Twice Omot had “score-steal-score” scenarios where he gave his team four points in five seconds.  Omot had five steals, several deflections, a couple blocks, and most of his 25 points at the cup.  He also shot 10 of 13 at the foul line pushing his Cougars into the next round against Totino-Grace.  

Haydn Stay Haydn Stay 6'4" | PG Princeton | 2022 State MN of Princeton (6’5 2022).  Stay is one of the toughest players to move in the paint or around the perimeter you will see in this state and with Austin being a smaller team, Stay had his way.  With 16 rebounds and 23 points Stay put up monster numbers. The biggest item though was the dozen defensive boards ending Austin possessions. 

Thomas Tiernan Thomas Tiernan 6'1" | PG Morris | 2022 State MN of Morris Area (6’0 2022).  Tiernan was a game changer with his four threes and six jumpers made against the Redhawks pressure.  Morris Area did a nice job moving the ball through the pressure for about 70 percent of the game and on several occasions the ball was moved to Tiernan for open perimeter jumpers which Tiernan sunk.  He scored 20 points for the game. 

Leo Torbor Leo Torbor 6'1" | PG Park Center | 2022 State MN of Park Center (6’3 2022).  Andover did a decent job containing the Pirate offense for a bit of time but once Torbor was able to get in the open floor the game changed.  Leo has that next level of explosive burst to turn the corner in the halfcourt, get to the cup ahead of the defense in transition to make comfortable plays.  Torbor scored 20 for the Pirates and showed that Mountain West athletic ability that will play for Tim Miles. 

Willie Wilson Willie Wilson 6'2" | CG Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN of Minneapolis North (6’2 2022).  Only got to see some of this game but what I did, it was obvious that the Willie Wilson Willie Wilson 6'2" | CG Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN transition game was in full force once again.  He scored 20 points on 8 of 11 shooting with six assists and so many of those transition plays were started by his defensive rebounding, collecting six and flying the other way.  Unless you have an amazing transition defense he’s so tough to get back to and contain.