2022-23 Minnesota HS Basketball Player of the Year Contenders
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It’s that time of the year where we start looking into the winter season in several different ways. Today, who are the top contenders for player of the year in each class (which then leads towards Mr. Basketball). Class AAAA…
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Continue ReadingIt’s that time of the year where we start looking into the winter season in several different ways. Today, who are the top contenders for player of the year in each class (which then leads towards Mr. Basketball).
Class AAAA
Leader: wide open
Top Contenders: Nolan Winter Nolan Winter 7'0" | PF Lakeville North | 2023 State #98 Nation MN of Lakeville North, Max Shikenjanski Max Shikenjanski 6'2" | PG Stillwater | 2023 State #288 Nation MN of Stillwater, CJ O’Hara CJ O’Hara 6'4" | SF Park Center | 2023 State #285 Nation MN of Park Center
Contenders: Jack Janicki Jack Janicki 6'4" | SG White Bear Lake | 2023 State #277 Nation MN of White Bear Lake, Daniel Freitag Daniel Freitag 6'1" | PG Breck | 2024 State #142 Nation MN of Bloomington Jefferson, Chiddi Obiazor Chiddi Obiazor 6'5" | PF Eden Prairie | 2023 MN of Eden Prairie
Thoughts: This is a wide open race. Player of the Year awards are often geared more towards guards so Winter and Obiazor may have a bit of a bigger hill to climb but to counter that, player of the year awards often go to players on teams that win and win a lot, so that would look to Winter and O’Hara based on the amount of talent each has on their team. Shikenjanski certainly has a chance to with his ability to put up big numbers, create for others and his team should win 20+ this year.
Class AAA
Leader: Taison Chatman Taison Chatman 6'4" | PG Totino Grace | 2023 State #35 Nation MN of Totino-Grace
Top Contenders: Nasir Whitlock Nasir Whitlock 6'2" | PG Delasalle | 2023 State MN of DeLaSalle and Tommy Humphries Tommy Humphries 6'5" | SF Totino-Grace | 2023 State #283 Nation MN
Contenders: Isaiah Hagen Isaiah Hagen 6'3" | PG Orono | 2023 State MN of Orono, Patrick Bath Patrick Bath 6'9" | C Totino Grace | 2023 State MN of Totino-Grace, Nas Beamon of BSM,
Thoughts: Taison was the Class AAA Player of the Year last year and a first team all state player. Chatman likely enters the year as a big Mr. Basketball favorite because he is coming off of a state title and a Class AAA Player of the Year honor. He is a big favorite in the class and the favorite for the top honor.
Class AA
Leader: Boden Kapke Boden Kapke 6'11" | C Holy Family | 2023 State #153 Nation MN of Holy Family
Top Contender: Aeron Stevens Aeron Stevens 6'7" | PF Plainview-Eligin-Millville | 2023 State MN of PEM
Contenders: Eli Laposky Eli Laposky 6'1" | PG Pequot Lakes | 2023 State MN of Pequot Lakes, Kaiden Peters Kaiden Peters 6'2" | CG Plainview/Elgin-Millville | 2023 State MN of PEM, Owen Leach Owen Leach 6'6" | SF Dillworth Glyndon-Felton | 2023 State MN of DGF, Jay Neubert Jay Neubert 6'2" | SG Sauk Centre | 2024 State MN of Sauk Centre, and Jerome Williams Jr Jerome Williams Jr 6'0" | PG Rock Creek Christian Academy | 2024 MD of Minnehaha Academy if he does indeed go to school at MA.
Thoughts: Boden’s massive numbers from a season ago and the potential to go for another 28 & 14 season again on a good team makes him the favorite. That said, Holy Family has a new coach and will have a new ball handler so that will play a part. PEM is likely to be in the driver seat for much of the season meaning Stevens and Peters will be near the top. Minnehaha Academy transfer pair Lorenzo Levy Lorenzo Levy 5'10" | PG Minnehaha Academy | 2024 State MN and Williams (potentially) could also have a say.
Class A
Leader: Isaac Matti Isaac Matti 6'1" | SG Hayfield | 2023 State MN of Hayfield
Top Contender: Isaac Asuma Isaac Asuma 6'3" | PG Cherry | 2024 State #102 Nation MN of Cherry
Contenders: Zach Anderson Zach Anderson 6'6" | SF Martin County West | 2023 State MN of Martin County West, Buay Koak Buay Koak 6'4" | SG Lyle-Pacelli | 2023 State MN of Lyle/Austin Pacelli, Will Opsahl Will Opsahl 6'8" | SF Goodhue | 2023 State MN of Goodhue, Asher Zubich Asher Zubich 6'1" | PG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2023 State MN of Mt. Iron-Buhl, Nathan Fenske Nathan Fenske 6'2" | SG Lakeview | 2023 State MN of Lakeview
Thoughts: Matti enters the favorite because he was the Class A Player of the Year last year and he’s coming off of two straight state championships. That said, Isaac Asuma Isaac Asuma 6'3" | PG Cherry | 2024 State #102 Nation MN is right on the heels of Matti (and right on the heels of Freitag as top junior in the state). Cherry and Hayfield have become a fun Class A rivalry and we could maybe see them play twice next year. With that said, Anderson, Zubich, Fensek, and Koak all have the talent and likely the teams around them to also make a run.