The Northwest Suburban 2 Preview
In this article:
The Park Center/Totino-Grace/Osseo round robin was outstanding last season and we expect it to be outstanding once again. We jump into the Northwestern Suburban second division today. Conference Commentary Top Ten in State: Park Center, Totino-Grace, Osseo Oh? So I…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe Park Center/Totino-Grace/Osseo round robin was outstanding last season and we expect it to be outstanding once again. We jump into the Northwestern Suburban second division today.
Conference Commentary
Top Ten in State: Park Center, Totino-Grace, Osseo
Oh? So I have to pick one? I have to pick between the defending state champions from last year? The two preseason number ones for this year? The teams that split their games versus one another this year? And do it without getting the evil eye from everybody associated with the program that sees #2 by their name? And it’s not like both teams would have an “obvious” reason why they should be the choice right? (Sarcasm).
The simple fact is that the games of the year will be the two Park Center vs Totin-Grace games. The crowds will be packed, the gyms thick with talent. The intensity will be high level. And it will be high school basketball at its finest when it comes to competition and talent. But oh…. I have to pick?
Let me distract you again. Taison Chatman Taison Chatman 6'4" | PG Totino Grace | 2023 State #35 Nation MN is headed to Ohio State. CJ O’Hara CJ O’Hara 6'4" | SF Park Center | 2023 State #285 Nation MN is the best uncommitted senior in Minnesota. Tommy Humphries Tommy Humphries 6'5" | SF Totino-Grace | 2023 State #283 Nation MN is headed to Furman. Casmir Chavis Casmir Chavis 6'2" | PG Park Center | 2024 State #170 Nation MN was offered by West Virginia. Isaiah Johnson Isaiah Johnson 6'7" | SF Totino-Grace | 2024 State #135 Nation MN has picked up four D1 offers this fall. Chiang Ring Chiang Ring 6'8" | C Park Center | 2024 State #276 Nation MN is the state’s top shot blocker. Patrick Bath Patrick Bath 6'9" | C Totino Grace | 2023 State MN is the second best unsigned senior. JJ Ware JJ Ware 6'6" | SF Park Center | 2023 State MN is another top unsigned senior.
Oh you still want me to pick? Fine. Since Park Center beat Totino-Grace in the most recent game so I give them the slightest of edges coming in. Oh wait, Park Center lost ALL of their starters last season and Totino-Grace has three of their starters back? So the Eagle should have more chemistry on day one?
Back to square one.
And with that said, don’t forget about Osseo who beat TG last year giving Park Center the one game lead to win the league last year which is pry a reason to give the Pirates a slight edge as they beat Osseo twice. “BUT RYAN IT’S a NEW YEAR”. Sorry guys, I am grasping at straws here. And then I finished the preseason all conference list and think the Eagles might be a tad deeper in guys eight, nine and ten meaning if there is an injury or two they have an edge. So… I DONT KNOW.
Can’t wait for the games!
Back to Osseo, do not throw them off to the side. This is a team that will have one of the toughest guard groups to deal with in the metro plus agile and athletic size. And Trey Smith Trey Smith 6'7" | SF Osseo | 2023 State MN of course who I think was a major steal by UMD.
Top Ten in State Potential: Armstrong
The Falcons have the talent to be a sneak into the top ten at some point type of team. They have good players at each age and I really think that Seth Newbern Seth Newbern 6'2" | PG Robbinsdale Armstrong | 2024 State MN and Owen Skram Owen Skram 6'5" | PF Robbinsdale Armstrong | 2023 State MN are about to have breakout seasons.
Compete with Most: Elk River
Elk River is the next team that I think will sneak up and grab somebody. Could be Armstrong, could be Osseo even. They have a really good senior in Cade Osterman Cade Osterman 6'1" | PG Elk River | 2023 State MN and a nice group of players coming up in their system.
Rebuilding: Rogers, Spring Lake Park
Spring Lake Park is another team with really good talent coming up although very little experience returning from a team that went from a top ten squad to one win in the second NW division. Yes the Panthers were 1-11 against teams in the second group of the Northwest Suburban. Take that, a new coach, mostly new rotation and it’s the start of a rebuild, with a familiar coach though.
22-23 Conference Predictions
- Park Center/Totino-Grace (YEP, I side stepped it)
- Osseo
- Armstrong
- Elk River
- Spring Lake Park
- Rogers
Preseason All Northwest Suburban 1 Conference
First Team
Taison Chatman Taison Chatman 6'4" | PG Totino Grace | 2023 State #35 Nation MN of Totino-Grace (sr)
Tommy Humphries Tommy Humphries 6'5" | SF Totino-Grace | 2023 State #283 Nation MN of Totino-Grace (sr)
CJ O’Hara CJ O’Hara 6'4" | SF Park Center | 2023 State #285 Nation MN of Park Center (sr)
Casmir Chavis Casmir Chavis 6'2" | PG Park Center | 2024 State #170 Nation MN of Park Center (jr)
Chiang Ring Chiang Ring 6'8" | C Park Center | 2024 State #276 Nation MN of Park Center (jr)
Second Team
Patrick Bath Patrick Bath 6'9" | C Totino Grace | 2023 State MN of Totino-Grace (sr)
Trey Smith Trey Smith 6'7" | SF Osseo | 2023 State MN of Osseo (sr)
Isaiah Johnson Isaiah Johnson 6'7" | SF Totino-Grace | 2024 State #135 Nation MN of Totino-Grace (jr)
JJ Ware JJ Ware 6'6" | SF Park Center | 2023 State MN of Park Center (sr)
De’Mari Larkins De’Mari Larkins 5'9" | PG Osseo | 2024 State MN of Osseo (jr)
Third Team
Seth Newbern Seth Newbern 6'2" | PG Robbinsdale Armstrong | 2024 State MN of Armstrong (jr)
Cade Osterman Cade Osterman 6'1" | PG Elk River | 2023 State MN of Elk River (sr)
Owen Skram Owen Skram 6'5" | PF Robbinsdale Armstrong | 2023 State MN of Armstrong (sr)
Zylerre Stewart of Totino-Grace (jr)
Jackson Fowlkes Jackson Fowlkes 6'4" | SG Park Center | 2024 State MN of Park Center (jr)
Fourth Team
Ty Swanson Ty Swanson 5'10" | PG Osseo | 2024 State MN of Osseo (jr)
Kaden Cook Kaden Cook 6'4" | PF Park Center | 2023 State MN of Park Center (sr)
Tyler Wagner Tyler Wagner 6'6" | SF Totino Grace | 2025 State #366 Nation MN of Totino-Grace (soph)
Carson Haack of Elk River (sr)
TJ Omotoyinbo of Osseo (soph)
Fifth Team
Joe Burgess Joe Burgess 6'5" | SF Park Center | 2023 State MN of Park Center (sr)
Dothan Ijadimbola Dothan Ijadimbola 6'6" | SF Totino Grace | 2026 State MN of Totino-Grace (fr)
Temi Denedo of Osseo (jr)
Beau Johnson Beau Johnson 6'6" | C Spring Lake Park | 2023 MN of Spring Lake Park (sr)
Drew Kuempel of Armstrong (sr)
Chace Watley Chace Watley 6'1" | PG Totino-Grace | 2025 State MN of Totin-Grace (soph)