Where Are They Now? The 2022 Minnesota Top Ten
It’s that time of year where we look back on some of our past top tens to see what they have done since graduating high school. We start with 2022!
(1) Pharrel Payne of Cottage Grove (Minnesota). Payne was the most productive freshmen post player in the Big Ten last year averaging 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds a game shooting over 69 percent from the field. He figures to be the starting center for the Gophers in 23-24.
(2) Tre Holloman of Cretin-Derham Hall (Michigan State). Holloman played nine minutes a game last season on a good Michigan State team averaging 1.3 points, one rebound and one assist a game shooting 38.6 percent. MSU will be a top five team in college basketball with one of the deepest backcourts in college hoops.
(3) Braeden Carrington of Park Center (Minnesota). The 2022 Mr. Basketball fought injuries throughout his freshman year limiting him to 22 games. Carrington scored six points a contest with four boards a night making a third of his threes. Has a chance to be a starter or 6th man on a deeper Gopher team.
(4) Demarion Watson of Totino-Grace (Iowa State). Was on the floor a dozen minutes a game as a frosh for a Sweet 16 team. Played in nearly every game averaging 1.7 points and 2.6 rebounds shooting 36.5 percent for the field. Really improved as a defender across his 29 games. Expected to have a bigger role as a sophomore.
(5) Eli King of Caledonia (North Dakota). Played in only nine games last year for Iowa State. Has since transferred to North Dakota where Eli will be a key factor in the rotation this season.
(6) Prince Aligbe of Minnehaha Academy (Boston College). Started 24 of the 27 games he was on the floor for BC last season (missed a few to injury) averaging six points and 4.4 rebounds. Shot 37 percent from the field. Figures to have a bigger role in 23024 as he should be fully healthy.
(7) Ahjany Lee of Totino-Grace (St. Thomas). Lee averaged 5.2 points and 4.3 rebounds a game shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. Lee was behind some veteran bigs averaging 15 minutes a contest. The UST frontcourt should once again be excellent.
(8) Kendall Blue of East Ridge (St. Thomas). The versatile Blue started 22 of the 33 games averaging 24 minutes a game playing a few different spots. Blue averaged 7.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and two assists a game shooting 43 percent from the field. With both starting UST wings graduating Blue should have an even bigger role this winter.
(9) Elvis Nnaji of Hopkins (Grambling State). Competed in only 13 games as a frosh for George Mason last year and has since transferred from the school.
(10) BJ Omot of Mankato East (North Dakota). Omot started all 33 games for UND as a frosh averaging a dozen points, four rebounds and two assists a game. Omot shot just under 40 percent from the field. He is expected to be a breakout all league potential talent in the Summit League.
More Standouts
(Prep School). Joshua Ola-Joseph of Osseo (Minnesota). Started 24 of 31 games for the Gophers playing 22 minutes a game. Averaged 7.4 points and three rebounds a game shooting just under 54.5 percent from the field. Will be at both forward spots this year.
(Prep School). Camden Heide of Wayzata (Purdue). Heide sat out last season as a red-shirt. He was hurt his senior season at a prep school and then spent most of last year recovering and then working on skill development. Should have a reserve role as a red-shirt frosh.
(11) Carter Bjerke of Wayzata (St. Thomas). Red-shirted last year, should be a reserve of the bench this season for the Tommies.
(12) Jamal Ambrose of Eastview (Omaha). Hurt his knee almost immediately upon arrival, red-shirted last season.
(14) Alonzo Dodd of South St. Paul (Texas A&M Commerce). Dodd started 20 games averaging four points, three rebounds and 2.5 assists a game shooting nearly 47 percent from the field.
(16) Cody Pennebaker of Park Center (Lamar). Averaged six points, five rebounds starting 16 games and playing 25 minutes a night. Made a third of his threes, shot 41 percent from the field.
(18) Logan Kinsely of Spring Lake Park (Minnesota State Moorhead). Averaged five points and four rebounds shooting 51 percent overall and 40 percent at the arc.
(19) Malcolm Jones of Prior Lake (Minnesota State Mankato). Averaged six points and four rebounds a game shooting 52 percent from the floor.
(21) JaSean Glover of Madelia (Omaha). Started 13 games later in the year, averaged four points and three rebounds a game last season making 47 percent of his attempts in 19 minutes a game.
(23) Terrence Brown of Columbia Heights (Farleigh Dickinson). Continues to grow. Since I first saw him in 6th grade in the gym I think he has grown two inches a year every year on average. Now listed at 6’4 after a standout season at Golden State Prep.