Class AAAA Title Contender Series: Minnetonka

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Skippers from Tonka won 23 games last season and they could match that total in 2023-24. The talent is there and they finally they might have some size at the five which is big for them! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Wins in 22-23 (23-8)</strong>:&nbsp; St. Cloud Tech, Columbia Heights, Mahtomedi, Chanhassen (x2), Buffalo, Brainerd, Hopkins, Edina (x2), Moorhead, Eden Prairie (x2), Eastview, Shakopee, Totino-Grace</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Oops</strong>:&nbsp;DeLaSalle, Chaska, Wayzata (x2), Buffalo, Hopkins, Eastview, Andover</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Moving On</strong>:&nbsp; Jalen Cain scored 12.5 points a game last season although he missed 5-6 games because of injury. He was a very active player who helped the team in all areas. Jalen announced he was going to Minnesota State-Mankato to play basketball last spring but he is not on the team's roster at the moment. Ibrahim El-Amin averaged 13.8 points a game a season ago and the Skippers will miss his scoring pop. El-Amin is playing for his father at Anoka-Ramsey Community College this season. Alexander Jones scored nine a game last year, he's at Lake Region State, a division one junior college in North Dakota. Tonka had three seniors that at times filled the 8th/9th man roles, Joseph Adams, Dylan Braun and Lucas Martin have all graduated as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Returning Starters (3)</strong>. The name of the Tonka program recently has been future North Dakota State point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1284083' first='Andy' last='Stefonowicz']. Andy led the team in scoring and assists a year ago. He's an outstanding playmaker that has a high skill level, at times we've seen his wizardry as a passer, and we've seen him take games over as a scorer. Also returning is explosive forward [player_tooltip player_id='1284162' first='Jordan' last='Cain']. This is a player that led Tonka in scoring as a sophomore at 20 a night, had 15.8 a night last year, and with help in the middle he might free to do even more as a senior. The other returning starter is senior [player_tooltip player_id='1288767' first='Greyson' last='Uelmen']. Greyson is a perfect fit because he's a defensive worker, he's become a better shooter, and he scored seven a game last year. Greyson looks like he will be a nice D3 prospect. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Reserves Playing a Bigger Role</strong>: Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1574218' first='Duke' last='Richardson'] is a combo guard that can push the pace, attack the rim, or hit open shots. He was a nice option off the bench in this strong Tonka group of wings and guards. He's a great option in the corner for a Stefonowicz attack and he's a nice option to quickly push in transition. Duke is the only player on this list because the other six guys from last year's rotation have been mentioned, and if the Skippers went past seven names it was a deep bench senior. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Potentials from the JV</strong>. Tonka had six juniors that were exclusive to the Junior Varsity last year. [player_tooltip player_id='1617754' first='Jaxon' last='Wolf'], now a 6'2 senior, is a worker that we saw Tonka have in the June summer starting five and we saw him play in the fall. He works hard and will likely find a spot in the rotation. At 6'3 and 215 pounds, Zachary Steingas might be a player they would look to use in the frontcourt. Alexander Vohs is a 6'4 senior and his size could also help. One of two regular sophomores on the JV last year was now 6'1 junior Malchi Boadi-Aboagye.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>New to the Varsity program</strong>: Tonka will have two guys on their varsity roster who have previously been apart of the program but this will be their initial season. And both will be key factors. Five-foot-10 [player_tooltip player_id='1567964' first='Isa' last='El-Amin'] will be a playmaker and ball handler for the group meaning this Tonka junior guard group of El-Amin, Richardson and Boadi-Aboagye is a very nice group. Then you have [player_tooltip player_id='1296153' first='Kayden' last='Wells'], an active and explosive 6-foot-5 frontcourt player that had a great summer with [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select']. Wells averaged 6-7 a game at BSM last year and this season he will give Tonka a much needed five man. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong>. I really like this rotation. You have three starters in Stefonowicz, Uelman, and Cain that are great pieces. Wells will almost certainly move into that five man role. Then you have options of Richardson or El-Amin as your other playmaking starter (and the other will just be the 6th Man playmaker). Tonka can also use Wolf as another worker in the line-up. That is a good seven plus Vohs or Steingas could maybe help up front and one of the JV guards could help off the bench. Seems like a nice nine or ten if Tonka ever needs to go past seven this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->