Class AAA Title Contender Series: DeLaSalle

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Islanders will be playing for their 13th straight trip to the state tournament. What do the Islanders look like this year? We break it down for you now!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Wins in 22-23 (24-7)</strong>: Minnetonka, Richfield (x2), Harrisburg (SD), Columbia Heights (x2), Hopkins, St. Thomas Academy, Orono, Stewartville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Oops</strong>: Park Center, Benilde-St. Margaret's, Dream City Christian (AZ), Minneapolis North, Wayzata, Totino-Grace</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Moving On</strong>: Mr. Basketball award winner Nasir Whitlock averaged 27 points a game and took his team back to the state championship game. He is now at Lehigh. Isreal Moses V was the second leading scorer last year, he is now at Kansas playing football. Third leading scorer PJ Pounds scored eight pounds a game, he was the big, he has now graduated. Myles Dillon-Parks, Aidan Higgins, and Riley Blaylark were all part of the rotation as well, they have graduated. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Returning Starters (1)</strong>. [player_tooltip player_id='1148715' first='Jaden' last='Morgan'] steps into the big role and this off-season he looked like a guy that should be able to handle the role with success. Morgan is committed to Minnesota-Duluth and coming off an eight point per game supporting role high school spot. He then became the top scoring option for [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select'] who had a really nice 17u season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Reserves Playing a Bigger Role</strong>. De'Von Irvin started some games this past winter I believe and he played up on a successful Real Phenom 17u team that was a top four 17u in the state. Irvin has shown to be a great defender but he's also become a more reliable shooter. [player_tooltip player_id='2365712' first='Ray' last='James Jr.'] is a top wideout football recruit in Minnesota that was a reserve at 6'3, 6'4 at forward. He scored twice a game on average. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Potentials from the JV</strong>. The lone other senior is guard [player_tooltip player_id='1968456' first='Justin' last='Johnson'] who I thought was outstanding with the [program_tooltip program_id='2075681' first='Minnesota' last='Magic'] this off-season. Johnson looks like a talent that could go from the Islander JV to being a key factor maybe in the starting line-up for De. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Islanders had four sophomores on the JV and keep in mind, they played eight or nine guys a game last season. They are going to need a couple of the players to step up and play a role. Who are those now juniors? Darius Irvin, [player_tooltip player_id='2175468' first='Marcus' last='Anderson'], Daorian Pruitt, and [player_tooltip player_id='1288747' first='Andrew' last='Apiagyei']. These are all guards/wings that stand between 5'11 and 6'2. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>New to the Varsity program</strong>. DeLaSalle got two very important, very talented young transfers. And both played on the [program_tooltip program_id='2075431' first='D1' last='Minnesota'] 15 and Under team last spring/summer so they are familiar with one another. One is [player_tooltip player_id='2126102' first='Jaeden' last='Udean'] who averaged 13.4 points a game at Columbia Heights as an 8th grader. Udean is now a freshman at De. Then there is [player_tooltip player_id='1560744' first='Evan' last='Miller'] who was at Schaeffer Academy in Rochester last year scoring 15 points with 6.5 rebounds a game as a freshman. Miller is now a sophomore who stands 6'4. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong>. This is a team that could have quite the firepower, and quite the defensive potential if the chemistry forms well. Morgan, Miller and Udean all have wing/forward scoring potential. Morgan will be the go to guy most likely while Miller and Udean support as scoring talent, but they all could be very solid for this club. Irvin is the ultimate three and D guy but we also saw him attack more and more in the summer with success. I loved the way Johnson ran the Magic. I don't know if he will be running the Islanders but I am sure he will make a lot of key decisions with the ball for them one way or the other. I think this is a very interesting team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->