Section 7A: The top 20 Players to Know

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We give you the twenty names that you should know about entering the 2025-26 season from Section 7A. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Barnum</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Julian Beckstrand (2026). Julian is a 5'11 guard that was all conference last season after a 13.5 points per game season with four rebounds a game. Julian is one of the more athletic players on this list which allows Julian to attack regularly. Strong player that uses leverage to attack, shoots it solid as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brock Hurst (2026). Julian and Brock are the key reasons from a good senior group that will mix with a strong sophomore group to try and topple Cherry. Barnum has the best chance to do that and Brock is a big reason. He is 6'7 and is coming off of a 14 point, 11 rebound per game season last year. Brock uses that strength to get those double doubles and his low post game is coming along. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bigfork</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Noah Calhoun (2026). Noah is a three sport athlete at 5'11 and he was an all league honored player as a junior. Noah is a shooting guard that will be a top weapon for his team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nathan Niemala (2027). Another all league honored player, Nathan is six feet and plays next to Calhoun on the wing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cherry</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126128' first='Isaiah' last='Asuma'] (2027, [program_tooltip program_id='2888391' first='Minnesota' last='Comets']). I think Asuma could win Class A Player of the Year. He's surely a top candidate and I think he and [player_tooltip player_id='1560827' first='Kale' last='Misegades'] are going to have monster numbers. He was so impressive with the Comets on the attack and he's looking stronger, quicker and a bit taller as well. I think everything is there for Isaiah to have a special junior season that we talk about all year. Averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and two steals a game for the state runner-up. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1601068' first='Noah' last='Asuma'] (2026). The Minnesota baseball commit is an all state basketball player as well. Noah has made more than 300 threes in his career and he averaged 15 points, six rebounds and over four assists per game last season. Outstanding defender that will be asked to defend whatever size Cherry sees and he will handle the job well. Good rebounder and when you consider all his contributions in three sports, he could be the best all around senior athlete. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cook County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Parker Backstrom (2026). A 6'1 wing that averaged ten points and eight rebounds a game for an improving program. Parker is an excellent defender that has to defend players all over the court. His versatility allows his coach to use him wherever they need him each game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Macoy Fairbanks (2027). Fairbanks was an all league player last season as a sophomore and he did that as a decision maker, a very good defender, and one of the quickest players in the section. Averaged 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and three assists a game as a sophomore. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cromwell-Wright</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Drew Nyberg (2027). Drew was a second team All Polar league player for the Cards last year as a 5'11 sophomore guard. Nyberg is a lead guard.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Deer River</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lawrence Bowstring (2026). Lawrence is one of a number of returning players for Deer River. The Warriors didn't lose a lot of their rotation, they lost the biggest names from the rotation. This versatile six foot wing appears to be the guy that will step right into the biggest role. Bowstring averaged nine points, nine rebounds and four assists a season ago.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2569251' first='Kevin' last='Doerr'] Jr (2027). Kevin is a 5'8 guard that was the 6th man last year and he is about to step into a big role, and it's a role that he can handle. Averaged seven points and three boards a game last season, a very good shooter and creator. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ely</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2121361' first='Jack' last='Davies'] (2026). Jack averaged 21 points and seven assists a game last year plus 4.5 rebounds and three steals on average. Jack will be a five year starter that is now playing lead guard at 5'9 and he's doing as much playmaking for his team as anybody. The percent of shot creation for himself and others that Jack is a part of ranks with the highest level players. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Drew Johnson (2026). This is a 6'1 forward that was all league a season go with his 13 points, nine rebounds, two blocks and four assists per game. Shot nearly 38 percent at the arc plus was the team leading rebounder and shot blocker. A guy that collects off a deflection, board or steal and flies the other way. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Littlefork-Big Falls</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2112960' first='Jax' last='Sullivan'] (2026). Jax is a 6'1 forward that pound for pound ranks with the elite rebounders in the state. He averaged 13.6 rebounds last year along with his 17.5 points a contest earning all league. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>McGregor </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2813905' first='Cooper' last='Geyen'] (2027). A 6'5 frontcourt player that averaged 11 points and nine rebounds last season that is on his way to being a four year starter. A paint scoring threat that had a 27 rebound game last season!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Garrett Guiida (2026). Garrett is the other 6'5 player that will make McGregor one of the longer teams although they have a lot of faces to replace. Garrett averaged eight points and four rebounds a game as a long scoring threat that really shoots it well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mt. Iron-Buhl</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Izaiah Alto (2027) A 6'3, 190 pound standout wide receiver football recruit, Alto is also the top returning hooper for the Rangers. Averaed 7.5 points and six rebounds a game last season as a pant player. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cooper Mara (2028). Played off the bench last year as a freshman, and now the six foot guard moves into a key role on a younger team. Cooper scored three points a game last season and will move into a bigger role as the second most experienced player from last year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>South Ridge</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gavin Willeck (2027). This is a name you might want to stick on your radar. Gavin is a 6'6 versatile frontcourt player that was named all league first team last year and he will be starting for the fourth straight year, and is just a junior. Gavin averaged 20 points, ten rebounds and two blocks a game and is a hard working defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wyatt Swan (2027). Another piece of a very good junior class, Wyatt started last season with his strong ball handling and good shooting touch. Willeck, Swan, Austin Olson, Isaac Coon, and more, this is a very good junior class. Seniors Brock Hilsgen and Theo Yellowrobe also started game last year and return. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->