The Race for Mr. Basketball: Here Comes Wiggins

Ryan James February 5, 2026 @ 12:27 PM

Just less than two weeks ago we talked Mr. Basketball race with Christian Wiggins Christian Wiggins 6'5" | SG Wayzata | 2026 State #95 Nation MN of Wayzata among the top five, top three really, but top five. And we put him in the 6th spot for Mid-Season Class AAAA all state which lands a guy on the second team.

Did that motivate Christian? Is Christian self motivated by how things were going? Did the coaching staff get to him? Did the upcoming games get to Wiggins? A combination of all of it?

Who knows but Christian Wiggins Christian Wiggins 6'5" | SG Wayzata | 2026 State #95 Nation MN has moved right into a leadership spot for Mr. Basketball. In only a few games he's pushed his season average from 18 points a game to 21 and Wiggins has had a few Mr. Basketball moments.

The first was the 34 points scored against Hopkins and the game winning shot made. That was the first big one. By now all high school basketball fans have seen the 5:30pm game winning make vs the Royals that all the media have had videos of. Wiggins then did it again to Buffalo taking the ball down a point with seven seconds to go, and going coast to coast for the game winner with one second to go. Wiggins had 45 points in that game.

Cedric Tomes Cedric Tomes 6'0" | PG East Ridge | 2026 State MN is also still right there. Tomes continues to see players on his team go down (Theraldson, Sanneh, Glavin, plus Skinner didn't play this year), and he's been out here beating teams and staying in the Class AAAA top ten with JV teammates stepping in for injured others (they are 14-4). Tomes had 47 points to beat Irondale, 28 points to beat White Bear Lake, and 38 to beat Irondale. Tomes is right there in the lead with Wiggins.

I would say next up is Nolen Anderson Nolen Anderson 6'7" | SF Wayzata | 2026 State #123 Nation MN . Wiggins big games recently have likely taken away from the fact that Anderson is scoring more, his percentages are up, and Nolen is scoring nearly 24 points a contest. He had 28 in the EP win, 20 in the Hopkins win, 28 in the Buffalo win, and 30 in the recent Edina win. Anderson is one more good game from likely being called a true leader in the race as well.

Final Five

Who is next? That is a tough one. It's a group.

Dothan Ijadimbola recently was the best player on the floor in a big win over Richfield. He had a team high 23 points. Dothan also scored 14 points to help his team beat Farmington and he had 15 and an early seat against Park Center.

Joseph Mitchell III Joseph Mitchell III 6'2" | CG Cretin-Derham Hall | 2026 State MN has CDH still in the top five, he is scoring 22 points a game with 44 percent three point shooting this year, and he was the best player on the floor with 36 points in that class game with the Islanders that De won in overtime.

Jayden Moore Jayden Moore 6'0" | PG Hopkins | 2026 State MN is making history. He is closing in on the all time assists record for the state of Minnesota, he is the all time leading scorer and rebounder at Hopkins (and of course the all time leader in assists for Hopkins). Moore just had a huge game with 24 points and nine assists to lead his team past ranked Maple Grove in a big win.

Kale Misegades Kale Misegades 6'2" | CG Henning | 2026 State MN of Henning has his team undefeated and ranked second in the state. Henning just beat Pillager which was a huge win and Kale had a triple double of 37 points, 13 rebounds and ten assists making four threes as a part of 13 of 26 shooting. Also had 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in a 75-38 win over Menahga.

Top Ten

Deron Russell Deron Russell 6'1" | PG Waseca | 2026 State MN . The future NDSU football player just led his team to a huge win over JWP who had been undefeated. Deron had 25 points, a dozen boards and five assists in the victory. Deron also recently had 46 points in a loss to GSL and he had 43 points in a win over top ten ranked win over St. Peter. Scoring 34 points a contest.

Pierce Petersohn Pierce Petersohn 6'5" | SG Triton | 2026 State MN . Petersohn is averaging 32 points and 13 rebounds a game for a Triton team who is 18-3 and far, far exceeding expectations. Pierce had 38 points and 13 boards in the recent win over Randolph, and he had 33 points to beat Dover-Eyota.

Hamze Yusuf Hamze Yusuf 6'1" | PG Eden Prairie | 2026 State MN . The Eagles leader recently had 33 points in the win over Edina and then 38 points in the blowout loss to Maple Grove. He then had 18 points in a big win over Buffalo last night.