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National recruit Chet Holmgren, two teammates among Star Tribune top metro players to watch

By RON HAGGSTROM, Star Tribune , 01/18/21, 11:30AM CST

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In addition to 10 players, see who's listed -- including three top smaller-enrollment schools -- in the early season team ranking.


Chet Holmgren, left, and teammate Prince Aligbe, right, are among the top 10 players to watch this season. (Star Tribune file photo by Anthony Souffle)

As the 2021 season gets underway, here are the Star Tribune's top 10 players to watch on the metro basketball scene.

(listed in alphabetical order)

Prince Aligbe, Minnehaha Academy, F, 6-6, junior: Athletic with lots of potential. College: Undecided.

Kendall Blue, East Ridge, G, 6-6, junior: Smooth player who is ambidextrous with a high IQ . College: Undecided.

Taison Chatman, Totino-Grace, G, 6-3, sophomore: His stock continues to soar the more people see him play. College: Undecided.

Andre Gray, Minneapolis North, G, 6-3, senior: Explosive first step, likes to attack off the dribble. College: Undecided.

Cade Haskins, DeLaSalle, F, 6-6, senior: Excellent shooter with plenty of range. College: Undecided.

Camden Heide, Wayzata, F, 6-6, junior: Solid shooter who knows how to take care of the ball. College: Undecided.

Tre Holloman, Cretin-Derham Hall, G, 6-3, junior: Instinctive with the ability to make the right decision. College: Undecided.

Chet Holmgren, Minnehaha Academy, C, 7-0, senior: The nation’s No. 1 recruit impacts a game at so many different levels. College: Undecided.

Hercy Miller, Minnehaha Academy, G, 6-3, senior: Excels in transition, can break down defenders off the dribble. College: Undecided.

Elvis Nnaji, Hopkins, F, 6-9, junior: A rim protector who is still developing offensively. College: Undecided.

Top 10 teams

Heading into the season's first full week, here are staff writer Ron Haggstrom's top 10 teams:

 1. Minnehaha Academy (Class 3A): Senior center Chet Holmgren’s game-changing defense keeps the Redhawks No. 1.

 2. Minneapolis North (2A): The addition of senior guard Andre Gray from Hopkins fills out a talented roster for coach Larry McKenzie.

 3. Lakeville South (4A): The Cougars have an outstanding senior guard in Reid Patterson and solid supporting cast of players who know their roles.

4. Wayzata (4A): The talented Trojans will find out quickly if they can put last year’s dismal season behind them.

 5. Totino-Grace (3A): The Eagles are as deep as any team in the state, but their core group is young.

 6. Hopkins (4A): No matter how much talent the Royals lose on a yearly basis, they can never be overlooked.

 7. Chaska (4A): Coach Dana Kallman’s squad went 24-4 a year ago and welcomes back plenty of experience in the backcourt and up front.

8. DeLaSalle (3A): The Islanders’ program always brings additional credibility in the state to Class 3A.

9. East Ridge (4A): Four consecutive 20-victory seasons keep the Raptors in the upper echelon.

10. Champlin Park (4A): The Rebels will be leaning on their two outstanding seniors, center Francis Nwaokorie and guard Joshua Strong.

RON HAGGSTROM

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