Minnesotans in D1 Part 2 by Alan Holst

The following info is from Alan Holst, who has been tracking Minnesota men playing in D1 for many years. His "All-America" teams mean from among kids who played high school ball here in the Gopher state. A complete list of Minnesotans on D1 rosters follows.

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Minnesotans in D1

by Alan Holst

MY PRE-SEASON ALL AMERICAN TEAM

Trent Lockett, Arizona State (Hopkins) Junior

Trevor Mbakwe, Minnesota (St. Bernard’s, Henry Sibley) Senior

Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) Senior (first team AP pre-season All American)

Royce White, Iowa State (Hopkins) Sophomore

Rodney Williams, Minnesota (Robbinsdale Cooper) Junior (we keep hoping)

It will be interesting to follow the development of freshmen Joe Coleman, Shelby Moats and Ross Travis and redshirt freshman Kevin Noreen.

MY PRE-SEASON MID-MAJOR ALL AMERICAN TEAM

Alec Brown, Green Bay (Winona) Sophomore

Eric Carlson, North Dakaota State (Shakopee) Senior (if he recovers quickly from a broken jaw)

Jordair Jett, Saint Louis (St. Bernard’s) Sophomore

Mike Muscala, Bucknell (Roseville) Junior

Nate Wolters, South Dakota State (St. Cloud Tech) Junior

Aaron Anderson, Sam Dower, Zach Filzen and David Hanson are some additional contenders.

MINNESOTA HS PRODUCTS LISTED ON 2011-2012 SEASON D1 ROSTERS (65)

Jordan Aaberg, North Dakota State (Rothsay) Sophomore F 6-9 215

Aaron Anderson, North Dakota (Osseo) Sophomore G 5-10 150

Tor Anderson, Montana State (Minnetonka) Sophomore G 6-2 200

Joel Awich, Cal Poly (Tartan) Freshman F 6-7 195

Steve Baker, Green Bay (St. Paul Como Park) Senior G 6-2 190 (ex-Southeastern Iowa CC)

Armond Battle, Wright State (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) Junior F 6-7 210 (ex-Tulsa)

Jared Berggren, Wisconsin (Princeton) Junior F-C 6-10 235

Marshall Bjorklund, North Dakota State (Sibley East) Sophomore F 6-8 230

Brandon Brekke, North Dakota (East Grand Forks) Sophomore C 6-8 215

Mike Broghammer, Notre Dame (Hopkins) Junior F 6-9 243

Andrew Brommer, Iowa (Rosemount) Senior F 6-9 247

Alec Brown, Green Bay (Winona) Sophomore C 7-1 222

Lucas Brown, Wofford (Roseville) Freshman G 6-5 200

Mike Bruesewitz, Wisconsin (Henry Sibley) Junior F 6-6 220

Chad Calcaterra, Colorado State (Cloquet) Freshman C 6-10 250

Eric Carlson, North Dakota State (Shakopee) Senior F 6-6 220

Joe Coleman, Minnesota (Hopkins) Freshman 6-4 200

Raymond Cowels, Santa Clara (Hopkins) Junior F 6-4 205

Sam Dower, Gonzaga (Osseo) Sophomore C 6-9 248

Mike Felt, North Dakota State (Redwood Falls) Sophomore G 6-3 180

Josh Figini, Cornell (Chisago Lakes) Junior F 6-9 205

Taylor Filipek, Eastern Kentucky (Willmar) Sophomore G-F 6-6 220

Zach Filzen, Buffalo (Northfield) Senior G 6-3 190

Mike Fitzgerald, Air Force (St. Thomas Academy) Junior G-F 6-6 210

Grant Gehlen, Saint Louis (Cretin-Derham Hall) Sophomore F 6-3 160

Trevor Gruis, South Dakota (Ellsworth) Sophomore C 6-9 238

Dylan Hale, North Dakota State (St. Paul Central) Sophomore G 6-1 170

Chris Halvorsen, Minnesota (Henry Sibley) Sophomore F 6-8 190

David Hanson, Cal Poly (Maranatha) Senior F 6-5 215

Nick Haugen, North Dakota (Rockford) Junior G 6-2 200

Jordan Hicks, Loyola Illinois (Rochester Mayo) Senior G-F 6-6 210

Seth Hinrichs, Lafayette (MACCRAY Clara City) Freshman G 6-7 214

Andre Ingram, Minnesota (Minnesota Transitions) Freshman F 6-7 235 (ex-Butler CC KS)

Jordair Jett, Saint Louis (St. Bernard’s & Notre Dame Prep MA) Sophomore G 6-1 210

Angelo Johnson, Southern Mississippi (Minneapolis North) Senior G 6-0 185 Senior (ex-USC)

Raijon Kelly, Samford (Cretin-Derham Hall) Freshman G 6-4 170

Lucas Kuipers, Rice (Rochester Mayo) Senior F 6-8 217

Nick Latzke, Tulane (Minnetonka) Freshman G 6-4 180

Trent Lockett, Arizona State (Hopkins) Junior G 6-4 210

Drew Lundberg, North Dakota State (Owatonna) Senior G 6-1 190

Trevor Mbakwe, Minnesota (St. Bernard’s, Henry Sibley) Senior F 6-8 240

Shelby Moats, Vanderbilt (Waconia) Freshman F 6-8 225

Jaymeson Moten, Texas-Pan American (New London-Spicer) Freshman G 5-11

Mike Muscala, Bucknell (Roseville) Junior F-C 6-11 232

Fred Newell, North Dakota State (Lakeville North) Sophomore G 5-8 155

Kevin Noreen, West Virginia (Minnesota Transitions) Freshman F 6-10 245

Kyle Noreen, Radford (Minnesota Transitions) Freshman SF F 6-5 185

D.J. Peterson, La Sallle (Hopkins) Freshman G 6-5 185

Jimmy Remke, Saint Louis (Hill-Murray) Freshman F 6-4

Tom Schalk, William & Mary (Apple Valley) Freshman F 6-8 210

Marvin Singleton, Northern Iowa (Hopkins) Freshman F 6-6 235

Jordan Smith, Wisconsin (Orono) Freshman G 6-1 175

Marc Sonnen, Northern Iowa (Tartan) Junior G 6-3 190

Dynami Starks, Bryant (Duluth East) Sophomore G 6-2 195 redshirt (ex-Columbia)

Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin (Benilde-St. Margaret’s) Senior G 6-1 195

Jonah Travis, Harvard (DeLaSalle) Freshman F 6-6 225

Ross Travis, Penn State (Chaska) Freshman F 6-8 215

Estan Tyler, UMKC (St. Paul Johnson) Freshman G 6-1 175

Jake White, Wichita State (Chaska) Freshman F 6-8 227

Royce White, Iowa State (Hopkins) Sophomore F 6-8 250

Rodney Williams, Minnesota (Robbinsdale Cooper) Junior F 6-7 200

Mitch Wilmer, North Dakota (Warroad) Junior C 6-11 245

Nate Wolters, South Dakota State (St. Cloud Tech) Junior G 6-4 190

Ethan Wragge, Creighton (Eden Prairie) Sophomore F 6-7 220

Michael Yahnke, Texas-Pan American (Delano) Freshman F 6-7

THE TUBBY WATCH

Here are the ten non-Minnesota high school products who are on the Gophers roster.

Maverick Ahanmisi

Chip Armelin

Elliott Eliason

Andre Hollins

Austin Hollins

Oto Osenieks

Ralph Sampson III

Kendal Shell

Maurice Walker

Julian Welch

Here are ten Minnesota high school products who are NOT on the Gophers roster.

Jared Berggren, Wisconsin (Princeton)

Mike Bruesewitz, Wisconsin (Henry Sibley)

Sam Dower, Gonzaga (Osseo)

Jordair Jett, Saint Louis (St. Bernard’s)

Trent Lockett, Arizona State (Hopkins)

Mike Muscala, Bucknell (Roseville)

Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin (Benilde-St. Margaret’s)

Ross Travis, Penn State (Chaska)

Royce White, Iowa State (Hopkins)

Nate Wolters, South Dakota State (St. Cloud Tech)

Which group would you rather have?

Minnesotans in D1

I took a quick look at some Minnesota kids (boyz2men) playing D1 ball. Specifically I looked up 17 kids who would seem to be the best of them or about whom I was curious. I don't doubt there are others doing as well as some of these. But among the 17:

Scoring leaders

Nate Wolters, South Dakota State 23 ppg

Royce White, Iowa State 20

Trent Lockett, Arizona State 18

Alec Brown, Wisconsin-Green Bay 14.5

Jared Berggren, Wisconsin

and Mike Muscala, Bucknell 11 each

Shooting leaders

Lockett 68 percent

Jordair Jett, St. Louis 67

White 54

Ross Travis, Penn State 50

Estan Tyler, UM-KC 50

Rebounding

White 11

Brown and Lockett 10

Muscala 9

Assists

Wolters 6

Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin

and Tyler, UM-KC 4

Steals

White 3

Taylor and Lockett 2

Blocks

White 2

Turnovers

White 3.5

Lockett 3

A Couple Stories

Royce White, who is listed as a sophomore at Iowa State, has arrived on the college scene and will absolutely leave a mark, even if he only plays for this one season. He scored 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting in his 1st game, then basically let loose, scoring 46 points on 18-of-33 shooting the next 2 games, with 25 rebounds. He also has 10 assists but also 14 turnovers in 3 games. Imagine Royce White with Trevor Mbakwe, Ralph Sampson and Rodney Williams for the Gophers. Ralph or Rodney might have transferred out by now if White had been able to play in a timely fashion.

The other feel-good story is the Wisconsin Badgers at 3-0 with Jared Berggren and Mike Brusewitz joining Jordan Taylor in the starting lineup. Berggren is scoring 11 points, Taylor 9 and Brusewitz 7 per game so far. All 3 are shooting in the 44-47 percent range, all are averaging 4-5 boards. Taylor is averaging 6 assists and 1 turnover.

Diaper Dandies

Ross Travis at Penn State has probably opened more eyes than anybody. He came off the bench in his 1st game (exhibition) and scored 4 points with 8 boards in 27 minutes. That earned him a start, whereupon he froze up (2 points but 7 boards in 13 minutes). Coming off the bench against a pair of D1 opponents, he scored 6 points and 7 boards in 28 minutes. Total average 3 points, 5.5 boards and a block in 17 minutes.

Then there's Estan Tyler. Yeah, I know, it's only UM-KC. But it's D1. He came off the bench his 1st 3 games (2 exhibitions), and averaged 26 minutes, 9 points on 69 percent shooting, 3 boards, 3 assists and a steal. Then taking a starting slot, his 1st start was at Bradley where he amassed 8 points, 4 boards and 5 assists in 36 minutes. In his 2nd start he scored 9 with 3 boards and 3 assists. I look for Tyler to transfer to a higher D1 program before he's done, maybe not the Big 10 but a Bradley or Drake or somebody like that. My personal opinion is he could play anywhere Joe Coleman or Jordair Jett or D. J. Peterson (LaSalle) can play.

Shelby Moats of Waconia is a frosh at highly-rated Vanderbilt. He's played in 2 of 4 games so far. In fact he scored 10 points with 5 boards in his 1st game (exhibition). He failed to score in his 2nd game, however.

Still waiting for Kevin Noreen and Bob Huggins to click. Kevin has played just 5 minutes in West Virginia's 1st 2 games, including a shocking 10-point home loss to Kent State. If the Moutaineers are rebuilding and Noreen is still not logging any time, I don't see how this ends well.

2-3 years from now the best Minnesotans in D1 will be (sophomores and younger but in college today):

C- Alec Brown, Wisconsin-Green Bay, and Sam Dower, Gonzaga, platooning

PF- Shelby Moats, Vanderbilt

SF- Ross Travis, Penn State (Royce White will have moved on)

Wing- Joe Coleman, Minnesota

PG- Estan Tyler, UM-KC

6th- Jordair Jett, St. Louis