Who was that? team

Every season there are players who burst on to the scene that aren't household names and may not be known to even the hardcore fan.  These players aren't the top players on their team, stars on the AAU scene and they don't necessarily project well at the college level.  But they have big impact for their high school teams and makes you say "Who was that?" when you see them play.  So without further ado, here's my "Who was that?" team for players from the first month of the 2011-12 season.

PG - Brandon Arnold (Chanhassen)
SG - Renard Suggs (Woodbury)
SF - Ryan Saarella (Lakeville North)
PF - Desmond Williams (FAIR)
C - Jordan Burich (Roseville)

Honorable Mention - Shawn Fitzgibbons (DeLaSalle).

Arnold has shown a special passing ability and can impact a game without scoring.  His 16 assist performance at St. Thomas Academy for layup after layup was a real pleasure to watch.  He continued that trend with good play at the Best Buy Holiday Classic.

The name Suggs makes you immediately think of slasher Ricky Suggs but Renard is a real sniper.  His 7 3s and 33 points at Roseville were a huge factor for the Royals.  He's athletic and not afraid to go to the rack either.  Reminds me a bit of former DLS star Bretson McNeal.

Saarela has been one of the big reasons why Lakeville North hasn't dropped off despite not having star Tyler Flack.  His hustle inside and versatility are major factors.  He's averaging 16.5 PPG to help fill the void.

Williams has had a dropoff since the entrance of Deonte Blakemore for the Falcons.  He put up some huge numbers early against a weak schedule but his 31 point performance against Gage Deis at Prairie Seeds Academy in a big conference game was eye opening.  He's limited to his right hand and won't be a post at the next level due to his 6'4 size but he's been a great compliment to their star Darrion Scott.

Burich has been a real spark plug for the Raiders.  He scored 27 points with 10 blocks in a close loss to Minneapolis Washburn.  He also had 17 points with 12 blocks in a win over St. Paul Johnson.  Roseville's guards were a known quantity but he's addressed the interior questions.  The 6'6 junior has some bounce and room to bulk up.  Don't be surprised to see his stock seriously rise in the next year.

Fitzgibbons was a known quantity as I remember him as a big time scorer as a freshman hence the down grade to honorable mention but he's had a nice year for the Islanders so far and deserves mention.  With freshman Jarvis Johnson and soph Reid Travis being names that people think of, he slides under the radar.