2020-21 NW Suburban Conference Preview

This is the 11th preview in my 2020-2021 season preview series.  In this preview, a look at the Northwest Suburban Conference. For a list of all the season previews and how they are done, click here.

Andover Huskies (2019-20 season 13-15, 9-10 Conference, Tie 3rd North)
Guard Calvin Foy and his 12.9 PPG return after leading the team in scoring the last 2 seasons.  Sophomores Sammy Musungu (7.6 PPG) and Ben Kopetzki (5.2 PPG) are the next leading scorers that are coming back.  Expect them to play fast and let it fly as there's not much size.

Anoka Tornadoes (2019-20 season 4-23, 1-18 Conference, 7th North)
The youth movement continues for Anoka.  3 of the top 4 scorers including guards DeAndre Miller and Brody Lake need to be replaced.  Junior guards Japheth Nyamari (7.6 PPG), Keenan Rodriguez and Alpha Kamanda.  Soph guard Donald Prah also saw significant minutes last season.

Blaine Bengals (2019-20 season 10-16, 9-10 Conference, Tie 3rd North)
The Bengals need to replace 4 starters including leading scorer Isaiah Giles in the middle (12.7 PPG).  Junior forward Aaron Kaul (11.7 PPG) is the top returnee.  Samuel Olson (8 PPG) will see time in the middle.  Max Stepanek (5 PPG) will be an option on the wing.  Guard play is a question to be addressed.

Centennial Cougars (2019-20 season 4-23, 4-15 Conference, Tie 5th North)
Guard Jaxon Waldvogel (10.3 PPG) needs to be replaced.  The strength of this group should be in forwards Mason Lindsay (12.4 PPG) and Thomas Palmsteen (8.6 PPG). Guards Evan Walsh, Reese Neudahl, Taiden Johnson and Justin Doce also return to the rotation.

Champlin Park Rebels (2019-20 season 18-10, 13-6 Conference, 2nd North)
The Rebels lose a large and productive senior class.  But they return their 1-2 punch of bruising power forward Francis Nwaokorie (16.6 PPG) and PG Josh Strong (9.4 PPG).  Dylan Gichaba (5.8 PPG) gives them an athletic option on the wing.  Beyond that, very limited experience and not much known shooting.

Coon Rapids Cardinals (2019-20 season 8-19, 4-15 Conference, Tie 5th North)
Coach Mike Ogorek has to replace both of his double figure scorers from last year.  PG Jordan Doe (9.4 PPG) leads the returning roster.  Junior guard MJ Galimah (9.1 PPG) joins Doe in the back court along with Armanti Henry (7.7 PPG).  Elijah Smith will be a primary front court option.  Expect to see lots of him on top of the Cardinals 1-3-1 zone. 

Elk River Elks (2019-20 season 6-21, 3-16 Conference, 7th West)
Elk River returns a nice 1-2 punch in guard Parker Behne (8.6 PPG) and 6-8 power forward Brandon Melchior (9 PPG).  Both are juniors.  They will miss guards Payton Mielke (10.3 PPG) and Braydon O'Connor (9.5 PPG) who were the top 2 scorers a year ago.  Junior Caleb Gillquist and senior Nolan Blake should see expanded roles.  Junior Mason Mattingley is another offensive option.  Size is abundant as they can bring in 7 footer Daniel Cockroft or 6-8 Chase Lusignan.

Maple Grove Crimson (2019-20 season 23-5, 16-3 Conference, 1st North)
Maple Grove has to replace their strong guard duo of Lovell Williams (16.3 PPG) and RaShaun Parker (14.6 PPG) along with big man Sean Bergstrom.  Soph Lincoln Palbicki and Junior Payton Mogire should stop nicely into that inside slot.  Forward Caden Boettcher is the top scoring returnee at 8.2 PPG along with guard Jon Haakenson (7.9 PPG).  Jatai Dillard should see ball handling minutes.  Terence Anthony-Larmouth is an athletic presence on the wing.

Osseo Orioles (2019-20 season 10-17, 6-13 Conference, 6th West)
Osseo had their worst season in 15 years with just about anything that could go haywire happening last year.  I think they rebound from that in a big way.  Guard Tariq Henry (9 PPG) graduated and wing Hassan Kamara (6.3 PPG) is now at Columbia Heights.  The loaded junior class will lead the way.  Josh Ola-Joseph (13.5 PPG) is a jumping jack on 1 wing.  Benard Omooria (11.2 PPG) and Donald Ferguson are solid ball-handlers.  Tyriece Waits is another solid guard.  Blessed Barhayiga is a big body in the middle.  Senior Michael McIntyre and junior James Spencer are classic dirty-work power forwards who set the tone.

Park Center Pirates (2019-20 season 23-5, 17-2 Conference, 1st West)
The Pirates have to replace a loaded senior class that featured their top 5 scorers and 6 big contributors.  Dain Dainja (21.1 PPG) in the middle, guard Josh Brown (14.7 PPG) and swiss-army knife Detavius Frierson (11.8 PPG) were the leaders of that group.  The Pirates still have plenty of firepower coming back.  Guards Braeden Carrington (6.4 PPG) and Jalen Cook (4.2 PPG) can both score in bunches. James Parker (4.1 PPG) returns a big body in the middle.  Dawson Rudolph is another player who will see perimeter time.

Robbinsdale Armstrong Falcons (2019-20 season 19-8, 14-5 Conference, 4th West)
Versatile forward Jake Breitbach (14 PPG), shooter Adam Biewen (12.3 PPG) and C Hezekiah Iyawe (13.8 PPG) were the top 3 offensive options and need to be replaced.  The guard positions will be strong with D'Sean Larkins and Peyton Newburn returning to run the show.  Wing Dylan Inniger (6.0 PPG) is a knockdown shooter who I see having a breakout season.  Limited experience returns at the size spots.

Rogers Royals (2019-20 season 10-17, 7-12 Conference, 5th West)
All 5 starters need to be replaced for the Royals.  Forward Thomas Glad (12.7 PPG) and guard Sam Simpson (11.9 PPG) are the 2 double figure scorers in that group.  Junior Peyton Belka (5.3 PPG) looks to take over the point guard spot. Carter Daun provides length inside.  Football star Michael Olowo is an athlete on the wing.

Spring Lake Park Panthers (2019-20 season 23-5, 15-4 Conference, Tie 2nd West)
A very strong senior class has to be replaced.  Blake Remme (18.9 PPG) and Gabe Myren (17.8 PPG) graduated as the top 2 scorers in school history.  Forward Daydor Phillips (10.4 PPG) and PG Jacob Say (9.6 PPG) were also part of that group.  Forward Kaleb Skelly (9.8 PPG) had a breakout year last year and expect another jump from him this year as the top returnee.  Junior Nick Ojile joins him on the front line.  Senior Trey Johnson (7.2 PPG) is the top returning guard.  The posts are raw but do provide size.  Evan Fedoravicius and Fitzgerald Wreh are wings that look to step up into the rotation.

Totino-Grace Eagles (2019-20 season 20-9, 15-4 Conference, Tie 2nd West)
Its an embarassment of riches for the Eagles as they go 2 deep at all positions.  Everybody returns plus they add Demarion Watson-Saulsberry from Minnehaha and center Patrick Bath from North Dakota.  Taison Chatman runs the show and leads the scoring at 13.3 PPG. CJ O'Hara (12.9 PPG) and Tommy Humphries (6.3 PPG) are wings. Along with Bath, those 3 are all sophomores.  Then you have the senior group of PG DJ Akpati, C Joe Alt (7.9 PPG) and wings Devin Burger (10.2 PPG) and Carter Weierke (7.4 PPG).  Whatever the bench ends up being it alone would be a top 5 team in the league.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Totino-Grace
2. Maple Grove
3. Champlin Park
4. Osseo
5. Park Center
6. Robbinsdale Armstrong
   
7. Spring Lake Park  
8. Andover
9. Blaine
10. Centennial
11. Rogers
    
12. Coon Rapids
13. Elk River
    
14. Anoka

Conference Overview:
The schedule is simplified this year.  Teams will play within the league only.  The 5 games in December are non-conference games.  Then its a 13 game single round-robin after that to determine one overall champion.  Despite no divisions the western teams still are the stronger group.  They went 35-14 against the north last year.  Totino-Grace with everybody coming back plus a couple of huge transfers is the runaway favorite.  Maple Grove swept the north last year so I'll take them to hold off Champlin Park.  But the Rebels do get both Maple Grove and Totino-Grace at home so that's a big edge.  Osseo is talented enough to be in this group but after last year they get put at the back of that pack.  Park Center loses a ton but they still have scorers so they will look to jump into that top group.

Armstrong once again with big losses but I see them as the best of the rest.  Spring Lake Park also has to replace a ton but Kaleb Skelly keeps them afloat.  Andover is a team I think could surprise.  Blaine loses too much to be any higher.  At the bottom, its a bunch of rebuilding.

Conference MVP: Francis Nwaokorie - Champlin Park

Underclassmen to watch: 

• Ben Kopetzki, Sammy Msungu - Andover
• Donald Prah - Anoka
• Lincoln Palbicki - Maple Grove
• Tameron Ferguson - Osseo 
• JJ Ware - Park Center
  
• Seth Newbern - Robbinsdale Armstrong
• CJ O'Hara, Taison Chatman, Tommy Humphries, Patrick Bath - Totino-Grace

Conference Games to Watch

• Maple Grove at Champlin Park - Jan 5th 
• Champlin Park at Osseo - Jan 8th
  
• Maple Grove at Totino-Grace - Jan 14th
• Osseo at Maple Grove - Jan 20th
• Osseo at Totino-Grace - Jan 25th
• Totino-Grace at Champlin Park - Feb 11th
  

Non-Conference Games to Watch

• Totino-Grace at Park Center - Dec 8th
• Osseo at Champlin Park - Dec 8th
• Park Center at Maple Grove - Dec 15th
• Osseo at Park Center - Dec 18th
• Maple Grove at Champlin Park - Dec 18th
• Totino-Grace at Osseo - Dec 22nd
• Maple Grove at Osseo - Dec 29th