2024-25 St. Paul City Conference Preview

This is the 8th preview in my 2024-2025 season preview series.  Now its time to look at the city leagues and St. Paul goes first.  For a list of all the season previews and how they are generated, click here.

Central Minutemen (2023-24 season 20-7, 12-0 Conference, 1st)
Coach Scott Howell returns his top 2 scorers in a strong perimeter rotation.  Guard Allan Lankfard (19.1 PPG) is one of the league's top guards.  He'll play on and off the ball.  Junior Eli Moseman (14.9 PPG) also returns to the starting lineup on the wing.  Junior Finnegan Bloedel returns to man the front line.  Junior Etienne Reyes also returns to the guard rotation.  They'll be supplemented by a JV squad that lost only to Johnson in league play.

Como Park Cougars (2023-24 season 9-18, 5-7 Conference, tie 4th)
Forward Mason Aarness averaged 17.1 PPG as the lone double figure scorer.  3 of the top 4 scorers are gone.  Junior guard Contrell Jenkins (9 PPG) leads the remaining roster.  Hezekiah Bradshaw and Kavaughn Lissimore are 2 other juniors who should be major parts of the rotation as well.  Senior Dashawn Robinson (7.1 PPG) and Braylon Felton are the 2 seniors returning.  Wing DeJaun Jones transfers in from Minneapolis Southwest and should be a rotation factor as well.  Not much size for the roster.

Harding Knights (2023-24 season 18-7, 8-4 Conference, 3rd)
Senior PG Ai'jhon Douglas (21.3 PPG) is one of the better players people don't know about.  4 other rotation guys join him this year in a senior laden lineup.  Mahamadou Kamara, Nathaniel Chea, Julius Terrell and junior Salman Hussein form a strong perimeter group with Douglas.  Who does the dirty work for them inside?

Highland Park Scots (2023-24 season 7-18, 5-7 Conference, tie 5th)
Former Concordia Academy star Zach Towle returns home to take over the Scots program.  He's spent time coaching at the JUCO level.  Leading scorer Xavier May (19.6 PPG) and wing Quintice Combs (15.3 PPG) need to be replaced.  Senior PG Yared Yohannes (16.8 PPG) is the top option.  Soph Leo Clifford will play a much bigger role.  A couple other starters return too.  The freshman squad tied with Johnson for the league title so there is youth there.

Humboldt Hawks (2023-24 season 12-16, 2-10 Conference, 6th)
The Hawks have to replace their 3 top scorers including 20.5 PPG from guard Albert Wellington.  The sophomore class looks to build from here.  Guard Fadil Alabi and forward Taurean Williams were starters as freshmen last year.  They'll be the top scoring options this year.  A bunch of other sophs saw time last year and will need to develop into bigger roles.

Johnson Governors (2023-24 season 19-5, 10-2 Conference, 2nd)
The excellent guard duo of Dhimani Tucker and Jalani Mays plus forward Daejohn Smith-Pugh all need to be replaced.  But plenty returns and the Govs JV and Frosh squads won the city.  Junior power forward Kenny Turner (14.5 PPG) is the top big man in the league and the main threat for Johnson.  Junior guards Octavious Johnson and Guarino Kamp were rotation pieces last season.  They're part of a talented junior class.  Tyrel Pride comes over from Tartan to join that group.  Soph PG Colin Moore returns to the lineup to run the show.

Washington Eagles (2023-24 season 2-25, 0-12 Conference, 7th)
Former Maryland player Chris McCray takes over a program that has gone winless in league play the last 2 seasons.  The league's leading scorer Shawn Huberty (27.6 PPG in league play) gives the Eagles a piece to work with.  Guard Jonathan Santiago (14 PPG) needs to be replaced.  Not much firepower in the rest of the lineup as nobody else averaged more than 3.9 PPG in league play.

Predicted Order of Finish

1. Johnson 
   
2. Central 
3. Harding  
4. Highland Park     
   
5. Como Park  
   
6. Humboldt 
7. Washington

Conference Overview:
For 20 straight years Central or Johnson has been the St. Paul representative in the Twin Cities Game.  I don't see that changing this season.  I like Johnson here as they have size that Central doesn't.  But its hard to argue against the defending champs with their top 2 guys coming back.  Harding took their east side rival Johnson to the wire twice last year.  Ditto that with 2 close losses to Central.  They have enough returning to break into that top 2.  It drops off significantly in the battle for the middle spot.  Washington gets the last spot by default.  I'll take Highland at the next spot.  Como out battles a very young and small Humboldt squad for the 5 spot.

Conference MVP: Allan Lankfard Jr - Central

Underclassmen to watch: 

• Leo Clifford - Highland Park
  
• Fadil Alabi, Taurean Williams, Luke Hobday, Char Davis - Humboldt
• Colin Moore, Amri Bobmanuel, Arsee Gabi, Aaron Howard - Johnson
  

Conference Games to Watch

• Harding at Johnson - Jan 10th
  
• Central at Johnson - Jan 22nd
• Central at Harding - Jan 24th
  
• Johnson at Harding - Feb 5th
  
• Johnson at Central - Feb 13th
  
• Harding at Central - Feb 19th
• Twin Cities Game - Mar 1st (Minneapolis Champion)
  

Non-Conference Games to Watch

• Johnson at St. Croix Lutheran - Dec 3rd
• Harding at Tartan - Dec 3rd
  
• South St. Paul at Johnson - Dec 6th
  
• Johnson vs Maple Grove - Jan 11th (Southside Showcase II)
• River Falls at Central - Feb 24th
• Harding at Maple Grove - Feb 24th