Big 12 Classic: State of Minnesota is loaded with talent

ST. PAUL, Minnesota -- The state of Minnesota has no shortage of high level prospects and a majority of them took the floor at the Big 12 Classic at Cretin-Durham Hall. Top 25 sophomore Kendall Brown had his breakout performance and was one of several heavily recruited players taking the floor.

Now the pressure is going to be on Kendall Brown to perform like this on a regular basis.The 6-foot-6 sophomore was oh-so-good in a breakout performance for East Ridge.

If Brown goes on to be a big time player, his 26 point effort on Saturday night will be the game I look back to and say, "Yep, you could see this coming."

What struck me the most is Brown's feel for the game, skill level and the pace at which he plays. He's a smooth ball handler who plays the point and shooting guard spots for his team and he's a versatile scorer. On top of that, he's a big time athlete who can defend. He knocked down threes, he got to the rim and he made impressive passes off the dribble in a complete outing.

Baylor, Creighton, Minnesota, Nebraska and St. Louis are among the teams who have offered early but he's got a chance to be recruited at the highest level.

Just a week ago, Jalen Suggs was winning a state football title as the quarterback of Minneapolis (Minn.) Minnehaha Academy. Saturday, the best two-sport athlete in the class of 2020 played the part of a five-star point guard and he played it very well.

It says a lot to me that Suggs could have taken some time off after his state title but instead chose to show up at basketball practice the first day he could. At 6-foot-4 with a solid build and good athleticism, he fits the part physically of a big time point guard but he performed like one too.

Suggs found open teammates with slick dishes, he stroked smooth looking jump shots from deep and he defended at a high level. He looks more polished than ever and is very deserving of his lofty national ranking.

There has been some talk that Suggs is going to shift his focus to basketball and that his football days are over. However, Suggs told me that he's not yet made a decision on focusing on hoops or continuing to play two sports.

He does want to take some visits this winter and he's got a lot of schools in mind. Suggs told me that even though he knows it could be tough to get to them all this winter, he would like to see Arizona, Florida, Georgetown, Gonzaga, Kansas, Tennessee, West Virginia and a few more if he can.

In an afternoon game, top 50 junior big men Dawson Garcia and Dain Dainja offered contrasting styles, but both of these guys have games that are built on skill first.

A 6-foot-8 big man with a big and strong body, Dainja's Park Center team got the win over Garcia's Prior Lake squad, but they each impressed.

Texas head coach Shaka Smart was on hand to see Garcia -- who visited Texas officially earlier in the fall -- and he impressed with 31 points and 12 rebounds. A smooth athlete who can handle the ball and shoot from deep, Garcia also showed off impressive instincts around the rim and though he's slender, his body is the kind that can carry more muscle pretty easily. He also took an official visit to Baylor but said he's in no hurry to make a decision.

Dainja is much stronger and more of a ball handler and playmaker for others. He almost plays as a point center at times and he is a good jump shooter who has to be accounted for out to the three point line. Dainja has as good a pair of hands as there are in the country. He had some foul trouble and sometimes tries to hit the home run when a single will do, but he made some key plays late while finishing with 17. He said he saw Baylor, Illinois, Minnesota and Northwestern during the summer.

.... Last week, top 40 senior Zeke Nnaji committed to Arizona and on Saturday he showed why he has so much potential and why he's still got work to do to reach it in Tucson. Nnaji is every bit of 6-foot-10 and a very smooth and coordinated athlete who has excellent lateral quickness. He also has soft touch and legitimate three point range on a jump shot. But, he can be frustrated by double teams and physical play and forced into turnovers. Like many young bigs who can shoot, he hunts jumpers a bit much and will be really dangerous once he gets comfortable with a few go to post up moves.

.... Teammates of Jalen Suggs at Minnehaha Academy, sophomore big man Chet Holmgren and freshman forward Prince Aligbe are pretty talented as well. A near seven footer who moves pretty well and has a nice looking jump shot, it will be interesting to see how well the Brandon Ingram skinny Holmgren can add bulk. He's already got offers from Minnesota, Purdue, Texas A&M and Western Kentucky. A hard playing and super athletic forward, Aligbe seeks the rim for dunks and will get on the glass. Both guys will be fun to watch.

.... There were times that 2020 four-star Ben Carlson appeared frustrated by Zeke Nnaji's length on both ends of the floor. But, the tough 6-foot-8 junior didn't let it impact his play in too negative of a way and still put together a double double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. I'd bet on him turning into an energy guy with some faceup ability in college and he's got Creighton, Colorado, Ohio State, Xavier, Minnesota, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Stanford, Nebraska and others who have made scholarship offers.

.... Early returns suggest that freshman Trejaun Holloman could be the next high level point guard out of Minnesota. He's tough, he makes good decisions, he can score and he can really defend. Carrying an offer from Minnesota already, Holloman just missed out on a triple double and has set a high bar for his future.

.... Finally Stanford fans should really grow to like Tyrell Terry before his time in Palo Alto is through. The slender point guard is a very skilled, cerebral and sneaky competitive player who can score, get teammates involved and has a legit weapon in his pull-up jumper. Terry does some things offensively that are similar to, though not as prolific, Trae Young at the same state.