The Rebels Start The Season

Here are a few of my observations from the teams 4 game scrimmage (Benilde, Braham, Monticello and Rogers) today at Monticello High School. The team has great speed, quickness, athleticism but lacks any significant height on the front line. An uptempo style of play may best benefit this group to help offset their lack of size. Though the front line lacks height, they have good strength, toughness and versatility.

I left today’s scrimmages with the impression that the key to the Rebels season rest clearly on the shoulders of post player Blair Dittrich.

Here are the team’s top 8 players and what you will see from them this season:

· Jasper Duberry (Jr) Guard - returns to be the point guard (last years point guard Zerrick Fuller did not return) for the team after playing on the wing last year. Duberry made the Breakdowns Fab 40 Juniors list and had a very productive off-season. The most notable things I noticed about this returning slashing guard is that he has added 3-point range shooting and better open court decision making.

· Scott Theisen (Sr) Wing - brings back his incredible 3-point shooting range and accuracy. Theisen who is listed on the Breakdowns Top 100 Seniors list is one of the best shooters in the state and looks like he might have grown another inch or two. Theisen is now putting the ball on the floor and attacking the basket for nice mid range jump shots.

· Josh Pella (Jr) Post - brings his much needed body, strength and his ability to play larger than his 6’4 frame. Pella runs the floor very well and has great range on his jump shot and is able to step out to the 3-point line and consistently knock down 3’s. Pella appears to have added some strength and muscle mass from the summer, which the team will need on the front line.

· Kyle Zimmermann (Jr) Post – this returning starter brings back his craftiness around the basket, toughness and intelligence. Zimmermann’s versatility will be stretched this year, as he will be needed more on the front line do to the Rebels lack of size. Zimmermann is currently practicing but not playing as he is recuperating from a back injury and should be back in a few weeks.

· Tyler Munneke (Sr) Guard – played some varsity minutes last year and will give the team another good perimeter shooter and heady player. Munneke brings good on ball defense and a stableness that the team will need.

· Brandon Marquardt (Jr) Guard – will come off the bench with a toughness and quickness that will keep the team playing at an up-tempo. Marquardt is a strong player (one of the top running backs in the state), good passer and has the ability to get to the basket.

· D’Andre Williamson (Jr) Post – easily the Rebels biggest and strongest player who will see some starts and playing time because of the Rebels lack of front line size. Williamson is a banger, good rebounder and bruiser type player. Williamson lacks the skill level or talent to be a productive player, which makes Dittrich an important player for the Rebels.

· Blair Dittrich (Jr) Post - an athletic 6’3ish 200 pound strong under size post player with good skills, footwork and strength. One of his best attributes is his great hands, which is why he was a starting wide receiver on the Rebels football team. Dittrich has good touch around the basket, plays within himself and gets up and down the court. Look for him to progressively get better and make the adjustment to varsity basketball. Dittrich should get some starts and play more significant minutes as the season progresses.

My initial starting line up would be: Duberry (1), Theisen (2), Zimmermann (3), Pella (4) and Dittrich (5).

The Jr Varsity team (minus six juniors playing up on varsity) looks like they will have a productive season as the school has one of the deepest junior classes in the state. Look for sophomore TJ Okafor (the teams only sophomore) to get some quality playing time as the season progresses.

CP Makes The Breakdown's Pre-Season Top 15 List

BOYS BASKETBALL

(Nov. 23, 2008)

CLASS 4A

1. Hopkins
2. Henry Sibley
3. Robbinsdale Cooper
4. St. Cloud Tech
5. Minnetonka
6. Osseo
7. Eden Prairie
8. Apple Valley
9. Owatonna
10. Cretin-Derham Hall
11. Lakeville North
12. Prior Lake
13. Wayzata
14. Blaine
15. Champlin Park

CLASS 3A

1. Mpls Washburn
2. St. Paul Johnson
3. Mankato West
4. Mpls Patrick Henry
5. Monticello
6. DeLaSalle
7. St. Cloud Apollo
8. Willmar
9. St. Thomas Academy
10. Holy Angels
11. Orono
12. Rocori
13. Benilde-St. Margaret's
14. Columbia Heights
15. Cloquet

CLASS 2A

1. St. Bernard's
2. Pelican Rapids
3. Plainview/Elgin-Millville
4. Stewartville
5. Staples-Motley
6. Braham
7. Sibley East
8. Minnehaha Academy
9. Concordia Academy
10. Glencoe-Silver Lake
11. Hawley
12. Blue Earth Area
13. LeSueur-Henderson
14. Virginia
15. Redwood Valley

CLASS 1A

1. Bethlehem Academy
2. Ellsworth
3. Cass Lake-Bena
4. Minnesota Transitions
5. Bertha-Hewitt
6. Norman County East
7. Chisholm
8. Mankato Loyola
9. Granada-Huntley-East Chain
10. Cedar Mountain/Comfrey
11. Adrian
12. Westbrook-Walnut Grove
13. Dawson-Boyd
14. Cotton
15. Sebeka

Jasper Duberry Creating Interest @ St Cloud State

College athletes studies guided toward 'major in eligibility'

Former Boise State safety Marty Tadman took the easiest classes when he was in school. "You're going to school so you can stay in sports," Tadman said. "You're not going for a degree. ... It's a joke."

By Jill Lieber Steeg, Jodi Upton, Patrick Bohn and Steve Berkowitz, USA TODAY

Steven Cline left Kansas State University last spring with memories of two years as a starting defensive lineman for a major-college football team. He left with a diploma, credits toward a master's degree and a place on the 2007 Big 12 Conference all-academic team.

He also left with regrets about accomplishing all of this by majoring in social sciences — a program that drew 34% of the football team's juniors and seniors last season, compared with about 4% of all juniors and seniors at Kansas State. Cline says he found not-so-demanding courses that helped him have success in the classroom and on the field but did little for his dream of becoming a veterinarian.

"I realize I just wasted all my efforts in high school and college to get a social science degree," says Cline, who adds he did poorly in biology as a freshman, then chose what an athletics academic adviser told him would be an easier path.

Read the entire story and more at http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2008-11-18-majors-cover_N.htm

Congratulations To Jasper!

Congratulations to Jasper Duberry for making the 2008 Breakdown FAB 40 Juniors list.

Jasper Duberry Makes Top Prospects List

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MARTIN BROS – ATTACK

SHOWCASE
NOV 8TH & 9TH 2008
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA
CEDAR FALLS, IA
VAN COLEMAN AND STAFF

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Jasper attended the Martin Brothers-Attack Showcase over the weekend that was held at the University of Northern Iowa. Due to prior commitments Jasper only attended the Saturday session. The showcase was well attended (probably around 150 players) and had some talented players there. Van Coleman and his staff was there and had this to say ...

Jasper Duberry 6-0 PG (2010) Champlin, MN Champlin Park

This solid junior point can knock down three pointers to set up penetration. He has an explosive first step, can finish drive or hit open man with accuracy. He should see low to mid-major interest start to develop over the winter.

Read the entire article at : http://test.hoopmasters.com/index.php

Nothing's Junior About Their Skills ...

by Ryan James
The BREAKDOWN
(updated 11/5/2008)

The 2010 prospect rankings are being sorted through right now but you may not see some of the state’s top juniors at the top of the list. The reason for that is simple, some of the best juniors in state are just not very tall. However, what they lack in height some of these kids surely bring in game.

Minneapolis Patrick Henry’s Jordan Hughes was listed at 5-foot-7 last year and Richfield’s Jauson Sewer is a taller 5-foot-9. Hughes produced 19 points a game highlighting the year with some incredible shooting performances beyond the arc and he helped lead the Patriots to the final four in state. Sewer put up 12 a game as a sophomore and then went on to have a breakout spring and summer showcasing some monster games that has produced him division one college interest. Sewer is also an impressive shooter from deep and he has outstanding lift on his shot.

Division one schools are most certainly aware of Hughes and Sewer but teams at the highest level will wait because of the size. While teams are waiting to find somebody with similar abilities only six or seven inches taller some other mid or low major teams are going to take a chance on Hughes or Sewer and receive the benefits. Although I have heard that Jordan does have some grade concerns so he may have to go through the junior college route first which is just fine and has worked out great for several Minnesotans lately.

There are several others under six-foot junior guards in Minnesota that will also make a big impact this year. Hughes’s teammate Louis Cox at Henry is also very talented and he can fill up the stat sheets with his jumper. Eastview point guard Vinard Birch had a great summer and was dynamite in the AAU state title game. Vinard might just be the more feared on-ball defender in his class. Aaron Anderson of Osseo has much explosion along with a scoring touch to boot. He will play both guard positions for his team this year and Aaron really has a smooth game.

Others like Dajon Newell of Lakeville North and Michael Johnson of Grand Rapids are also strong players and under the six foot mark as juniors. Champlin Park’s Jasper Duberry fit the category last year as 5-foot-11 although in the Minnehaha Fall League I thought he had grown some near the six-foot mark but his talent deserves the mention nonetheless. Duberry and Zerrick Fuller will give the Rebels a strong duo of lead guards to run the team with.

Jasper Duberry Creating Interest At Baylor

Jasper Duberry Receives Club USA Invite

Jasper Duberry has been selected to represent the state of Minnesota for eight days in Hawaii this upcoming July at the college basketball coach coached and college basketball coach evaluated Club USA National High School Basketball Championships.

All attending high school basketball athletes are guaranteed to be coached by a college basketball coach at this championship tournament. Other college basketball coaches will be coaching and in attendance, as well. This showcase event will be great national exposure for high school basketball players.

2008-09 Northwest Suburban Preview from the Czar ...

Champlin Park Rebels (2007 Season 15-12, 12-6)
Jasper Duberry returns as a primary ballhandler. Last year's point guard Zerrick Fuller may or may not be back. Wing Scott Theisen comes back as one of the best premier shooters around. He had 11 triples in a game against Elk River last year. They'll be small with Kyle Zimmerman and Josh Pella as their top big players.

Click here to read the rest of the Czar's article