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(updated 3/20/2008)
by Ryan James
Today we are getting an edge on next year's Breakdown Boys Preview by listing our top 30 juniors. Of course this list can change with the state tournament coming up and a spring and summer of AAU basketball right around the corner, but we thought we'd put up the top 30 right now.
 The first sophomores to come to mind are guards of Duluth East and of Minneapolis Patrick Henry. I'm not sure of Starks's per game average at the end of the year but he was averaging between 28 and 30 throughout the season. His mid range jumper is very consistent, Dyami's strength allows him to score in the middle, and he has to run point as well as lead East on the glass. Overall Starks is a very talented combo guard whose scoring totals in the next two years could rival what Gopher Lawrence Westbrook did in his high school days in Arizona. That's right, be prepared for some 40 points games on regular.
 Then we have Jordan Hughes who has an incredible shooting stroke and averaged 19 points a game for the state bound Patrick Henry Patriots. When Hughes is on nobody can stop his hot hand except himself because the up-tempo Henry offense moves the ball so quick that defenders struggle to stay with Jordan. Hughes is also effective running the floor, he can apply defensive pressure with his quick feet, and Jordan has also been known to drop some spectacular dimes.
Turning our attention to the big fellas, two have made their claim as the dominant posts. One is Cretin-Derham Hall's and the other is Minnesota's top sophomore basketball prospect .
Henderson scored 11.8 points per game this year for the Raiders. His solid footwork and agility at 6-foot-8, 301 pounds allows him to beat opposing defenders down the floor, to catch and finish in the paint. For a man his size Seantrell can get off the floor and finish at the rim consistently and only a few posts in state could slow him down inside.
 Calcaterra has been limited by injuries for part of the year but he was still putting up regular double-doubles for the Lumberjacks. His combination of length, size, and agility with a shooting touch has several colleges intrigued including Minnesota's Tubby Smith who has already offered the Cloquet big man. The word potential sticks to Chad quite well as Iowa State, Northern Iowa, North Dakota State and South Dakota State have also offered and just about every team in the Midwest is interested.
 There are also some players out there who are going to hang around Minnesota's all time leading scorers list for a long time. Sure it helps that Cass Lake-Bena's and Minnesota Transitions' play in high-octane offensive systems at the class A level but you cannot discard their talents. Wind is a smooth wing putting up numbers for the state tourney bound Panthers and Noreen has led Transition to the same level as a sweet stroking 6-foot-7 forward. And you can't talk about sophomores putting up major numbers without mentioning Dyami Starks once again as well as Nevis's .
Then we have some talented sophomores who are playing roles for good teams right now but you will see them getting major run next year as juniors.
is a 6-foot-3 guard who comes off the Hopkins bench to play throughout the backcourt and last night in a loss to Minnetonka he handled some of the point duties. is a 6-foot-11 Henry Sibley center that has improved vastly at the Warrior junior varsity level. He hasn't cracked the line-up much this year because he has a pair of division one forwards in front of him in Chris Halvorsen and Mike Bruesewitz plus a pair of hardworking seniors in Marcus Garcia and Kavon Martin. But Jake has made outstanding improvements for Sibley this year.
 Also playing roles in programs are Eden Prairie's , Willmar's , Benilde-St. Margaret's , Minnetonka's , and then DeLaSalle's who had a nice end to the season. Jaspers is a very explosive wing who averaged 8.4 points for the year including double figure scoring games in six of the last seven Islander contests. Then there is Ervin who scored in the area of ten points a game and he has a nice combination of ability playing around the block and on the perimeter with his shooting touch.
And another sophomore playing in an up and coming program is who averaged 15.3 points per game. Tor hit from all over this year playing for Prior Lake making a total of 47 three-point shots leading Prior Lake to a 17 win season. He had a high of 24 versus Edina.
Keep an eye on Sibley East's as coaches out in the western plains are talking about his ability in a legit 6-foot-6 body. And are you looking for a smooth handler to watch make plays? from Burnsville is your guy as he will finish or create with a flare.
- Tor Anderson, Prior Lake
- Manani Beavers, Tartan
- Marshall Bjorklund, Sibley East
- Craig Brown, Park
- Chad Calcaterra, Cloquet
- Darius Clare, Delano
- Jon Crockett, Totino-Grace
- Peter Crawford, Benilde-St. Margaret's
- Brett Ervin, Eden Prairie
- Taylor Filipek, Willmar
- Dan Geiger, New Prague
- Tony Gerding, Centennial
- Trevor Gruis, Ellsworth
- Alex Hanks, St. Cloud Tech
- Josh Hanson, Maranatha Christian Academy
- Seantrell Henderson, Cretin-Derham Hall
- Jordan Hughes, Minneapolis Henry
- Jelen Jaspers, DeLaSalle
- Devin Knopke, Burnsville
- Jake Kreuser, Henry Sibley
- Deron Murphy, Bloomington Kennedy
- Kevin Noreen, Minnesota Transitions
- DJ Peterson, Hopkins
- Jordan Riewer, Staples-Motley
- Dyami Starks, Duluth East
- Cole Stefan, Minnetonka
- Jacob Thomas, Columbia Heights
- Nolan Toft, Nevis
- Scott Willenbring, Rocori
- Martin Wind, Cass Lake-Bena
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