Dylan Petersen
Over the years, the standout AAU programs Howard Pulley and D1 Minnesota have been competing for the top spot in Minnesota and they are competing for the top spot yet again this year. Each team is filled with Minnesota’s best players and in this article I am going to review each team. Who do you think Minnesota’s top AAU team is D1 Minnesota or Howard Pulley
D1 Minnesota
D1 Minnesota has been a powerhouse in the Minnesota AAU scene for a while now. Recently, they have produced prospects like Matthew Hurt, Tyrell Terry, and Dawson Garcia. This year’s D1 Minnesota team looks like they will continue their dominance and continue to produce great prospects. They are currently 11-4 on the season.
This year’s team is very balanced and deep. They are led by the very strong frontcourt pair of Grayson Grove (Alexandria) and Jonathan Mekonnen (Eastview). 6 ‘9 Grayson Grove recently just committed to the Minnesota Gophers. He is a great two way player with an amazing stroke from 3. Mekonnen is an explosive above the rim player who has received multiple D1 Offers. He is one of the most underrated prospects in Minnesota’s 2024 class.
Next, we have to talk about the talented backcourt trio of Kole Hanson (Holy Family), Isaac Asuma (Cherry), and Tameron Ferguson (St.Cloud Tech). Kole Hanson is a fiery point guard who has in the gym range. Isaac Asuma, also a gopher commit, is an all-around floor general with a great basketball IQ. Tameron Ferguson is an offensive threat who can score from all levels of the court.
Lastly, D1 Minnesota has 2 very explosive wings: Isaiah Johnson (Totino Grace) and Patrick Rowe (Chisago Lakes). Isaiah Johnson has been dominating this spring and he has been receiving loads of offers. He recently just received an offer from Stanford. Patrick Rowe is a human highlight film, who will dunk everything in the transition game. Rowe has some D2 offers and a few D1 interests. This D1 Minnesota team is very deep and they definitely make a case for best AAU roster in Minnesota.
Howard Pulley
Howard Pulley might be known as Minnesota’s most notorious AAU program. They have produced many NBA players such as Tre Jones, David Roddy, and Zeke Nnaji. Howard Pulley has not been as dominant in the past few years, however this year’s squad is changing that narrative. Howard Pulley has proved to be a very good team on the EYCL circuit; currently, they have a record of 6-3 on the circuit.
Howard Pulley is led by three players with sky high potential: Jackson McAndrew (Wayzata), Daniel Freitag (Bloomington Jefferson), and Jack Robison (Lakeville North). So far, McAndrew has been dominating on the EYCL circuit with averages of 17 points per game and an eye opening 48 percent from three. McAndrew is a unique prospect, standing at 6 ‘9 he is an offensive machine. Daniel Freitag is currently leading the EYCL in assists per game at 5.2, proving that he is one of the nation’s most polished passers. Frietag is a very tough guard who can get hot from all levels of the court. Jack Robison is a 6’6 shooting guard who is committed to the Wisconsin Badgers. Jack Robison is very good at creating his own shot and he is a high threat from deep. He is also a sneaky good passer.
Next, we have to talk about the supporters for the talented trio for Howard Pulley. Andy Stefonowicz (Minnetonka) has not played much for Howard Pulley this spring due to injury. Once he is all healthy, he will be a high IQ point guard who will help run the offense for Howard Pulley. Jordan Cain (Minnetonka) is a high flying guard who has amazing finishing ability. Jayden Daisy (BSM) is a very solid all around player, he can do a little bit of everything. He also plays with a high motor on the defensive end.
Both of these AAU programs are known for their stacked rosters of talented prospects every year. This year’s D1 Minnesota team is a lot more balanced than Howard Pulley, however Howard Pulley is more star heavy. I think that Howard Pulley takes this matchup, Who do you got?
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