Minnesota Basketball Awards–2024-2025 Award Preview

Some of you may know that I have named the Minnesota basketball team, player, coach and game of the year going back to the 1890s. So, as the calendar flips over from the early (the 2024) part of the current season to the mid (the January and February 2025) season, can we begin to anticipate who might be the candidates for this year’s Minnesota basketball awards? Well, of course we can. Here the are. We’ll assess the candidates first on a team by team basis.

Minnesota Lynx–Don’t forget that the 2025 Lynx will be a part of the 2024-2025 awards, and the Lynx, Napheesa Collier and Cheryl Reeve are all expected to be contenders. But, they are unique in that right now, we know nothing about their credentials for the current year. But, especially if there’s a category that looks a little bit weak this year–and we’re not saying that there is–but, if so, then the Lynx, Collier and/or Reeve could all be contenders come next fall.

Minnesota Timberwolves–The Wolves have of course fallen mightily from last year, and it would be silly not to say that the trade of Karl Anthony Towns to the Knicks for John Randle and Dante DeVincenzo isn’t the main reason why. Towns was obviously a lot better than people gave him credit for. The Wolves and coach Chris Finch are not contenders for any awards; the only question is whether Anthony Edwards remains in the running, but his numbers are down and he doesn’t look quite so much like the 2nd coming anymore after Shai Gilgeous Alexander outscored him 40 to 20 the other night. SGA has turned out to be the player that Edwards was supposed to be.

Minnesota Gopher men–I love the Gophers and I love Ben Johnson, but they ain’t goin’ nowhere. Time for a change. Dawson Garcia is an outstanding player however, and it’s not out of the question for him to be the PoY. He’s having a better year than Ant Edwards.

Minnesota Gopher women–Now here’s a story. The Gophers have not been good over the past half dozen years or more, and now, for the 2nd straight year, they’ve lost 2 key players to injuries. And, yet, they’re 14-1 with 2 solid wins in the Bog 10. Right now it’s not out of the question for them to win 20 and make the NCAA tornament. Coach Dawn Plitzuweit is an obvious CoY camdidate, I wrote earlier this season that someday she may be looked upon as the best coach the Gophers (women) have ever had. With Mara Braun out with an injury, Amaya Battle would seem to be the Gophers MVP.

St. Thomas men and women–Both teams are making the kind of progress we thought that they would make, though the men under coach Johnny Tauer are ahead of the women right now. 20 wins and a Summit title are not out of the question for the men, while the women will always have South Dakota State standing in their way. Still, Jo Langbehn might be the best player between the 2 programs.

NSIC men and women–Both the Minnesota State (Mankato) men and women won the national titles last year. The women seem poised to repeat in the NSIC, at least, and that puts the women’s team, coach Emilee Thiesse and wing Natalie Bremer in the running for post-season awards. The Mankato men do not appear to be poised for a repeat and so the main award contenders might be coach Brad Bigler of Southwest State and guard Antawn Kimmons of Concordia St. Paul.

MIAC men and women–Gustavus is a solid contender among both the men and the women. 2 or 3 NCAA tournament wins could get them into award contention.

High school boys–Hopkins looks like the best team, Kenny Novak the best coach, and I kind of like Nolan Groves of Orono as PoY.

High school girls–Maddyn Greenway continues to make her case as the greatest Minnesota high school girls basketball player ever. Providence beat AAAA champion Hopkins 2 years ago and was the best girls team in the state. They’re the best again this year, at least as of the present time. The best coach in the business may be Dan Westby, who has Marshall poised at 11-0 at thr present time.

Team of the Year

Minnesota Lynx–purely guesswork at this point, but my guess is that the Lynx have another pretty good season, a little better than what the Gopher women can do. A high school team could also win the award.

Minnesota Gopher women

Hopkins boys

Providence girls

Mankato State women

Player of they Year

Maddyn Greenway, Providence, 5-9, junior, G. What she has already achieved is off the charts.

Natalie Bremer, Minnesota State (Mankato), 5-11, junior, wing

Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx, 6-1, F. A WNBA MVP award could get her this award as well.

Dawson Garcia, Minnesota, 6-11, senior, power forward

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves, 6-4, G

Coach of the Year

Dawn Plitzuweit, Minnesota Gopher women. This one is still wide open.

Johnny Tauer, St. Thomas men

Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota Lynx

Emilee Thiesse, Minnesota State Mankato women

Kenny Novak, Hopkins boys, and Dan Westby, Marshall girls

 

 

RELATED POSTS

CATEGORIES

Filters
Reset