SUPERIOR — Subtracting an all-time program-leading scorer and one of the most prolific distributors in recent Minnesota prep basketball history from a lineup would, more often than not, spell the end of a team's title-contending window.
That hasn't been the case for the unbeaten and top-ranked Cherry Tigers.
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Even after the graduation of current Minnesota Gopher guard Isaac Asuma, one of only 15 players in Minnesota boys hoops history to eclipse the 3,000 career-point mark with 3,318, the defending state champs have maintained their position at the top of Class A with statement wins over No. 2 Dawson-Boyd and No. 9 Ada-Borup so far this season.
The carry-over success has been a collective effort, according to head coach Jordan Christianson.
“I told these guys at the beginning of the season (that) everybody’s gonna have to pick their game up just a little bit,” he said. “We’re not gonna be able to replace him with another player, because you don’t replace kids like that.”
Aiding in the transition to life without their five-year floor general has been the growth and development of sophomore Isaiah Asuma, who recently hit the 1,000-point milestone in a Dec. 19 game against Braham.
The 6-foot-2 point guard’s ability to facilitate and score at a high clip as a three-level scoring threat has loomed large in the team’s impressive start.
“Isaiah’s been the guy that’s been handling it the most for us, and he’s really grown up as a point guard,” said Christianson. “That dude just keeps getting better and better and better… and he’s leading our attack.”
Isaiah is one of four Cherry players handling the point guard duties at different times with 6-foot-2 senior Carson Brown, 6-foot-3 senior Noah Sundquist and 6-foot-2 junior Noah Asuma all capable of bringing the ball up the floor on a given possession.
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Upon reaching halfcourt, the team stays true to its “pass up a good shot for a great shot” mentality with lightning-quick ball movement wreaking havoc on opposing defenses as the team averages 85 points per game.
“We play as a team, I think that’s what really helps us,” said Sundquist, who reached the 2,000 career-point mark on Dec. 14 in a game against Sacred Heart. “Nobody’s too selfish. There can be one guy who goes for 30 … and then the next day the next guy will go (for 30) so it’s all equal scoring too all the time.”
As the wins continue to pile up this season, the battle-tested group—which has combined for three-straight state tournament appearances— isn’t looking too far ahead in hopes of defending its section crown and making another run at state.
“We’ve just been working hard, working together,” said Isaiah. “We can’t keep our heads too high, we just gotta keep our composure. We know we’re good, but know we’re not too good, and just (have to) keep working.”
Cherry staves off Hunters in high-scoring affair
A combined 42 points from the Denfeld guard combo MarNaries Ferguson and Lee Brooks provided the Tigers with all they could handle on Saturday in the Candy Cane Crossover tournament opener.
The Tigers, led by Sundquist’s 32-point performance, managed to fend off the Hunters’ second-half surge and come away with an 89-77 win at Superior High School.
“That was a really good test for us,” said Christianson. “They have two really good guards and they’ve got a bunch of big guys that can bang and play physical. We were able to match their physicality for the most part and outside of Ferguson going off, we did a pretty good job in the last eight minutes or so.”
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Throughout the game, Ferguson showcased his versatile scoring ability with hard drives and mid-range jumpers, but it was his dead-eye 3-point accuracy that helped guide the Hunters to a strong offensive start and an early lead in the first half.
The speedy 5-foot-10 guard knocked down two of the team’s four 3-pointers in the opening 18 minutes, leading the Tigers to a 16-13 lead. Ferguson and Lee Brooks led Denfeld with 11 points each by halftime.
The Tigers, using rapid-fire ball movement to create multiple open corner 3-point shots, took the lead at 20-18 and never relinquished it on their way to a 47-39 advantage at the break. Sundquist led Cherry with 17 first-half points, followed by Noah Asuma with 14 and a team-high three 3-pointers.
Ferguson and Brooks remained the offensive catalysts to start the second half, combining for seven of the team’s 10 points in a 10-5 run in the opening minutes while trimming the deficit to three at 52-49 and prompting a Cherry timeout.
The two teams were separated by three points once more at 60-57 before the Tigers used an 18-9 scoring burst fueled by multiple transition layups and an alley-oop from Noah Asuma to Sundquist to regain the momentum and maintain it into the final buzzer.
Both teams will close out the Superior tournament tomorrow with the Hunters (3-4) taking on Cambridge-Isanti at 2 p.m., while the Tigers (10-0) take on Superior at 4 p.m.
This story was edited at 9:28 p.m. to correct the final score. It was originally posted at 9:03 p.m. The News Tribune regrets the error.
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