East Metro Showcase Has Top Talent

The East Metro Showcase IV held this Friday and Saturday at St. Paul Johnson High School features some of the top area teams. There are three games Friday and five contests Saturday. The following is a look at the non-Minnesota teams that will play Friday night. GoldenSports.Net will be in attendance with recaps and recruiting stories on the top prospects

East Metro Showcase IV
January 22, 2010


4:00 p.m. -- Superior (WI) vs. St John’s NW Military Academy (WI)
6:00 p.m. -- St. Pal Johnson (MN) vs. Milwaukee Vincent (WI)
8:00 p.m. -- Hopkins (MN) vs. Maple Northwestern (WI)

January 23, 2010

10:00 a.m. -- Superior (WI) vs. Minneapolis Washburn (MN)
Noon -- St John’s NW Military Academy (WI) vs. Eastview (MN)
2:00 p.m. -- Maple Northwestern (WI) vs. LaCrosse Aquinas (WI)
4:00 p.m. -- Milwaukee Vincent (WI) vs. St Paul Central (MN)

Superior is off to a 10-1 start, after finishing 19-4 and losing to Eau Claire North in the playoffs. The Spartans are led by 6-foot-2 senior Joel Lindberg, who is averaging 20.1 points per game. Outside shooter Rob Kraft is adding 13.7 points and 6-foot-5 junior Josh Kimmes, the lone player over 6-foot-3, scores 13.6 points.

St John’s NW Military Academy is 6-3 after finishing 20-2 last season. The Lancers are paced by Kevin Mays, who is averaging 13 points per game. The 6-foot-3 junior averaged 20.9 points last season, which drew the interest of Illinois. Six-foot-1 junior D.J. Mlachnik, who is getting interest from Northwestern and Liberty, is averaging 13.1 points. Sophomore guard Isaiah Gray, who is already getting lots of looks, according to head coach Brian Richert, is adding 11.2 points. Their lone player over 6-foot-3, Tim McGhee, didn’t accompany the team due to a disciplinary issue.

Milwaukee Vincent is off to an 8-2 start after a 13-9 season the previous year. The Vikings are led by 6-foot-5 freshman Deonte Burton, who is averaging 11.2 points. He is considered the #1 player in Wisconsin by Wishoops.net. Steve Durham, a 6-foot-5 senior, is adding 10.4 points.

Maple Northwestern finished 25-1 last season, losing to eventual champion Wisconsin Lutheran 61-58 in the WIAA Division 2 state semifinals. They are off to a 9-2 start, despite the loss of Steve Tecker, who averaged 21.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest as a junior. Tecker scored 28 points, grabbed seven rebounds and handed out six assists in the Tigers’ semifinal loss. He is sidelined for the season after undergoing hip surgery. The Tigers are led by 6-foot-8 senior Donnie Hissa, who is averaging 13.2 points per game. Lee Brown, a 6-foot-3 senior, is adding 11.2 points.