All Things Isaac Asuma Recruitment Thread (Class of 2024, Minnesota's Top In-State Target)

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This would be a nice shot in the arm. Cautiously optimistic on this one.
 

Very promising quotes from Isaac:

Still, the talented junior guard from Cherry, Minn., didn't feel the University of Minnesota was too big for him at all on his official visit with the Gophers basketball team earlier in February.

"It was a fun time down there," the state's No. 2 player in the Class of 2024 told the Star Tribune. "It was just a blast."

Asuma's announcement on where he'll play college basketball will come Thursday after Cherry plays Rock Ridge. The Gophers are joined by Butler, Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska and Xavier as high-major teams that offered him a scholarship.

Gophers second-year coach Ben Johnson has seen his program experience major struggles, but that hasn't turned away one of the state's top prospects. Asuma could see himself playing for the home state, especially after being around Johnson's team up close recently.

"I'm seeing where I fit in best at," Asuma said, referring to his college decision. "But I have a great relationship with the staff and Coach Johnson. I believe that they fully trust me and my abilities if I went there."

Asuma and his family sat behind the bench at the Feb. 18 game against Penn State at Williams Arena. It was a six-point loss for the Gophers to the improved Nittany Lions, but Asuma enjoyed watching freshmen getting an opportunity to make an impact. The Barn atmosphere was the best it had been all season with an announced crowd of 11,693.

"I know this season hasn't had a lot of highs with the wins," Asuma said. "But I still know they're playing a bunch of young guys. Some injuries happened they weren't expecting. They can't control the injuries, which are a big part of that. I think the direction they're heading with the young guys getting more experience is a good way to go about it."

As a sophomore last season, the 6-2, 185-pound Asuma averaged 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists while leading the Tigers to their first state tournament since 1997. Cherry's one of the top 10 teams in Minnesota's Class 1A again this year behind Asuma's 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals through 22 games.

The Gophers told Asuma he would likely be mostly a point guard in college, but they would also use him off the ball in a scoring role. He envisions helping the program as a freshman.

"I could totally see myself earning enough minutes and leading the offense with the talent that would be there," he said. "I've been working on being a better shooter. Catching with a faster shot release to play off guard. Not just being able to set up my teammates but also working on scoring more."

www.startribune.com

Cherry guard Isaac Asuma praises Gophers with college choice coming Thursday

The No. 2 junior in Minnesota visited Ben Johnson's Gophers recently and saw beyond the program's struggles.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Very promising quotes from Isaac:

Still, the talented junior guard from Cherry, Minn., didn't feel the University of Minnesota was too big for him at all on his official visit with the Gophers basketball team earlier in February.

"It was a fun time down there," the state's No. 2 player in the Class of 2024 told the Star Tribune. "It was just a blast."

Asuma's announcement on where he'll play college basketball will come Thursday after Cherry plays Rock Ridge. The Gophers are joined by Butler, Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska and Xavier as high-major teams that offered him a scholarship.

Gophers second-year coach Ben Johnson has seen his program experience major struggles, but that hasn't turned away one of the state's top prospects. Asuma could see himself playing for the home state, especially after being around Johnson's team up close recently.

"I'm seeing where I fit in best at," Asuma said, referring to his college decision. "But I have a great relationship with the staff and Coach Johnson. I believe that they fully trust me and my abilities if I went there."

Asuma and his family sat behind the bench at the Feb. 18 game against Penn State at Williams Arena. It was a six-point loss for the Gophers to the improved Nittany Lions, but Asuma enjoyed watching freshmen getting an opportunity to make an impact. The Barn atmosphere was the best it had been all season with an announced crowd of 11,693.

"I know this season hasn't had a lot of highs with the wins," Asuma said. "But I still know they're playing a bunch of young guys. Some injuries happened they weren't expecting. They can't control the injuries, which are a big part of that. I think the direction they're heading with the young guys getting more experience is a good way to go about it."

As a sophomore last season, the 6-2, 185-pound Asuma averaged 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists while leading the Tigers to their first state tournament since 1997. Cherry's one of the top 10 teams in Minnesota's Class 1A again this year behind Asuma's 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals through 22 games.

The Gophers told Asuma he would likely be mostly a point guard in college, but they would also use him off the ball in a scoring role. He envisions helping the program as a freshman.

"I could totally see myself earning enough minutes and leading the offense with the talent that would be there," he said. "I've been working on being a better shooter. Catching with a faster shot release to play off guard. Not just being able to set up my teammates but also working on scoring more."

www.startribune.com

Cherry guard Isaac Asuma praises Gophers with college choice coming Thursday

The No. 2 junior in Minnesota visited Ben Johnson's Gophers recently and saw beyond the program's struggles.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

Go Gophers!!
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Unless two super portal guards come in, Ike is getting 25 and probably 30 plus minutes a game next year. Assuming he's coming. I still have nightmares of the Reid Travis announcement.
 


Holy Man said:
Unless two super portal guards come in, Ike is getting 25 and probably 30 plus minutes a game next year. Assuming he's coming. I still have nightmares of the Reid Travis announcement.
Click to expand...

He'll be a gopher, but he won't be getting any minutes next year.
 


Ben can build relationships it appears.

Locking this one in does give me just slighly more hope he can develop that with a couple portal guys. It's a quick relationship in the portal so tougher, but we'll see.
 

skiumah1 said:
Ben can build relationships it appears.

Locking this one in does give me just slighly more hope he can develop that with a couple portal guys. It's a quick relationship in the portal so tougher, but we'll see.
Click to expand...

Ben has 1 bullet in the portal. Playing time.

Others have multiple. Playing time, winning, NIL $$$, etc. Makes it tough to win the gun fight with less ammunition. Not saying he can’t but I am saying he hasn’t so far.
 





I have only seen Asuma play a couple of games on TV in the State Tournament. So, very limited sample size. He is athletic and moves well - but because of the role he plays on his HS team, he really doesn't function like a traditional PG.

obviously, the Gopher coaches and other evaluators have seen him play a lot more, including AAU games.

I am just curious to see how he will fare if he is indeed playing a more conventional PG role in the B1G where he will be facing stronger opposition. that is a factor when coming from a smaller HS - strength of competition.

so far this year, Cherry is 19-4, with 18 games vs Class 'A' schools, 4 games against class 2A schools (3-1 record, with the loss to Minnehaha Academy) and one game vs a class 3A school (a win over Sauk Rapids-Rice). They close the regular season with two more games vs Class 2A schools.

(BTW - Cherry beat International Falls 104-23. that must have been a thriller)
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
Ben has 1 bullet in the portal. Playing time.

Others have multiple. Playing time, winning, NIL $$$, etc. Makes it tough to win the gun fight with less ammunition. Not saying he can’t but I am saying he hasn’t so far.
Click to expand...
Playing in the Big 10 as well.

It will be mid major players we're fighting for. Or P6 guys that have underperformed.

Unless Ben pulls a rabbit.
 

That kid from Alex who now plays on the football team - get that kid on the court he was great in the tourney last year. Kristin Hodgkins or something like that.
 

Bad Gopher said:
This would be a nice shot in the arm. Cautiously optimistic on this one.
Click to expand...
No need to be cautious. MN has long been the favorite. He never wanted to be far from home and our current staff was on him early and built a good relationship. If ISU was still in the picture then maybe, but he didn’t go on his visit there. That pretty much ended this recruitment
 




Not sure where Asuma would be announcing if it wasn't Minnesota. He was thought to be a heavy Iowa State lean before they took Pierce a few weeks ago to essentially wrap up their 2024 class with 3 commits. This isn't a Reid Travis situation unless there is a mystery team involved that nobody outside of Cherry, Mn knows about.
 

EG#9 said:
Not sure where Asuma would be announcing if it wasn't Minnesota. He was thought to be a heavy Iowa State lean before they took Pierce a few weeks ago to essentially wrap up their 2024 class with 3 commits. This isn't a Reid Travis situation unless there is a mystery team involved that nobody outside of Cherry, Mn knows about.
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He was never leaning towards Iowa State. The Gophers were always at the top of his list.
 





I'm not sure if this would help the program or himself, but anyone know if he's considering reclassifying to the 2023 class?
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I have only seen Asuma play a couple of games on TV in the State Tournament. So, very limited sample size. He is athletic and moves well - but because of the role he plays on his HS team, he really doesn't function like a traditional PG.

obviously, the Gopher coaches and other evaluators have seen him play a lot more, including AAU games.

I am just curious to see how he will fare if he is indeed playing a more conventional PG role in the B1G where he will be facing stronger opposition. that is a factor when coming from a smaller HS - strength of competition.

so far this year, Cherry is 19-4, with 18 games vs Class 'A' schools, 4 games against class 2A schools (3-1 record, with the loss to Minnehaha Academy) and one game vs a class 3A school (a win over Sauk Rapids-Rice). They close the regular season with two more games vs Class 2A schools.

(BTW - Cherry beat International Falls 104-23. that must have been a thriller)
Click to expand...

If the kid can play, he can play.
My cabin is in N. Wisconsin, not far from one of the smallest high schools in the state (South Shore). That tiny school has produced two of the best women's hoops players in Big Ten history.
 


Oatmeal Savage said:
I'm not sure if this would help the program or himself, but anyone know if he's considering reclassifying to the 2023 class?
Click to expand...
being he is playing with his brother and counsins.....im guessing not but have no idea
 




Maybe it's me being your resident wet blanket but I just watched his junior year highlights and...don't know if I see any highlights, and lots of these were against terrible competition.


You would think that he would have better highlights against the low level of competition...just saying. Based on the video, he does not have elite speed or even great athleticism
 

Wet_Blanket_Guy said:
Maybe it's me being your resident wet blanket but I just watched his junior year highlights and...don't know if I see any highlights, and lots of these were against terrible competition.


You would think that he would have better highlights against the low level of competition...just saying. Based on the video, he does not have elite speed or even great athleticism
Click to expand...
Color me surprised…
 

Wet_Blanket_Guy said:
Maybe it's me being your resident wet blanket but I just watched his junior year highlights and...don't know if I see any highlights, and lots of these were against terrible competition.


You would think that he would have better highlights against the low level of competition...just saying. Based on the video, he does not have elite speed or even great athleticism
Click to expand...
What a predictable troll you are - so sad and all alone in this 🌎.

The evaluators who actually work for sites disagree with you and I think I’ll roll with them.

Obviously 🙄, if he committed to the Tommy Boyz and per 247, they offered, you’d be yodeling non stop Hosannas until Easter.
 

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