Kevin Noreen named Mr. Basketball

[BleedGopher]

Transitions' Kevin Noreen selected Minnesota's Mr. Basketball
Pioneer Press

Updated: 03/30/2010 02:08:17 PM CDT

Minnesota Transitions' Kevin Noreen has been selected Minnesota's Mr. Basketball, the Mr. Basketball committee announced today.

Noreen, a 6-foot-10 power forward, guided his team to the Class A championship and is statistically the most dominant player in the state.

The Boston College recruit averaged 38.6 points, 16.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 3.9 steals and 3.2 blocks per game.

The other Mr. Basketball finalists were Marshall Bjorklund from Sibley East, Trevor Gruis from Ellsworth, Dyami Starks from Duluth East, and Jacob Thomas from Columbia Heights."

Noreen finished his career with 4,086 points, breaking the previous record of 3,428 by former Ellsworth star and Augustana standout Cody Schilling.

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_14786250

Go Gophers!!

 

[lakesbison]

Marshall Bjorkland AP player of the Year!

Bjorklund, signed to play at North Dakota State next season, broke his older sister Tera’s school scoring record by finishing with 1,910 points in four years for the Wolverines.

The milestone was one of many that made Bjorklund into the Minnesota Associated Press Player of the Year for boys basketball.

Bjorklund beat out Kevin Noreen of charter school and Class 1A champion Minnesota Transitions for the award, with junior Joe Coleman of Class 4A champion Hopkins also receiving consideration.

Joining Bjorklund, Noreen and Coleman on the AP’s all-state team are Jacob Thomas of Columbia Heights and Alec Brown of Winona.

“It’s a terrific honor,” said NDSU head coach Saul Phillips. “From what I saw of him during the course of the year, he was certainly worthy. We knew he was a pretty special player when he signed and he did nothing but impress us all year long.”

Bjorklund is the youngest of four kids. His sister, Tera, played in college at Colorado and even in the WNBA for a bit. The talent, as well as the competitiveness, clearly runs in the family.

Bjorklund’s establishment of the Sibley East scoring record proved that.

“I don’t think she was too happy about that,” he said, “but she’ll get over it.”

Bjorklund averaged 25.4 points, 15.3 rebounds, 4.1 blocks, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game while helping the Wolverines advance to the Class 2A state tournament.

Over four years – he was promoted to varsity a few games into his freshman season – Bjorklund accumulated 1,326 rebounds and 383 blocks. Those were also program records. Bjorklund put up an amazing 33 points and 23 rebounds in his State 2A quarterfinal game.

 

[JohnnyGopher]

Mr. Basketball is a much bigger deal than AP POY and Kevin Noreen is very deserving of being awarded as the Top Minnesota Senior Basketball Player