Kendall Blue, a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard from Woodbury (MN) East Ridge, is ranked as one of the state’s top players in the Class of 2022.
Blue had the highlight reel play of the early season as he went coast to coast and dunked over Baylor bound big man Dain Dainja of Park Center in the Breakdown Tip-Off Classic.
Gopher Hole caught up with Blue at the Breakdown Big 12 Classic after scoring 19 points in the Raptors’ 76-60 loss to Prior Lake to learn the latest on his recruitment and sophomore season.
Gopher Hole: You played a very good game against a very good team that has state tournament aspirations. Do you like playing these tough games early on in the season to get you ready for the year?
Kendall Blue: Yes. It gets us prepared for most of the competition we are going to face and it will help us at the end of the season, especially in March, which we are trying to go to state for, so it will prep us for that.
Gopher Hole: What was that experience making it to the state tournament for the first time in school history like last year?
Kendall Blue: It was memorable. The first time in school history we ever made to state is just going to create a lot of memories for our team and our school.
Gopher Hole: You had come close the previous few years, making to the section finals, where you ran into a really good Cretin-Derham Hall team a couple of times. Was it nice to finally get to that next level?
Kendall Blue: Yes.
Gopher Hole: What is going to take to get back there again this year?
Kendall Blue: Pretty much the same thing. Hard work. Everybody being focused in practice. Locked in, Just winning games, basically. Locking in.
Gopher Hole: Your role has changed a lot since your freshman year with the Brown brothers (Courtney is a freshman at Milwaukee and junior Kendall is at a prep school) being gone. Is that something you are looking forward to being a little bit more of a leader?
Kendall Blue: It is something that I have dreamed for for a long time. Just being able to scorer and have a new role
Gopher Hole: What things did you really work on during the offseason to get you ready for a big sophomore season?
Kendall Blue: I worked on my shooting, my ballhandling. I know that some of guards are gone from last year, so I have to handle the ball more. Also, I worked on my defense.
Gopher Hole: You had a really good AAU season. Do you think that really helps your confidence too, playing well this past spring and summer?
Kendall Blue: In the AAU circuit, we played against the best of the best, it is going to carry over to the high school season, so I feel like I have an advantage there.
Gopher Hole: I know that it is so early, being on only a sophomore, but are you starting to hear from some colleges?
Kendall Blue: Yes. I have heard from Minnesota, Iowa, Purdue, St. Thomas and a couple of other schools.
Gopher Hole: I know that they can’t really call you yet since you are so young, but I assume you are getting a lot of letters. What are they saying in the letters?
Kendall Blue: Basically, they have seen me over the AAU season. Very proud. Very interested in me. They like what I do with the ball, without the ball. Stuff like that.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to play Division I basketball to me?
Kendall Blue: It would mean a lot, man. Just trying to continue my families’ legacy. My mom played Division I basketball. My dad played DII football, so I am just trying to continue the legacy.
Gopher Hole: Where did your dad play?
Kendall Blue: Some school in Ohio. I think it is called Findlay University.
Gopher Hole: Where did your mom play?
Kendall Blue: She played at Minnesota and then she transferred to Grandview College in Iowa. (Lisa Lissimore, who was a team captain, who led a Viking team that was among the top 25 teams in the nation for three years. She remains seventh among all-time leaders in career steals with 170. She is the Associate Director of the Minnesota State High School League and co-founded the Shooting Stars Basketball Clinic for inner city girls in St. Paul and Minneapolis).
Gopher Hole: Obviously, athleticism and athletics are big. Is that where you get the love of sports from those two?
Kendall Blue: Yes.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to maybe have the opportunity to play for the homestate school?
Kendall Blue: It would mean a lot. I would love to do that. Just represent my city and my state.
Gopher Hole: A big year at East Ridge because Ben (Carlson, who signed with Wisconsin) is a senior. What would it mean to get back to the state tournament?
Kendall Blue: It would mean a lot. Hopefully, we are trying to do that. We just want to win state, to be honest with you. It would be a great accomplishment.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, you are very new in the recruiting process. Are you liking it so far or are you starting to see how it could maybe be a little overwhelming at times?
Kendall Blue: Yes, it is kind of stressful, but I am getting used to it, so eventually it will come just natural or normal.
Gopher Hole: Is it nice that you have teammates, the two Brown brothers and Ben Carlson that have gone through it along with your mom and dad? Does that kind of help that they can tell you a little bit about it?
Kendall Blue: My parents help me every now and then. I appreciate them for that.