Seniors shine one last time at the Triple Threat Showcase

One last curtain call. That’s essentially what Saturday’s Triple Threat Senior Showcase was for 14 athletes from the Class of 2019 who took to the court one final time before moving on to college basketball. If there’s one thing we learned at the event – I guess ‘re-learned’ might be a more appropriate term – it is that you should never bet against any team that includes Dlayla Chakolis of Hopkins.

Chakolis was on fire Saturday at Cretin-Derham Hall. As usual, she out-hustled, out-rebounded, and out-maneuvered everyone else on the floor as her team scored a 73-58 win. On this day she also out-scored everyone else – well everyone except teammate Masengo Mutanda of Armstrong (Northwest Florida State) that is. Chakolis and Mutanda had one more point than Solape Amusan of Woodbury (Iowa Western).

That’s pretty much a recap of what Chakolis did 10 days ago when she scored the game winner at the coaches senior all-star game in Northfield. It has been quite a year for the senior, who won the state 4A high school championship with Hopkins and was one of five finalists for Miss Basketball. Laylay will play this fall for Division 1 Hampton University in Virginia.

The Triple Threat showcase is organized by coach Crystal Flint of Cretin-Derham Hall, a fixture in city basketball who was formerly the head coach at Minneapolis North, Concordia College and an assistant at the University of Minnesota, where she played. The game, which started as a boys event, originated many years ago as a way to recognize athletes from city schools who were generally excluded from post-season all-star games at that time. When it appeared as though the event would not continue a couple of years ago, Flint stepped in and re-energized the game with the help of a crew of volunteers and local sponsors.

Chakolis was not the only participant on Saturday who played in the state all-star game. Guard Aja Wheeler, who led Cooper to the 3A title one year ago, was also there as was guard Aiana Whitfield of Benilde-St. Margaret’s. Wheeler has yet to make a college decision. Whitfield, who is also a standout in the classroom, will attend Carleton College.

Three-point machine Solana Cushing of Minneapolis South (Macalester), forward Sierra Morrow of Minneapolis Edison (NIACC) and Chakolis were honored as Saturday’s top players.

The winning squad from Team Dark posed with coach Deb Williams and event organizer Crystal Flint.

SENIOR SHOWCASE TEAMS

Team Dark

Dlayla Chakolis – guard, Hopkins (Hampton)

Massengo Mutanda – guard, Armstrong (NW Florida State )

Solape Amusan – forward, Woodbury (Iowa Western)

Kendra Ekereke – forward, Tartan (Bemidji State)

Hajayseh Kwateh – forward, Osseo (undecided)

Destiny Vaughn – guard, Columbia Heights (Grand Canyon)

Olivia Williams – forward, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (ND Science)

Coach – Deborah Williams, St. Paul Highland Park

Team Light

Aja Wheeler – guard, Cooper (undecided)

Sierra Morrow – forward, Edison (NIACC)

Aiana Whitfield – guard, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (Carleton)

Zaraya March – guard, Bloomington Kennedy (North Dakota Science)

Solana Cushing – guard, Minneapolis South (Macalester)

Imani Reid – guard, Armstrong (undecided)

Rachel Sulonteh – guard, Brooklyn Center (MSU-Mankato)

Coach – Alexis Gray-Lawson, St. Paul Como Park

Three others were invited but were unable to play: Forward Elaina Jones of DeLaSalle (Idaho State), who started her high school career at Como Park; guard Tyliah Fraser of Fridley, who will play college ball at Northeast Lakeview in San Antonio, Texas; and guard Britney Smith of Fridley, who will attend Kirkwood in Iowa.

The Rising Stars Showcase featured middle school prospects from across the Twin Cities. (Photo montage courtesy of Triple Threat)

RISING STARS SHOWCASE

Top seniors were not the only players who put their skills on display Saturday at Cretin. The event also included the Rising Stars Showcase, which featured athletes in 6th, 7th and 8th grades in three separate games. A number of the participants are already established prospects who played varsity basketball this season. Among them were 8th grade guard Shania Nichols-Van Nett of Como Park (Stars 2023 Hersch) and high-end 7th graders Angel Hill of Minneapolis South (Tayler Hill Elite), Alivia McGill of Park Center (Minnesota Elite) and Kennedy Klick of Maranatha (Minnesota Elite).

Among those who stood out were 8th grader Nicole Lillard (Minnesota Elite) and 7th graders Anissa Longs (Tayler Hill Elite), Lynae Walker (Edison) and Jadyn Spann of Minnesota Stars 2024 Gardner. There were three 7th graders – Malani Sandifer, Ashley Horton and Zoe Mulvihill – representing SUGAA  (Summit University Girls Athletic Association) of St. Paul, one of the longest-running youth basketball programs in the state. Among its graduates is top 10 sophomore Tamia Ugass of Roseville (Stars 2021 Hersch).

Top photo: Solape Amusan of Woodbury, Dlayla Chakolis of Hopkins and Masengo Mutanda of Armstrong were the top scorers at the Triple Threat Senior Showcase.