With a successful senior season behind him, Jacob Thomas of Columbia Heights was recognized today as the Breakdown's Overall Player of the Year for Minnesota boys' high school basketball.

A 6-foot-3 shooting guard, Thomas was the only Minnesota talent ranked in ESPN's Top 100 recruits this past season. The Long Beach State recruit can knock down treys from outside, as well as drive into the paint.  Thomas averaged 27.0 ppg for the Hylanders, who fell to DeLaSalle in the section playoffs.

Thomas leads a very talented group of players honored in our annual "Minny" awards, designed to recognize the best of the best in Minnesota high school boys' basketball.

The other players of the year by class are:

• Class AAAA - Joe Coleman, Hopkins
• Class AAA - Jacob Thomas, Columbia Heights and Estan Tyler, St. Paul Johnson
• Class AA - Marshall Bjorklund, Sibley East
• Class A - Kevin Noreen, Minnesota Transitions

Not many experts anticipated Grand Rapids advancing to the Class AAA state title game, let alone giving the heavily-favored St. Paul Johnson powerhouse a game.  Yet the Thunderhawks did just that, thanks to the coaching of Dan Elhard, who today is also recognized as the Breakdown's Coach of the Year award winner. 

Elhard joins a distinguished group of coaches honored in each class, including: 

• Class AAAA - Mike Trewick, St. Cloud Tech, and Keith Lockwood, White Bear Lake
• Class AAA - Vern Simmons, St. Paul Johnson, and Dan Elhard, Grand Rapids
• Class AA - Matt Cordes, New London-Spicer, and Dan Galovich, Crosby-Ironton
• Class A - Jon Lillquist, Sebeka, and Gary Nelson, MACCRAY

Team of the Year: (tie) New London-Spicer and St. Paul Johnson

Best uniforms: St. Cloud Tech home.

Best venue: Buffalo High School.

Best crowd: (tie) Henry Sibley and Pelican Rapids.

Offensive performance of the year: Duluth East's Dyami Starks pouring in 55 points against Bloomington Jefferson.

Play of the year: New London-Spicer's Jayme Moten hitting a 40-foot overtime buzzer-beater in the section final over Staples-Motley.

Career achievement award: Nolan Toft, Nevis.  Not the biggest post player, but tough and skilled and the key to Nevis' past few seasons.