Former Twin Cities metro area prep boys’ basketball stars Jamison Battle, Pharrel Payne, Braeden Carrington, Dawson Garcia, Joshua Ola-Joseph, Tre Holloman, Race Thompson, and Dain Dainja all made their presence felt in the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament held in Chicago a couple of weeks ago.
Battle, a 6’7” junior guard from DeLaSalle who is now in the transfer portal, provided clutch play for the University of Minnesota.
Payne, a 6’9” freshman and Park Cottage Grove alum, represented the Gophers from the forward position.
Former Park Center standout Carrington, a 6’4” guard, also contributed to the Gophers’ efforts.
Garcia, a 6’11” sophomore from Prior Lake, was also in uniform for Minnesota as a starter.
Ola-Joseph, a 6’7” freshmen forward who played at Osseo before moving on to Compass Prep, started for the Gophers.
Holloman, a 6’2” freshman guard from Cretin Derham Hall, saw time for Michigan State.
Thompson, a 6’8” senior forward from Robbinsdale Armstrong and a St. Louis Park alum, represented Indiana University. Dainja, a 6’9” forward from Park Center, started for the University of Illinois.