A couple of weeks ago I attended the annual Under the Radar Showcase at Macalester College featuring four games between the top high school boys’ basketball players in the metro area according to their graduating class.
During the class of 2016 contest, participants TYLER JOHNSON (Minneapolis North) and JARRET BAPTISTE (Columbia Heights) put on an outstanding performance, making it clear that both are among the state’s top athletes.
In a day when many student athletes concentrate on one sport, Johnson and Baptiste are the exception rather than the norm. Both excel in football as well.
Last winter Johnson, a 6’-0” guard, averaged 20.1 points per game for the Polars last season, leading to a share of the City Conference title with Washburn and within one game of a state tournament appearance. As a quarterback on the gridiron, he passed for 1,929 yards and 23 touchdowns during the regular season while rushing for another 571 yards and nine additional scores.
Baptiste, a guard who also stands at 6’-0”, averaged a team-leading 16.1 per game for the Hylanders, helping them maintain a top 10 Class 3A ranking during the second half of the season. As a wide receiver, he caught 19 passes for 468 yards while averaging 24.6 per reception with six touchdowns.
Two of the metro area’s finest.
Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.
Support Black local news
Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.