North Dakota Star Shoots for Glory in Minnesota High School Basketball
Cretin-Derham Hall, a high school basketball powerhouse in Minnesota, is seeing a remarkable surge of talent with the addition of Tommy Ahneman, a towering 6’11” senior who weighs 253 pounds. Ahneman, the top-ranked player in Minnesota, previously clinched a state title with Sheyenne High School in West Fargo, North Dakota before transferring to CDH after his father secured a job in Minnesota.
Ahneman’s transition to a new state has been challenging yet manageable. He shared, “I basically lived down here during AAU with (Howard) Pulley, so it wasn’t totally brand new… It’s hard when you don’t have familiarity, but you learn and get used to it.”
Cretin-Derham Hall’s head coach, Jerry Kline, has hailed Ahneman’s exceptional talent and versatility, stating, “His ability to play inside out… and the way he moves is incredible. He’s unselfish, which makes him a valuable player.” Unfortunately, the Raiders faced their first loss recently without Ahneman, who has been sidelined with a left knee bone bruise. However, he has recently been cleared to return to action just in time before the state championship run.
Ahneman, who committed to Notre Dame this past October, initially considered attending North Dakota State University, where both his parents were athletes. Reflecting on his growth, he said, “I wasn’t overly great my freshman and sophomore year… but I hope this turns into something more than just an education.”
As he gears up for an exciting remainder of the season, Ahneman remains focused on potentially capturing a second state title—this time in a new state.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
