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2018 McDonald Award Semi-Finalists Announced

By Webmaster, 02/18/18, 7:30PM CST

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February 18, 2018

Press Release:  Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association

Subject:  Announcement of 2018 McDonald Award Semi-finalists (list attached)

Thirty Five student-athletes have been selected as Semi-Finalists for the 2018 McDonald Award to be presented by the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association.  The McDonald Award will be presented annually to the outstanding Senior Player of the Year with the 2017-18 basketball season being the first year of the award.  Ten Finalists will be selected and announced in early March. The award recipient will be announced and presented the award in late March or early April. 

The award is named in honor of Bob McDonald, a legend and icon in Chisholm, the state of Minnesota, and the nation for his accomplishments as a coach and his commitment to educating students.   Coach McDonald, served 59 years as a high school basketball coach and is the only coach in Minnesota hoops history, and only one of 13 in the nation, to have led his teams to over 1,000 (1.012) victories.  Coach McDonald was also known for instilling the values of hard work, teamwork, a strong moral code, and high academic expectations for the students he served on the court and in the classroom.  Bob is a member of the MBCA Hall of Fame, the MSHSL Hall of Fame, and the NFHS National Hall of Fame. 

The Award, patterned after the Wooden Award, will include, but not be limited to, qualifications such as exhibiting strength of character, both on and off the court; contributing to team effort ; excelling  on both offense and defense; and performance over the course of the entire season. 

In addition to selecting the Player of the Year; the establishment of the award is also designed to focus attention on the positive aspects of basketball and the role coaches play in the lives of all the student-athletes they represent and serve.  In moving forward it is the goal of the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association, that the McDonald Award will be widely viewed as the top award that a high school basketball player in Minnesota can receive.

2018 McDonald Award Semi-Finalists

listed alphabetically by school Name 

Name  HT  POS  High School 
Tre Jones  6'3  PG  Apple Valley 
Duoth Gach  6'3  SG  Austin 
Owen King  6'2  PG  Caledonia 
Josiah Strong  6'0  SG  Champlin Park 
Daniel Oturo  6'9  Cretin-Derham Hall 
Calvin Wishart  6'3  PG  Delano 
Gabe Kalscheur  6'4  SG  DeLaSalle 
Kyler Kluge  6'2  PG  Eden Prairie 
Anders Nelson  6'0  PG  Edina 
Adam Trapp  7'2  Esko 
Nathan Rund  6'1  SG  Fergus Falls 
Nate Seelye  6'3  SF  Grand Rapids 
Noah Kannegiesser  5'11  SG  Hancock 
Joseph Hedstrom  6'10  Hopkins 
Eric Tiedman  6'6  SF  Jordan 
Damani Hayes  6'4  SF  Mankato East 
Beijan Newbern  6'2  SG  Maranatha Academy 
Trey Lance  6'3  PG  Marshall 
JaVonni Bickham  6'6  PF  Minnehaha Academy 
Matt Todd  6'1  PG  Monticello 
Odell Wilson  6'5  Mpls North 
Goodnews Kpegeol  6'5  SG N St. Paul 
Jarvis Omersa  6'8  PF  Orono 
Zach Theisen  6'2  SG  Osseo 
Jarius Cook  6'3  SG  Park Center 
Steele Senske  6'4  SG  Park Christian 
Jordan Belka  6'6  PF  Rogers 
Cody Landwehr  6'6  PF  Sauk Rapids-Rice 
Michael Schaefer  6'5  SF  St. Cloud Cathedral 
Brevyn-Spann Ford  6'7  PF  St. Cloud Tech 
Cire Mayfield  5'10  PG  St. Louis Park 
Sam Vascellaro  6'5  SF  St. Thomas Academy 
Ethan Youso  6'8  PF  Virginia 
Noah Slagter  6'0  PG  Willmar
Michael Jones  6'3  SF  Woodbury