The spotlight stays on Braham
Published 12:00 am Thursday, March 24, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &045; Next season is going to be much tougher for Isaiah Dahlman and the Braham Bombers, but it can’t get any crazier.
&uot;We were the most exposed team in the state,&uot; coach Bob Vaughan said, three days after his team was crowned Class 2A champions for the second straight year. &uot;We didn’t have to find them. They found us.&uot;
Fans, media, college coaches &045; they all swarmed this sleepy town of about 1,200 people in east-central Minnesota to watch what many observers believe was the state’s best team, regardless of class.
And while Braham’s winning streak, now at 58 games, was an obvious attraction, Dahlman certainly bore the brunt of all this attention. The 6-foot-7 small forward is The Associated Press’ Player of the Year for boys’ basketball.
&uot;I just played my game. I always have. That’s just how I do it,&uot; said Dahlman, who averaged 28 points per game for the Bombers &045; whose average margin in their 33 victories this season was more than 40 points.
Dahlman was the only junior named to the AP’s first team, joined by Richfield guard Travis Brown, DeLaSalle guard Travis Bledsoe, Mounds View forward Travis Busch and Tower-Soudan center Steve Jamnick.
Dahlman’s teammate, guard Josh Vaughan, was selected for the second team. His brother, Noah, was an honorable mention pick. Braham loses nine seniors from this year’s squad, so the Dahlmans &045; especially Isaiah &045; will be even bigger targets for opponents come next season.
&uot;It’s going to be different, I know that,&uot; Dahlman said.
But as for more attention on Dahlman?
&uot;It can’t be more,&uot; Bob Vaughan said laughing, then praising his team for maintaining focus throughout what could have been a distracting season.
Six schools, all of them in the NCAA tournament this month, remain on Dahlman’s radar.
&uot;Minnesota, Michigan State, Illinois, Iowa, Boston College, Georgia Tech,&uot; he said, not necessarily &045; but perhaps &045; ranking them by preference.
It is, however, safe to say the Gophers became a more viable option for him after the 21-win season they just finished.
&uot;They’ve always been on the list,&uot; Dahlman said, downplaying the effect coach Dan Monson’s first NCAA tournament appearance in six years at Minnesota might have on his choice.
&uot;It helps, though,&uot; he acknowledged.
Dahlman doesn’t have to make up his mind until November, when schools can have recruits sign letters of intent. Until then, he’ll be hitting the weights. Hard.
&uot;He’s got to get stronger,&uot; Bob Vaughan said. &uot;He will. He’s 17 years old. Everybody said, ‘He’s so skinny.’ But if you remember when you were 17 years old, you were skinny, too.&uot;
Dahlman will participate in the renowned Howard Pulley amateur summer program, which has launched many an Upper Midwest prep star into a successful college career. He’ll probably return to the football team as a wide receiver in the fall.
He’ll bide his time in Braham &045; where basketball is, was and likely will continue to be the biggest draw. So what else is there in this town about 50 miles due north of the Twin Cities metro area?
&uot;The fast food place, a gas station … that’s about it,&uot; said Dahlman, whose grandfather is John Kundla, who coached the Minneapolis Lakers to six NBA titles in the seven years from 1948 through 1954.
Maybe one day Dahlman &045; who has been voted a captain by his teammates for the past two seasons &045; will find himself in that league. Until then, Braham has one more year to enjoy his talents. Well in reach is the state record for consecutive victories, 69, set by Edina from 1965-68.
&uot;We’d like to have him stay,&uot; Bob Vaughan said, joking. &uot;We thought about redshirting him.&uot;