Monday a trio of Northlanders were named to the 2024 Minnesota Mr. Basketball watch list.

Cherry’s Isaac Asuma, Esko’s Koi Perich, and Hermantown’s Abe Soumis are among the 35 male nominees.

So far this season Soumis has set the Hawks’ single game scoring record three times, first tallying 41 points then 43 points, and finally shattering that with a 55 point night January 16 at Bemidji.

Asuma is committed play for Division I basketball next year for the Minnesota Gophers, while Perich will hit the gridiron for the Gophers football team.

The top 10 will be announced February 26 and the final five on March 17. The winner will be crowned after the state tournament, which runs March 20-23.

Four Northlanders have previously won the award, dating back to 1975. Hibbing’s Kevin McHale in 1976, Duluth Central’s Greg Downing in 1979, Chisholm’s Joel McDonald in 1991, and Duluth East’s Rick Rickert in 2001.