Four months after East Ridge boys' basketball team made its first state tournament, the dismantling of its program continued Tuesday, when rising college prospect Kendall Brown announced via Twitter he was transferring to Sunrise Christian Academy, a prep school in Wichita, Kans.
Brown, a junior-to-be who is considered one of the top recruits in the Class of 2021, posted this tweet Tuesday: "I would like to thank East Ridge High School for an amazing 2 years and memories that will last a lifetime.
"I'm forever thankful for the love and support I've received over the past years and with that said, I will be attending Sunrise Christian Academy next year."
A 6-6, 180-pound small forward, Brown led the Raptors in scoring last season with 17.6 points per game and is the No. 2-ranked recruit in Minnesota in the Class of 2021 according to Minnesota Prep Hoops.
Only Minnehaha Academy seven-footer Chet Holmgren is ranked ahead of him.
Since finishing fourth in the Class 4A state tournament, East Ridge also has lost starting forward Courtney Brown — Kendall's brother — and starting guards Zach Zebrowski and Patrick Lynott to graduation.
Head coach Bryce Tesdahl also has left. He resigned in early May to take the head coaching position at Minnetonka.
The cupboard isn't bare, however.
The Raptors return 6-8 senior power forward Ben Carlson, who is ranked among the state's top five seniors, along with highly-touted 6-4 sophomore guard Kendall Blue.
