Denfeld’s Ferguson, Newton Ready to Light It up for Hunters

Duo scored 37 combined PPG in 2022-23

DULUTH, Minn.- With Duluth Denfeld’s boys’ basketball regular season tipping off next week, the Hunters are likely thankful to have both Marnaries Ferguson and Aidan Newton on their roster.

In 2022-23, Ferguson became one of the area’s top shooters while averaging 19.5 PPG with a .395 three-point percentage.

“Marnaries, I mean, that’s my brother,” smiled Newton. “He’s a bucket, that’s the best way to put it.”

“Mar…is unbelievable.” noted senior DaShawn Moore. “The speed, the dribbling…that man can shoot the lights out of the gym, hands down.”

“He reminds me a lot of myself,” says head coach Phil Homere. “I try not to say that a lot because I don’t want him to be like, ‘Oh, really coach?’ but he’s just so energetic. The kid is athletic, and you just never know what to expect from him, and he’s constantly, he has defenses worried because the way that he attacks the basket, it opens it up for a bunch of our guys.”

Meanwhile, Newton is a do-it-all senior who’s coming off a season averaging 17.5 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game. “His defense is amazing,” said Ferguson. “His shooting is amazing, and if you leave him open, and he gets hot, it’s probably over.”

“I’m just looking forward to what he brings because he can score in so many different ways,” explained Homere. “He’s by far our best rebounder, and so that makes him, it’s like he doesn’t even need the ball in his hands to score and that makes him that much more important on our team.”

The Hunters’ season opener will take place on Friday December 1 against Kasson-Mantorville as part of the Hermantown High School Tip-Off Tournament.