The Week Ahead: Boys games at Girls Tip-Off open the year
Minnesota High School Basketball kicks off this week headlined by the boys games at the Girls Tip Off Classic. A few teams actually start on Tuesday. First Tip Off is at Fond du Lac Ojibwe. The first real high school…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingMinnesota High School Basketball kicks off this week headlined by the boys games at the Girls Tip Off Classic. A few teams actually start on Tuesday.
First Tip Off is at Fond du Lac Ojibwe. The first real high school game of the year will top at 7:15 up north between Nashwauk-Keewatin and Fond du Lac Ojibwe followed 15 minutes later by Austin Pacelli taking on Goodhue at Goodhue. “Didn’t practice just start last Monday?” Yes. But these schools must be itching to go. Who needs more than seven practices right?
Boys Games at the Girls Tip Off Classic. It may be the girls tip off but the boys games at the event will draw a major crowd. Champlin Park against Rochester JM matches AAU teammates McKinley Wright against Matthew Hurt leading their talented teams in a top ten battle. Apple Valley has wanted to play Minneapolis North for awhile and they have their chance Saturday. Hopkins and DeLaSalle will represent Minnesota against Iowa when they face Cedar Rapids and Des Moines Hoover respectively.
Thursday is the True Day One. With 36 games on the schedule Thursday, December 1st really feels like the season opener. Fridley/Delano is an interesting Class AAA game, Esko/Hermantown sounds like a rivalry game on day one, Austin Pacelli plays Houston so they are apparently in a hurry to get the year going, Waseca versus Mankato East should be good, and Cleveland is at Tri-City United which is reasonably close to the metro if anybody wants to see Carter Kopet and the Clippers.
Friday is Back! There really is something special about a Friday night basketball game. It feels like THE night to see high school hoops as you can get out of the house, run to a quick food place, go to the game, take your time getting home because you can sleep in, and just enjoy the overall evening. Five suggestions for Friday? Sure!
1) Lester Prairie vs Sleepy Eye St Mary’s as Nat Boyer makes his Bulldog coaching debut
2) Chanhassen vs East Ridge to see a top sophomore in Courtney Brown as well as a Chan team who I think will be better than expected
3) Burnsville vs New Prague is a game I like because the Blaze guards are pretty good while the Trojans are talented up front. What can Ty Miklowski do with Zach Hanson? We will find out.
4) Waconia vs Prior Lake in the southwest metro. The Wildcats will stay good although they may not have the big name they’ve had while many people have really high expectations for Prior Lake with Crookston bound Brian Sitzmann and Trent West leading a deep team.
5) Northfield vs Byron. It’s time for Mike Coble and the squad to take a step! Northfield has excellent forwards so it will be a good match-up.
Extras. Park Christian vs Heritage Christian matches Steele Senske vs CJ Woda, like that Columbia Heights vs St. Paul Central game, and Coon Rapids is expected to take a step, can they take it versus Forest Lake?