Big School State Semis Preview
For all its thrills, Wednesday was just one of what many teams hope will be a three-day (four technically) journey that ends with a state title.
Here’s what to watch in the Class AAA and AAAA state semifinals Thursday
Floor Generals run the show
It’s tough to win without a point guard. This year’s crop of lead guards raises that bar to extraordinary levels. McKinley Wright, Tre Jones and Brad Davison were all terrific leading Champlin Park, Apple Valley and Maple Grove to wins in the first round. Davison and Jones will square off in what should be the game of the day at the Target Center.
Both Davison and Jones are triple-double threats and assuming those two guys essentially cancel each other out, which team has the better supporting cast? Tywhon Pickford is the next-best player in the game and Jack Hutchison is up there too for the Crimson. Both guys were solid in what was a rare drama-less game at the Target Center Wednesday. But the Eagles have good players around Jones too with guys like Mohamed Kone, Luke Martens and suddenly Ely Hendrickson and Kevin Totusek.
Maple Grove beat Apple Valley 103-87 in the Granite City Classic back in December. This one should be the best game of the day and whoever wins will feel great about the shot at a state title.
Can Champlin get back to the ship?
The Rebels survived an upset bid from Chaska Wednesday, getting a game-winning shot from Sam Dubois at the buzzer. McKinley Wright and Theo John did a lot of the heavy lifting in the first 35 minutes and 59 seconds though, combining for 41 points and 24 rebounds. The Rebels won a lot of games this season thanks to Wright and John but also because of incredible balance with guys like Josiah Strong, Marcus Hill and Brian Smith. Those three combined to score just six points on 3 of 14 shooting Wednesday.
Wayzata is the only AAAA team left without a high-major Division I recruit and that hasn’t stopped them to this point. Gavin Baumgartner was terrific in the team’s win over Lakeville North, scoring 19 points on just nine shots with eight rebounds and five assists. Jacob Beeninga had a solid game as well with 17 points and three made 3-pointers. Can the Trojans spring the upset? They’ve certainly got the defensive prowess and toughness to do it.
Tri-Metro Conference Showdown
No matter what happens, the Tri-Metro Conference wins. DeLaSalle survived a heck of an upset bid from Big Lake Wednesday to advance to the state semifinals where it will meet conference foe Columbia Heights fresh off its win over Fergus Falls. The Hylanders looked mighty impressive through the first 30 minutes but missed free throws in bunches down the stretch before squeaking out a win over the Otters.
The Islanders won both regular season meetings by 15 points but on paper, it looks like this could be a compelling game. DeLaSalle’s got a bevy of talented defenders and got just enough scoring from Gabe Kalscheur and Goanar Mar in its first game while the Hylanders got great production from Quentin Hardrict and Wendell Matthews along with timely buckets from Christian Kelly.
Both teams want to speed the opposition up on the defensive end but play a methodical and economical game on the offensive side, so the pace of the game will be intriguing. Both teams have athletes and neither one has shooters in bulk. It’s going to come down to which team can string together stops and get easy baskets. On paper, DeLaSalle gets the edge, but it has the makings of a good game.
Outstate Supremacy
The only two big schools left not from the metro square off with one another as Austin and Marshall go head-to-head for a spot in the state title game. Marshall looked like the best team in Class AAA in the win over Grand Rapids, combining incredible defensive prowess with great offensive balance.
Austin had to gut out a win over St. Thomas Academy in a game played at the Cadets’ desired pace.
Both teams rely on defense and have the ability to disrupt even the best offenses with a combination of length and athleticism. Marshall’s got a size advantage while the Packers might have the better crop of athletes but both teams should have a shot in this one.
If the game is played in a halfcourt setting, Marshall has the edge. The Tigers have the requisite playmakers and shot-makers to take advantage of Austin’s defense which can be a little boom or bust. If the game is run and gun, the Packers have the edge as they’ve got a bevy of talented shooters who can heat up in no time.