Tuesday Night Predictions
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There are big match-up sin high school basketball this evening. So who is winning? Let’s offer our predictions for the evening now!
The Class AAAA Round-Robin. Tonight’s Class AAAA round robin slugfests including four big match-ups.
White Bear Lake at Cretin-Derham Hall. Does White Bear Lake has what it takes to get the big win they have been working years for? We will find out tonight. CDH is still working out the kinks together but there is so much talent. If WBL wants to get them tonight is the night. Does White Bear win? I still think CDH has a bit too much talent, Raiders by three.
East Ridge at Eden Prairie. When it comes to rankings the biggest match-up is likely the Raptors and Eagles. Too of the longer and deeper teams in the state of Minnesota. Length of Ben Carlson, Kendall Brown, and Courtney Brown Jr against Connor Christensen, Ariel Bland, and Austin Andrews. The Raptors will be a little bit bigger and a bit more talented but Drake Dobbs is the ex-factor. This could go either way. EP is the home team, and they have lost two games, so we give them a one point win.
Lakeville North at Eastview. Eastview has taken big steps but does the team full of juniors have what it takes to beat the Panther senior dominated squad? Not many teams have the match-ups to deal with Steven Crowl and Tate Machacek but the Panthers do. Tyler Wahl gives the Panthers a seven point victory.
Shakopee at Prior Lake. The final round robin slugfest in Class AAAA hoops is the Sabers and Lakers. The Lakers have the size edge of Robert Jones and Dawson Garcia, Sabers are better at the wing spots led by Charles Katona. The guards will be where the game is won. Caleb Druvenga and Will Cordes versus Sam Nissen and Jackyse Jackox is where your eyes should be. Lakers win by five.
State’s Biggest Games
Spring Lake Park at Osseo. So the Panthers jumped into the rankings at number six. Pretty cool, and they earned with a big win over Eastview (plus their other victories). But, can this group of talented juniors defeat a veteran team like Osseo? Spring Lake Park is more experienced but we aren’t sure they are ready for this spotlight. Time to find out. Osseo by two.
Austin at Rochester JM. The Packers and Rockets have both had setbacks this year. JM countered there three game struggle with Matthew Hurt scoring 55 points in a win over Winona. Austin lost a game to Mayo and are looking to rebound from that loss. Both teams really need this game as they can’t afford another Big Nine loss. JM has Hurt, Austin is deeper, JM is the home team and John Calipari will be watching live. Rockets win by four.
Mound-Westonka at Tartan. A pair of 1-loss teams playing a student versus teacher game (Mark Klingsporn versus Andre Phillips). The White Hawks are 4-1 off to one of their better starts in recent years. They are a young team so winning on the road at Tartan would be a shock. Antwan Kimmons leads Tartan to a ten point win.
STMA at Edina. STMA is undefeated after three games including a very important victory over Maple Grove. If STMA can knock off Edina they would be off to a tremendous start and you would have to start talking about them in a bigger way. Austin Jentzen versus Charlie Huff and Jacob Hutson has our attention. Jack Middleton is the ex-factor, Hornets wins by a dozen.
St. Charles at St. Paul Johnson. Ranked and undefeated St. Charles is at Johnson this evening in an outstate Class AA vs St Paul City Class AAA battle. Johnson has fought to two score wins over Brooklyn Center and St Croix Prep while St. Charles has picked up key southern wins against rivals. A senior match-up of Terrell Turner against Drew Leistikow on the wing could tell the story. St. Charles locks in and wins by five with Sam Holtz handling the ball pressure.
Maranatha Christian at Cristo Rey. Two teams that moved up to Class AA last year fighting the shadow of Minnehaha Academy and Minneapolis North. The assortment of talented players should be fun for TC Hoopz Czar to tell you about this evening. James Sommer, Derek Burgess, and Erick Burgess lead Cristo Rey against Hakim Daniels, Clarence Daniels, and Christian Davis. MCA is 4-1 while Cristo Rey is 1-2 and working to avoid 1-3. Cristo Rey has their back against the wall but MCA is deeper. Cristo Rey by a late field goal.
BOLD at Melrose. Melrose lost to Albany recently knocking them out of the rankings. Meanwhile BOLD is one of the state title contenders in Class A ranked second and undefeated. BOLD has managed to take on all challenges so far this year and we think their guard play and size with Carter Henry results in a BOLD home win.