Section 8AA Preview
In this article:
The Playoffs are right around the corner. With small-school section tournaments set to begin in the next few weeks, it’s time to turn our attention to the postseason. Section 8 is one of the best in the state this season.…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe Playoffs are right around the corner. With small-school section tournaments set to begin in the next few weeks, it’s time to turn our attention to the postseason.
Section 8 is one of the best in the state this season. Perham has stayed at the top of the rankings. East Grand Forks has emerged as a legitimate top team and the depth of the section is solid with quality teams in both subsections.
Here’s a look at Section 8AA
Favorite: Perham
There aren’t many programs that can lose two all-time school greats and skip the rebuilding process. Perham has. The Yellowjackets have been one of the elite programs in the state and they looking like a title contender more and more each day. Finn Diggins has taken the step many expected him to take and then some, going from a solid 10 point per game type guy to a 21-point-per-game beast. Charlie Rasmussen has taken his game to another level as a senior, averaging better than 16 points per game while supplying high-end defense, playmaking, shot-making and leadership. Elijah Morris is a sniper who has developed the rest of his game really well over the last year. Those three supply most of the scoring, but the complementary guys like Landon Stevens, Gunnar Anderson and Grant McMartin have been excellent too. The Yellowjackets are good enough to win multiple games in the state tournament should they get that far.
Contender: East Grand Forks, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, Fergus Falls
Perham is undefeated, but it’ll have some serious competition to get through the section tournament. East Grand Forks has emerged as one of the 10 best teams in Class AA, at 23-2 on the season. The Green Wave’s only losses are against Ada-Borup (a top-five Class A outfit) and Minneapolis North. Sam Votava is one of the best point guards in the state and will be a household name this summer on the AAU circuit. Julian Benson is an excellent two-way guard who can create his own shot and bring physicality on the perimeter. Nathan Willett is a terrific pure scorer on the wing. And sophomore guard Joey Votava gives them another guard who can break people down and make plays.
Fergus Falls moving to Class AA offset the loss of Osakis in the section and the Otters have bounced back in a big way after a down season a year ago. Dominic Aguilar is a terrific lead guard who can score from all levels on the floor and generate offense. And the development of junior big man Chane Fazio has been a huge game-changer. Senior forward Ethan Olson has been steady for the last couple years and he’s good on both ends of the floor. This group defends at a high level and is tested against excellent competition.
DGF has been excellent this season too, winning 20 games thanks in large part to a dynamic offense. Their balance is top-notch, as senior guards Aiden Leach and Jacob Strand are high-enders who can both take over games for stretches. Freshman forward Owen Leach has enjoyed a really nice season. Sophomore guard Mason Kerr gives the team some juice as well. The Rebels can really stress a team on the defensive end with their ability to play with pace, get to the paint and spread the floor.
In The Mix: Barnesville, Pelican Rapids
Pelican Rapids has 17 wins and with the exception of a 25-point loss to Perham, the rest of the Vikings’ losses aren’t bad at all. They’ve got experience with guys like McHale Korf and Logan Fahje. Junior guard Jayden Rutherford and junior big man Liam Sytsma have developed into all-conference type guys who can change the game. The talent here is going to give teams fits in the postseason.
Barnesville’s enjoyed a solid year too, winning 16 games and while the Trojans don’t have as much firepower as some of the other contender types, they’ve got a terrific guard in Adam Tonsfeldt, who can bend the game like few others in the section. He’s undersized, but he’s a solid shooter and can create his shot as well as anybody. Sophomore forward Kaden Zenzen and senior forward Hunter Zenzen give the Trojans some athleticism on the wings and can play both ends of the floor at a high level.
Watch Out For: Breckenridge
Breckenridge has been mostly middling this year, but the Cowboys are always a threat to beat someone because of their ability to control tempo and defend. Junior guards Cooper Yaggie and Adam Ohm can control the game and score a high rate and junior forward Jonah Christensen is a rock-solid piece in the frontcourt. This team won’t go in with a high seed, but don’t be surprised if it gives a higher seeded team a dogfight.