The Minnesota Elite – #1 Minnehaha Academy vs #1 Eden Prairie is Tonight
The most anticipated game of the high school regular season (between Minnesota teams) is tonight at Minnehaha Academy. The Eagles and Redhawks in the rubber match.
The rubber match? Yes. Eden Prairie won two years ago 71-48, Minnehaha Academy earned the victory 61-60 last year. And considering that so much of the line-up the last three years has been quite similar in games, this is the rubber match. And here are the guys taking the floor, not so much the match-ups but the guys in spots.
Guard 1: Hercy Miller (Jr) vs Miles Frisch (Sr). Miller will be a transition pusher and active defender, Frisch is the dangerous shooter that you must locate. I could see Miller chasing Frisch or more likely spending time harassing Dobbs on the ball.
Guard 2: Jalen Suggs (Sr) vs Drake Dobbs (Sr). Will Drake and Jalen face off? Maybe. Dobbs could also see Miller. Either way, these are the playmakers and big shot takers and creators for these teams. The guys that make each squad go.
Wing: Prince Aligbe (Soph) vs John Henry (Sr). I would guess that Aligbe will get the Henry assignment as the Redhawks will hope to slow down the touch of Henry who averages 16 a game.
Forward: Kaden Johnson (Sr) vs Connor Christensen (Sr). I don’t believe Connor will defend Kaden, I would guess he will be on Jalen Suggs giving us a McDonald’s All American vs elite level Minnesota defender kind of match-up.
Big: Chet Holmgren (Jr) vs Austin Andrews (Sr). The fives for these teams are UND signed 6’5/6’6 Austin Andrews and seven footer Chet Holmgren. Very different players, both versatile in there own way.
Bench 1: Terry Lockett vs Will Foster. Terry is coming off a great shooting game vs Hibbing, Will is EP’s best reserve scoring option.
Bench 2: Donovan Smith vs Cole Tiran. Tiran is a junior worker, Smith a top sophomore shooter.
Bench 3: Isaiah Davis vs Brenden Donohue, Donohue is 6’1/6’2 and the biggest guy EP has been playing consistently off the bench, Davis is an athletic forward.
Winner is #1 overall in state, easy call on that one. Here is the rest of the Minnesota Elite….
3. Eastview (20-2)
4. Park Center (17-4)
5. Hopkins (17-5)
6. Chaska (19-3)
7. Shakopee (18-4)
8. Cretin-Derham Hall (19-3)
9. Spring Lake Park (19-3)
10. East Ridge (17-5)
11. Prior Lake (14-7)
12. DeLaSalle (17-4)
13. Mankato East (20-1)
14. Caledonia (22-1)
15. Lakeville South (17-5)
16. Marshall (22-1)
17. Totino-Grace (14-8)
18. Robbinsdale Armstrong (15-5)
19. North St. Paul (15-7)
20. Maple Grove (18-4)
21. Champlin Park (15-7)
22. Waseca (19-5)
23. Waconia (17-4)
24. Delano (18-3)
25. Lake City (21-2)