The Central Lakes Preview

Year to year the Central Lakes Conference always gives you something new.  Last year Fergus Falls won the league.  Here is this year’s preview. Conference Commentary Top Ten in State:  Fergus Falls, Alexandria With the Otters returning Dominic AguilarDominicAguilar6'2" | SGFergus Falls | 2021StateMN and Chase Fazio they are a certain threat in Class AA basketball.  They need some role players to step up if they are to fulfill want they want but Aguilar at combo guard and Fazio inside is a combo others don’t have.  For Class AA basketball they are top ten.  I’m not sure that Alexandria will start in the top ten as Class AAA basketball is all of a sudden deep and talented with prospects from all corners of the state.  Alexandria was 20-9 last year and return their top three players led by new Bemidji State commit Colton RoderickColtonRoderick6'5" | SFAlexandria | 2021StateMN. Alex and Fergus Falls split games last year but the Otters won the league.  Why am I picking Alexandria to win it this year?  Two reasons: 1) they return a bit more talent and 2) the CLC seems to have a new winner every year.  Compete with Most: St. Cloud Apollo, Brainerd, Sartell-St. Stephen, Rocori, Willmar The Apollo Eagles will not slip as far from last year as you think but they have a ton of players to replace.  Thomas DiewThomasDiew6'7" | CSt. Cloud Apollo | 2022StateMN is one of the best players in the league for certain they will go through him.  Brainerd has a bit more back than Apollo but like Apollo the Warriors have a top talent to run their offense through regularly.  That player is Griffin RushinGriffinRushin6'7" | PFBrainerd | 2021StateMN.  The better of the three teams listed should be Sartell based on the amount of talent coming back.  And don’t sleep on Rocori, a 13-15 team from a year ago that returns three of their top four players.  Willmar won only seven games last year but they were a younger squad.  They should be about a .500 team this year.  Rebuilding: Sauk Rapids-Rice, St Cloud Tech   20-21 Conference Predictions Alexandria Fergus Falls Sartell-St Stephen Rocori Brainerd St Cloud Apollo Willmar St Cloud Tech Sauk Rapids-Rice   Preseason All Central Lakes Conference First Team Dominic AguilarDominicAguilar6'2" | SGFergus Falls | 2021StateMN of Fergus Falls (Sr) Thomas DiewThomasDiew6'7" | CSt. Cloud Apollo | 2022StateMN of St. Cloud Apollo (Jr) Chance FazioChanceFazio6'11" | CFergus Falls | 2021StateMN of Fergus Falls (Sr) Colton RoderickColtonRoderick6'5" | SFAlexandria | 2021StateMN of Alexandria (Sr) Griffin RushinGriffinRushin6'7" | PFBrainerd | 2021StateMN of Brainerd (Sr)   Second Team Gustav GundersonGustavGunderson6'0" | PGSartell | 2021StateMN of Sartell (Sr) Tucker HaakonsonTuckerHaakonson6'1" | SGRocori | 2021StateMN of Rocori (Sr) Erik HedstromErikHedstrom6'4" | SFAlexandria | 2022StateMN of Alexandria (Jr) Kris Hoskins of Alexandria (Jr) Devyn YeagerDevynYeager6'4" | SFSt. Cloud Tech | 2022StateMN of St. Cloud Tech (Jr)   Third Team Luke HumbertLukeHumbert6'0" | SGRocori | 2021MN of Rocori (Sr) Mason LundMasonLund6'6" | SGSartell | 2022StateMN of Sartell (Jr) Ethan OpsahlEthanOpsahl6'4" | PFSauk Rapids-Rice | 2021StateMN of Sauk Rapids-Rice (Sr) Jayden PhilippiJaydenPhilippi5'11" | PGRocori | 2021StateMN of Rocori (Sr) Jacob RosendahlJacobRosendahl6'2" | SGWillmar | 2021StateMN of Willmar (Sr)   Fourth Team Abel Aho of Fergus Falls (Sr) Chase DirksenChaseDirksen6'3" | SFWillmar | 2021StateMN of Willmar (Sr) Alex Harren of Sauk Rapids-Rice (Jr) Blake Hartwig of Sartell-St. Stephen (Sr) Sam May of Willmar (Sr) KyTavion NorwoodKyTavionNorwood5'11" | PGSt. Cloud Tech | 2021StateMN of St. Cloud Tech (Sr)