The Mississippi 8 Preview
The Princeton Tigers have consistently been the team to beat in the Mississippi 8 as of late, will that continue this winter? Conference Commentary Top Ten Potential – Princeton The Tigers will enter the year a top 15 team in…
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Continue ReadingThe Princeton Tigers have consistently been the team to beat in the Mississippi 8 as of late, will that continue this winter?
Conference Commentary
Top Ten Potential – Princeton
The Tigers will enter the year a top 15 team in Class AAA working for their third straight section title, another share or outright league title, and if they play enough games, a 20 win season. The Tigers have a pair of all league players they need to replace and four of their top six producers overall. That said there’s a pair of all league starters back in Haydn Stay Haydn Stay 6'4" | PG Princeton | 2022 State MN and Manny Flicek Manny Flicek 5'9" | PG Princeton | 2021 State MN plus several of the second team talents ready to step into a bigger role.
Compete with Most – Cambridge-Isanti, Monticello, Chisago Lakes, St. Francis, Big Lake
Because the Bluejackets of CI graduated most of their rotation it could be tabbed as a rebuild. However, Cambridge-Isanti has a good frontcourt player in Connor Braaten Connor Braaten 6'5" | PF Cambridge-Isanti | 2021 State MN that will handle a near double-double loud plus several talents up from the JV ready for their turn. They are a traditionally good program that you would expect to have some more good players on their way up. Just will take some time for them to gain experience.
The Magic will be interesting. They were really good in league play (10-4) but struggled outside of it. They also have three starters back (full backcourt) and a couple reserves, but lose Austin Wetter Austin Wetter 6'5" | SG Monticello | 2020 State MN . With Andrew Koehler Andrew Koehler 6'7" | PF Chisago Lakes | 2021 State MN , Chisago Lakes likely has the leading scorer and rebounder in the section. This guy is a constant double-double and will battle Stay, Jack Iverson Jack Iverson 6'6" | PF Big Lake | 2021 State MN , and Cody Pennebaker Cody Pennebaker 6'5" | SF Park Center | 2022 State MN for League MVP honors. With a veteran backcourt returning, the Wildcats should take another step forward as a program.
As far as St. Francis goes (Pennebaker’s school) it’s time to take a step forward. I’m not saying they should be winning 20 games every year but they have too much talent for 7 win seasons, and 5 win seasons. I think this year they step forward behind Cody and Matthew Bothun Matthew Bothun 6'9" | PF St. Francis | 2023 State MN but they will need inexperienced guards to play well early in their varsity careers. A lot of what we said about St. Francis also applies with Big Lake. Very good talent up from in Iverson and Wyatt Windhorst Wyatt Windhorst 6'4" | SF Big Lake | 2021 State MN , and good young players, but guards have to step up despite little experience.
Rebuilding – Becker, North Branch
Not a full rebuild for Becker but they only have one starter back and the roster is only likely to have a couple seniors. North Branch should take a step forward this year after a 5-win season, although before we move them up a category the Vikings have to shown it on the floor some.
20-21 Conference Predictions
- Princeton
- Monticello
- Chisago Lakes
- St. Francis
- Cambridge-Isanti
- Big Lake
- North Branch
- Becker
Preseason All Mississippi 8
First Team
Manny Flicek Manny Flicek 5'9" | PG Princeton | 2021 State MN of Princeton (Sr)
Jack Iverson Jack Iverson 6'6" | PF Big Lake | 2021 State MN of Big Lake (Sr)
Andrew Koehler Andrew Koehler 6'7" | PF Chisago Lakes | 2021 State MN of Chisago Lakes (Sr)
Cody Pennebaker Cody Pennebaker 6'5" | SF Park Center | 2022 State MN of St. Francis (Jr)
Haydn Stay Haydn Stay 6'4" | PG Princeton | 2022 State MN of Princeton (Jr)
Second Team
Matthew Bothun Matthew Bothun 6'9" | PF St. Francis | 2023 State MN of St. Francis (Soph)
Connor Braaten Connor Braaten 6'5" | PF Cambridge-Isanti | 2021 State MN of Cambridge-Isanti (Sr)
Carson Kolles Carson Kolles 5'10" | PG Monticello | 2022 State MN of Monticello (Jr)
Brady Thompson Brady Thompson 5'10" | PG Monticello | 2022 MN of Monticello (Jr)
Wyatt Windhorst Wyatt Windhorst 6'4" | SF Big Lake | 2021 State MN of Big Lake (Sr)
Third Team
Gus Hansgleben of Monticello (Sr)
Trevor Johnson Trevor Johnson 6'3" | PF North Branch | 2022 State MN of North Branch (Jr)
Nick Knute of Becker (Sr)
Callahan O’Neil of Princeton (Sr)
Ryan Sanvik of Chisago Lakes (Sr)
Wyatt Sawatzke Wyatt Sawatzke 6'3" | SG Monticello | 2022 State MN of Monticello (Jr)
Fourth Team
Ben Arseneau Ben Arseneau 6'5" | PF Princeton | 2021 MN of Princeton (Sr)
Carter Callahan of Becker (Jr)
Braden Jones of Cambridge-Isanti (Jr)
Noah Lasiuta of Chisago Lakes (Sr)
Logan Murphy Logan Murphy 5'10" | PG North Branch | 2022 MN of North Branch (Jr)
Jacob Schultz of St. Francis (Jr)