The Northwest Suburban Conference – 1 Preview
The Northwest Suburban Conference is about to be discussed in a few different parts. Today we begin with the NWSC-1 teams. Conference Commentary Top Ten in State – Champlin Park, Maple Grove In the preseason Class AAAA rankings that many…
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Continue ReadingThe Northwest Suburban Conference is about to be discussed in a few different parts. Today we begin with the NWSC-1 teams.
Conference Commentary
Top Ten in State – Champlin Park, Maple Grove
In the preseason Class AAAA rankings that many have seen in the Breakdown book – and will be slightly updated when we introduce them here publicly next week – Maple Grove and Champlin Park are right next to each other. The Rebels have a better group of top three returning players, but Maple Grove has more experience back, a better crop of younger talent stepping up, and the Crimson beat CP by 11 and by 9 in their two games last year. This all gives Maple Grove a slight edge coming in but Josh Strong and Francis Nwaokorie may have a lot to say about that considering they will be the two most talented players on the floor when the Crimson and Rebels match up.
Should Improve a Step – Andover, Anoka
There are a lot of positive signs for Andover: they went 9-10 in league play last year, they have a senior in Calvin Foy Calvin Foy 6'1" | SG Andover | 2021 State MN who is excellent to lead this club as a three year starter, and they have a young group of sophomores capable of being all league players right now ( Ben Kopetzki Ben Kopetzki 6'0" | PG Andover | 2023 State MN and Sam Musungu). The need is for some of the size to develop. Anoka suffered a rough year winning only one league game and four overall but it was a team made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores and now all of those players are older. They will take a step forward but the question becomes, how big of a step?
Compete with Most – Blaine
The Bengals will almost always be right there in a competitive way. Last year they were 9-10 in the league (1-6 outside the league) plus they have a really nice junior scorer in Aaron Kuhl. Four of their top six players have graduated including two all league players.
Rebuilding – Coon Rapids, Centennial
Coon Rapids has a nice group of juniors that could make them competitive and a senior returning from injury but they don’t have a ton of returning experience. There are some players with size that have pitential. They have only two guys returning that have played solid minutes from a 4-15 league team. Centennial brings back a couple starters and all of their reserves. They will be more experienced but not sure how much more talented. Mason Lindsay Mason Lindsay 6'5" | SF Centennial | 2021 State MN is a nice player.
20-21 Conference 1 Predictions
- Maple Grove
- Champlin Park
- Andover
- Blaine
- Coon Rapids
- Anoka
- Centennial
Preseason All Northwest Suburban Conference – 1
First Team
Caden Boettcher Caden Boettcher 6'5" | SF Maple Grove | 2021 State MN of Maple Grove (Sr)
Dylan Gichaba Dylan Gichaba 6'5" | SF Champlin Park | 2021 State MN of Champlin Park (Sr)
Jon Haakenson Jon Haakenson 6'2" | SG Maple Grove | 2022 State MN of Maple Grove (Jr)
Francis Nwaokorie of Champlin Park (Sr)
Joshua Strong Joshua Strong 6'0" | PG Champlin Park | 2021 State MN of Champlin Park (Sr)
Second Team
Terence Anthony-Larmouth Terence Anthony-Larmouth 6'6" | SF Maple Grove | 2021 State MN of Maple Grove (Sr)
Calvin Foy Calvin Foy 6'1" | SG Andover | 2021 State MN of Andover (Sr)
Aaron (A.J.) Kaul Aaron (A.J.) Kaul 6'3" | SF Blaine | 2022 State MN of Blaine (Jr)
Ben Kopetzki Ben Kopetzki 6'0" | PG Andover | 2023 State MN of Andover (Soph)
Sam Musungu of Andover (Soph)
Third Team
Jordan Doe Jordan Doe 5'11" | PG Coon Rapids | 2021 MN of Coon Rapids (Sr)
MJ Galimah of Coon Rapids (Jr)
Alpha Kamanda of Anoka (Jr)
Mason Lindsay Mason Lindsay 6'5" | SF Centennial | 2021 State MN of Centennial (Sr)
Lincoln Palbicki Lincoln Palbicki 6'10" | C Maple Grove | 2023 State MN of Maple Grove (Soph)
Fourth Team
Jatai Dillard Jatai Dillard 5'7" | PG Maple Grove | 2021 State MN of Maple Grove (Sr)
Armanti Henry of Coon Rapids (Sr)
Japheth Nymari of Anoka (Jr)
Samuel Olson of Blaine (Sr)
Donald Prah Donald Prah 6'1" | PG Anoka | 2023 State MN of Anoka (Soph)
Andy Tran Andy Tran 5'10" | PG Maple Grove | 2021 State MN of Maple Grove (Sr)