The South Suburban Preview
Next up? The South Suburban. How does the league look this winter? A much deeper league of talent than it’s been in recent years. Here is our preview of the ten programs in the league. Conference Commentary State Title Contender…
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Continue ReadingNext up? The South Suburban. How does the league look this winter? A much deeper league of talent than it’s been in recent years. Here is our preview of the ten programs in the league.
Conference Commentary
State Title Contender – Lakeville South
The Cougars have the best combination of size, talent, returning starters, upcoming players, and experience from a top ten team, of any Class AAAA team in the state. They are the safe pick as the preseason number one because of how they played last year and what they have back.
Top Ten in State – Eastview, Shakopee
Eastview lost a great group of seniors, but what’s coming back to the program will come closer to matching last season’s performance than many think. Names like Purcell, Ambrose, Scales, Shannon, and Spann all had good summers. Eastview will be big, athletic, and well coached. How does fellow top ten team Shakopee compare? I would say they will also be well coached, will also have the size, and where their line-up isn’t as athletic, Shakopee has more experience than Eastview (and some other top ten squads).
Potential Top Ten in State – Lakeville North
North had what was to be a “down year” and they won 17 games. The Panthers are likely to be right back in the thick of things with a combination of talented seniors and upcoming young talent. Many were hoping North would be down for awhile, but they won’t get their wish.
Compete with Most – Prior Lake, Rosemount, Farmington
The South Suburban is going to be better this year than it’s been in terms of depth. Prior Lake won’t be a top ten squad but with Malcolm Jones Malcolm Jones 6'9" | C Prior Lake | 2022 State MN in the middle and senior guards they will be solid. Rosemount returns four starters and has one of the league’s most dangerous scorers in Caleb Siwek Caleb Siwek 6'1" | SG Rosemount | 2022 State MN . The Irish will take a big step forward. Farmington was 11-16 last year but they have three starters returning (two that were all league players) and two guys back from injury who are starting caliber.
Rebuilding – Burnsville, Eagan, Apple Valley
Burnsville lost their coach, their talented young point guard, and their best frontcourt player. All from a last place team. It’s a program with some talent but going in a new direction. Eagan is likely to take another step in their rebuilding process and they are in a good spot to do it. Two young starters back, young reserves are back, and a good JV should help this team move closer to the .500 mark for the year. Apple Valley has a new coach and some new talent, and based on what we saw this summer from several of their guys, they will step out of last place and be an improved team.
Also know, there is a massive, massive difference between the bottom teams in this league and say the Northwest Suburban Conference. For example Farmington is 7th in this league prediction wise, but also predicted as a top three team in Section 1AAA. Eagan is picked 9th of 10 in this league but yet I have them as a top four squad in Section 3AAAA. That’s how good this league is this season. If you look at the bottom 3-4 here, and then let’s say they played the bottom four of the NWSC, the SS teams would hammer those squads.
20-21 South Suburban Conference Predictions
- Lakeville South
- Eastview
- Shakopee
- Lakeville North
- Prior Lake
- Rosemount
- Farmington
- Apple Valley
- Eagan
- Burnsville
Preseason All South Suburban Conference
First Team
Malcolm Jones Malcolm Jones 6'9" | C Prior Lake | 2022 State MN of Prior Lake (Jr)
Nick Katona Nick Katona 6'6" | SF Shakopee | 2022 State MN of Shakopee (Jr)
Avery Mast Avery Mast 6'5" | PF Lakeville South | 2022 State MN of Lakeville South (Jr)
Reid Patterson Reid Patterson 6'2" | SG Lakeville South | 2021 State MN of Lakeville South (Sr)
Caleb Siwek Caleb Siwek 6'1" | SG Rosemount | 2022 State MN of Rosemount (Jr)
Second Team
Will Blascziek Will Blascziek 6'4" | SG Lakeville North | 2021 State MN of Lakeville North (Sr)
Kyle Hrncir Kyle Hrncir 6'4" | PF Farmington | 2022 State MN of Farmington (Jr)
Riley Mahlman Riley Mahlman 6'9" | C Lakeville South | 2021 State MN of Lakeville South (Sr)
Zach Spann Zach Spann 6'5" | SF Eastview | 2021 State MN of Eastview (Sr)
Nolan Winter Nolan Winter 7'0" | PF Lakeville North | 2023 State #98 Nation MN of Lakeville North (Soph)
Third Team
Jamal Ambrose of Eastview (Jr)
Cooper Laufenburger Cooper Laufenburger 6'5" | SF Lakeville North | 2021 State MN of Lakeville North (Sr)
Jackson Purcell Jackson Purcell 6'4" | SF Eastview | 2021 State MN of Eastview (Sr)
Kenji Scales Kenji Scales 6'0" | PG Eastview | 2022 State MN of Eastview (Jr)
Emmanuel Schmitter Emmanuel Schmitter 6'3" | SG Eagan | 2023 State MN of Eagan (Soph)
Fourth Team
Isaac Ask Isaac Ask 6'3" | SG Farmington | 2021 State MN of Farmington (Sr)
Sam Fliehe Sam Fliehe 6'5" | SF Lakeville South | 2022 State MN of Lakeville South (Jr)
Nolan Loehr of Rosemount (Sr)
Quinten Snell Quinten Snell 6'0" | SG Shakopee | 2022 State MN of Shakopee (Jr)
Mick Wherley Mick Wherley 6'6" | PF Shakopee | 2021 State MN of Shakopee (Sr)
Fifth Team
Yarin Alexander of Burnsville (Jr)
Noah Friedt Noah Friedt 6'3" | SF Apple Valley | 2021 State MN of Apple Valley (Sr)
Cade Mcgraw Cade Mcgraw 5'10" | PG Shakopee | 2022 State MN of Shakopee (Jr)
Dylan Omwemo of Apple Valley (Soph)
Henry Shannon III Henry Shannon III 6'6" | SF Eastview | 2021 State MN of Eastivew (Sr)
Sixth Team
Khalif Bettis Khalif Bettis 6'6" | SF Burnsville | 2023 State MN of Burnsville (Soph)
Kortland Johnsen of Apple Valley (Sr)
Tommy Mestnik Tommy Mestnik 6'1" | PG Prior Lake | 2021 State MN of Prior Lake (Sr)
Trystan Ressler Trystan Ressler 6'2" | SG Lakeville South | 2021 State MN of Lakeville South (Sr)
Zach Wenthe Zach Wenthe 6'6" | C Rosemount | 2021 State MN of Rosemount (Sr)