The Northwest Suburban Preview
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Some of the elite teams and players in the state of Minnesota are in the Northwest Suburban. If you are cracking the NW Suburban preseason all league teams you are playing at a fairly high level. Conference Commentary Top…
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Continue ReadingSome of the elite teams and players in the state of Minnesota are in the Northwest Suburban. If you are cracking the NW Suburban preseason all league teams you are playing at a fairly high level.
Conference Commentary
Top Ten: Totino-Grace, Park Center, Osseo
Totino-Grace and Park Center are the favorites to win their respective classes. They are both number one entering the season with PC at 1 in AAAA and TG number one in AAA. We give the Eagles the slight edge in league play because they were two games better in the standings last season and they return more from their rotation than PC does, although both teams are super talented and will likely be neck and neck. Last year they split their games. Osseo is the other Northwest Suburban team that enters the season in the top ten. With three starters back, a ton of depth, and a wealth of upcoming talent, they should survive the pair of transfers and still have a strong season.
Top Ten Potential: Maple Grove, Armstrong, Spring Lake Park, Andover
The Crimson are always a solid team although they did get moved from section 8AAAA to the section with PC, Osseo, and several others so the road is tougher. The Crimson will still be very good though as they will have size, returning backcourt starters, and an ever running river of quality role players. Armstrong has a new coach but they are quite talented as well. It all depends on how the chemistry forms in a new system with some of the younger players mixing with the older players. Spring Lake Park has a really nice group of seniors that played on the 17u circuit last year and did quite well. They are a contender. Then you have the fantastic guards of Andover who led the team to a 13-6 season last year and will be even better.
Compete with Most: Elk River, Coon Rapids, Rogers
Elk River won six games a season ago and we think they will double that number at least. The Elks have a very good guard group that will earn them some victories and likely an upset or two. Coon Rapids should also be better. They made a playoff run and have most of their top players back from it. Rogers brings back most of their line-up so they should improve on that 5-14 record of a year ago.
Rebuilding: Champlin Park, Blaine, Anoka, Centennial
Champlin Park and Blaine have new coaches and there will be a lot of pieces that need to be replaced. In fact the Rebels will look completely new while Blaine has key pieces back but a new coach in place. Anoka was winless last year and the Cougars went 2-17 losing games by over 20 points a contest.
21-22 Conference Predictions
NW Suburban 1
- Maple Grove
- Andover
- Champlin Park
- Coon Rapids
- Blaine
- Anoka
- Centennial
NW Suburban 2
- Totino-Grace
- Park Center
- Osseo
- Spring Lake Park
- Robbinsdale Armstrong
- Elk River
- Rogers
Northwest Suburban Power Rankings
- Totino-Grace
- Park Center
- Osseo
- Maple Grove
- Andover
- Spring Lake Park
- Robbinsdale Armstrong
- Elk River
- Champlin Park
- Coon Rapids
- Rogers
- Blaine
- Anoka
- Centennial
Preseason All Northwest Suburban Conference
First Team
Braeden Carrington Braeden Carrington 6'4" | SG Park Center | 2022 State #141 Nation MN of Park Center (sr)
Taison Chatman Taison Chatman 6'4" | PG Totino Grace | 2023 State #35 Nation MN of Totino-Grace (jr)
Demarion Watson Demarion Watson 6'8" | SF Totino-Grace | 2022 State #150 Nation MN of Totino-Grace (sr)
Ahjany Lee Ahjany Lee 6'9" | C Byron | 2022 State #145 Nation MN of Totino-Grace (sr)
Leo Torbor Leo Torbor 6'1" | PG Park Center | 2022 State MN of Park Center (sr)
Second Team
Cody Pennebaker Cody Pennebaker 6'5" | SF Park Center | 2022 State MN of Park Center (sr)
Logan Kinsey Logan Kinsey 6'6" | PF Spring Lake Park | 2022 State MN of Spring Lake Park (sr)
Jon Haakenson Jon Haakenson 6'2" | SG Maple Grove | 2022 State MN of Maple Grove (sr)
Samuel Musungu Samuel Musungu 6'1" | PG Andover | 2023 State MN of Andover (jr)
Benard Omooria Benard Omooria 6'2" | CG Osseo | 2022 State MN of Osseo (sr)
Third Team
Ayouba Berthe Ayouba Berthe 6'4" | SF Park Center | 2022 State MN of Park Center (sr)
Benard Omooria Benard Omooria 6'2" | CG Osseo | 2022 State MN of Osseo (sr)
Patrick Bath Patrick Bath 6'9" | C Totino Grace | 2023 State MN of Totino-Grace (jr)
Tyirece Waits of Osseo (sr)
Tommy Humphries Tommy Humphries 6'5" | SF Totino-Grace | 2023 State #283 Nation MN of Totino-Grace (jr)
Fourth Team
Peyton Newbern Peyton Newbern 6'5" | SF Armstrong | 2022 State MN of Armstrong (sr)
Cade Osterman Cade Osterman 6'1" | PG Elk River | 2023 State MN of Elk River (sr)
Ben Kopetzki Ben Kopetzki 6'0" | PG Andover | 2023 State MN of Andover (jr)
Lincoln Palbicki Lincoln Palbicki 6'10" | C Maple Grove | 2023 State MN of Maple Grove (jr)
Blessed Barhayiga Blessed Barhayiga 6'9" | C Osseo | 2022 State MN of Osseo (sr)
Fifth Team
Peyton Belka Peyton Belka 6'1" | PG Rogers | 2022 State MN of Rogers (sr)
MJ Galimah MJ Galimah 6'2" | SG Coon Rapids | 2022 State MN of Coon Rapids (sr)
James Spencer James Spencer 6'6" | PF Park Center | 2022 State MN of Park Center (sr)
AJ Kaul of Blaine (sr)
Isaiah Johnson Isaiah Johnson 6'7" | SF Totino-Grace | 2024 State #135 Nation MN of Osseo (so)
Owen Skram Owen Skram 6'5" | PF Robbinsdale Armstrong | 2023 State MN of Armstrong (jr)