Tuesday Night Match-Up breaks down the feature game of the evening plus runs you through some other key individual/team match-ups on Tuesday evening!
Game of the Night:
I see five games matching top ten teams but #4 Shakopee at #3 Wayzata is the one that is highest profile all around (side note, East Ridge vs CDH has been postponed). Both teams were at the Breakdown Tip Off Classic with the Sabers withstanding Minnetonka – Cade Mcgraw Cade Mcgraw 5'10" | PG Shakopee | 2022 State MN and Nick Katona Nick Katona 6'6" | SF Shakopee | 2022 State MN were outstanding – and Wayzata dropping a close game with top ranked Park Center.
Love this match-up. Both teams have quality coaches who have done a great job over the years getting teams to play quality team basketball. Both squads were at the state tournament last year with Shakopee dropping out in the semi-finals and of course Wayzata earning the championship. Wayzata brings back two starters and three reserves while Shakopee has four starters back from last year and two key reserves.
Here are the projected line-ups:
PG: Cade Mcgraw Cade Mcgraw 5'10" | PG Shakopee | 2022 State MN (Sr) vs Hayden Tibbits Hayden Tibbits 5'11" | PG Wayzata | 2023 State MN (Jr). Cade is coming off of an excellent Tip Off Classic game and now he has to deal with both Tibbits and Barnette who are really tough pair of lead guards.
W1: Quinten Snell Quinten Snell 6'0" | SG Shakopee | 2022 State MN (Sr) vs Drew Berkland Drew Berkland 5'11" | PG Wayzata | 2022 State MN (Sr). I don’t know that this pair will be defending one another, but I think they will be playing a similar key role.
W2: Yonis Mohamud Yonis Mohamud 6'2" | SG Shakopee | 2022 State MN (Sr) vs Ryan Harvey Ryan Harvey 6'3" | SG Wayzata | 2022 State MN (Sr). Yonis has consistently been that third/fourth scoring option for Shakopee while Harvey certainly has the potential to do that for the Trojans.
Forward: Nick Katona Nick Katona 6'6" | SF Shakopee | 2022 State MN (Sr) vs Spencer Hall Spencer Hall 6'3" | SF Wayzata | 2023 State MN (Jr). I could see Katona defending Hall at times to try and limit his activity, maybe Berkland if he gets on, or Bjerke as well as Shakopee isn’t very big and Nick has that time of defensive versatility.
Post: Sam West Sam West 6'4" | PF Shakolee | 2022 State MN (Sr) vs Carter Bjerke Carter Bjerke 6'9" | C Wayzata | 2022 State MN (Sr). Bjerke is a pick and pop big that can also finish around the cup. West is tough enough to battle but will give up size. West can move so he will be a good fight for Carter.
6th: Jalen Langsy Jalen Langsy 5'11" | PG Shakopee | 2024 State MN (So) vs Myles Barnette Myles Barnette 6'2" | PG Wayzata | 2023 State MN (Jr). Myles has been outstanding and has played pretty big minutes while I thought Langsy was solid with the ball last weekend allowing McGraw to do things off the ball more.
Other Tuesday Options
Eastview at Minnehaha Academy. This reminds me of a top bowl game match-up: a couple teams from different levels that we haven’t seen play each other much before, going head to head an interesting game of top 10 (or closer to top 5 teams).
Fertile-Beltrami at Cass Lake-Bena. Two programs that were at the top of my Class A last as contenders and both are holding strong in that area. A ten ten Class A match-up.
Nevis at Pequot Lakes. A couple small school stars: Eddie Kramer Eddie Kramer 6'4" | SF Nevis | 2022 State MN and Eli Laposky Eli Laposky 6'1" | PG Pequot Lakes | 2023 State MN . Nevis just beat Mayer Lutheran to stay a Top Ten team while Pequot Lakes lost their game and feel out of the top ten in Class AA. A big game for both.
Warroad at Badger/Greenbush-Middle River. Another big game in Northern Minnesota. Warroad just entered out Class AA top ten while BGMR was a semi-finalist in Class A last year. Both teams have top guys back.
Robbinsdale Cooper at DeLaSalle. Cooper hasn’t played yet while the Islanders have played four games dropping two. You can look at this one of two ways: Cooper’s first game is against a team that needs a win OR you can look at it as DeLaSalle needs a win badly and now they get Davion Evans Davion Evans 6'0" | PG Robbinsdale Cooper | 2022 State MN and Cooper.
Duluth Marshall at Moose Lake-Willow River. Another Northern Minnesota game that I will have my eyes on. Both Marshall and Moose Lake-Willow River are right on the verge of being top ten talented teams. A win here goes a long way for both.