The Tri-Metro Preview
The Tri-Metro Conference. Does Columbia Heights have what it takes to take one from the Islanders?
Last Year. DeLaSalle won all league games, won 27 of 30 overall, and won the state for the sixth straight year. Sixth! St. Anthony Village was a game from 20 wins and something similar is expected this year while Brooklyn Center was also a game from 20 only they are considered to be a contender for the Class AA title.
Columbia Heights brings back all of their main pieces and hopes to make a run at the Islanders for the conference and the Class AAA crowns after making the final four last year. Fridley and St. Agnes both won 14 a year ago, they will always be competitive tough. Fridley has more returning though than St. Agnes. A major sleeper here is St. Croix Lutheran, a team that won 16 last year and should push for 20 wins this year. Concordia Academy and Holy Angels are expected to struggle again. CA lost all league games a year ago while the Stars continue to flicker.
Conference Commentary
State Contender: DeLaSalle, Brooklyn Center, Columbia Heights
The Islanders are of course the defending champions and just seem to reload wherever needed. They bring back top 200 junior Tyrell Terry and Minnesota committed Gabe Kalscheur as well as defender Sage Booker and CJ Dickson. Lost Goanar Mar? That is tough but the addition Jamison Battle gives the Islanders a 6-foot-7 point producer to replace the previous 6-7/6-8 point producer. Who replaces the boards? Jalen Travis will have a chance to grab several, as well Malik Lamin. The biggest question is how Travis Bledsoe steps in for Dave Thorson. The Islanders play a tough schedule, when some adversity hits, how will the kids react when it’s not Thorson speaking? Tough spot. Let’s see how he/they do!
BC had a chance to do something special last year but lost to Holy Family in the playoffs. Expectations are bigger this year despite losing a pair of double figure scoring wings. These kids play a load of basketball together year round.
Then you have the Hylanders. The very, very dangerous Hylanders. A semi-finalist in state last year and they will be even better. Wendell Matthews, Chris Kelly, Deundra Roberson, and Quentin Hardict all return as of course does veteran coach Willie Braziel. With Orono and DeLaSalle being in the same section we feel that the Hylanders could be the stiffest challenge to the Spartan/Islander winner for the title.
Potential Top Ten: St. Croix Lutheran, St. Anthony
I think the Crusaders could be one of the sleeper teams of the season with Garett Maag back along with three other starters and some bench players. They won 16 a year ago and lonely lost one guy. The combo of Tait Nelson and Aaron Smith is back for St. Anthony and they still have some size so another good season is expected from them.
Compete with Most: Fridley, St. Agnes
Don’t ever sleep on those Tigers! They are like Leroy Hoard getting you three when you need three, usually no more and usually no less. When big expectations have been there they didn’t quite make them but they always battle so they are always better than expected when people count them down. This will be one of those years. St. Agnes lost most of their team but Coach Hopkins will have them battling each night. Record may not be great in league though.
Rebuilding: Concordia Academy, Holy Angels
Tough for me to move CA up when they couldn’t win a league game last year. They do bring back some guys but they have to grab a couple league wins before they start sliding up. Holy Angels, they continue to be in a rut.
Conference Predictions
East: 1-St. Croix Lutheran, 2-St. Anthony Village, 3-St. Agnes, 4-Concordia Academy
West- 1-DeLaSalle, 2-Columbia Heights, 3-Brooklyn Center, 4-Fridley, 5- AHA
Power Rankings.
- DeLaSalle
- Columbia Heights
- Brooklyn Center
- Croix Lutheran
- Anthony
- Fridley
- Agnes
- Concordia Academy
- Holy Angels
Preseason All Tri-Metro
First Team
Gabe Kalscheur, DeLaSalle, Sr
Tyrell Terry, DeLaSalle, Jr
Deundra Roberson, Columbia Heights, Sr
Wendell Matthews, Columbia Heights, Sr
Lu’Cye Patterson, Brooklyn Center, Soph
Garett Maag, St Croix Lutheran, Sr
Second Team
Jamison Battle, DeLaSalle, Jr
CJ Dickson, DeLaSalle, Sr
Quentin Hardict, Columbia Heights, Sr
Aaron Smith, St. Anthony, Sr
Adreone Sprinkles, Brooklyn Center, Jr
Tait Nelson, St. Anthony, Soph
Third Team
Chris Kelly, Columbia Heights, Sr
Sage Booker, DeLaSalle, Sr
Rudwan Tahir, Brooklyn Center, Soph
Ryan Mazurek, Holy Angles, Sr
Jerome Cunningham, Fridley, Sr
Jack Kuckhahn, St. Croix Lutheran, Sr