Breakdown Tip Off Classic: Predictions
We’ve spent all week getting you ready for the Breakdown Tip Off Classic, the biggest one day event of the season, and now it’s time to predict the games. Who is going to win? NHR makes their choices.
Main Court
Osseo vs St. Thomas. Both teams bring back three key players from last year’s team. Sam Vascellaro vs Maurice Nelson should be really good. This will be close but I say Osseo by four.
Perham vs Breck. David Roddy is back and putting up numbers while Perham won’t have Logan Richter (football). Roddy will put on a show but Perham is deeper so they will win by nine.
Lakville North vs St. Cloud Tech. Tech will be without Camden Jackson, Brevyn Spann-Ford, and James Kaczor. North should roll by strong double digits (beat Woodbury by 14 last night).
Wayzata vs Woodbury. Tough call here. It will come down to Woodbury being able to get Michael Jones space for shots against the excellent Trojan defense. Wayzata by seven.
Rochester JM vs Lakeville South. JM has a huge game with Mayo tonight, then South tomorrow. South is under new leadership. Close game, Matthew Hurt scores 38 in a 2pt win.
Park Center vs Minnehaha Academy. The Redhawks are going East Ridge, Apple Valley, Park Center to start the year (half the Class AAAA top six) and we think the Redhawks sweep it.
DeLaSalle vs Hopkins. Both teams lost last Saturday, both took it out on weaker opponents earlier in the week. Who is going to go 0-2 in the Breakdown? Close game but I go with Novak.
Orono vs Cretin-Derham Hall. Orono is 3-0 and looked pretty good. CDH just lost to Edina and will be quite angry. Don’t see CDH losing two in a row, they win by three.
Apple Valley vs Minneapolis North. The Polars top guys are playing football at 3pm and then in this game at 9pm. And they have to face angry Tre Jones. Eagles by six.
East Court
Springfield vs Spring Grove. I know Spring Grove will be solid this year but did you see what Springfield did to top ten CMC? Scary. Springfield by double figures.
Austin vs Totino-Grace. Lost in the Packers losing Both Gach is the fact that they have some excellent juniors from an undefeated JV team. Packers are still deep, TG lost to BSM last night. This game will be close, I go with my hometown team (A-Town!)
Fergus Falls vs Delano. You see what Calvin Wishart is doing lately? Followed a triple double over the weekend with 47 (school record), 17 assists (school record), and eight boards. Tigers by seven.
Eden Prairie vs North St. Paul. This could be the sleeper game of the event. Veteran Polars versus a younger but deeper EP team. I go with depth and a four score victory.
Caledonia vs St. Cloud Cathedral. Easily the toughest game to predict. Excellent guards with a good post vs good guards and excellent frontcourt players. One score game. Not sure who wins.
Annandale vs Esko. They’ve been to state nine of the last ten years combined (Esko ran into the CI machine a year ago). Annandale controlled Esko last time they played, but this time not sure Annandale scores like that. Cards by four.
Champlin Park vs Minnetonka. Skippers lost to Farmington last night, can they rebound and beat Champlin Park? The Rebels are a new team and they haven’t played yet. Tough to predict as this core will be playing game one together. Rebels by one.
New Prague vs Armstrong. Both teams are coming off some tough losses early in the season. Both teams are filling many new spots. We go with the Trojans in a low scoring slugfest.