WEEKLY ROUNDUP

*RJM’s named Mr. *NW guard strikes again *A friend remembered *State hoops snapshots Volume 25 Issue No. 17 March 29 2018-2019 Boys champions: Hopkins, DLS, Minnehaha, Henning

Above, Henning celebrates their Class 1A state title. Right, 7-0 Chet Holmgren scores for Minnehaha Academy in the 2A finals against Mpls. North. Below right, Jamison Battle holds DeLa- Salle’s Class 3A trophy. Below, blocks a shot by Lakeville North’s Tyler Wahl during Hopkins’ 4A win. Photos by Bruce Strand, MN BB News Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 2 RJM’s Hurt is Mr. Basketball By Bruce Strand Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Matthew Hurt of Rochester John Marshall is the 2019 Minnesota. He’s ex- Mr. Basketball pick, the first ever from the state’s third- pected to announce largest city, and the first from outside the metro area his college decision since 2006. in mid-April after the conclusion of The decision was announced during the Minnesota the Final Four. Timberwolves game Tuesday evening. With Hurt in At- lanta for the McDonald’s All-America game, the award The other finalists was accepted by his brother Michael Hurt, a current were Zeke Nnaji of Gophers who was a Mr. Basketball finalist 2016. Hopkins, Tyrell Ter- ry of DeLaSalle, Ty- The 6-9 Hurt averaged 37.1 points and 12.4 rebounds ler Wahl of Lakev- as a senior. In five seasons with the Rockets, he scored ille North, and Isaac 3,819 points, most of any big school player in state his- Fink of Springfield. tory and No. 4 overall. The last non-metro Hurt, also named Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Mr. Basketball was Year last week, is considered one of the top 10 se- Isaiah Dahlman of nior recruits in the nation. He has offers from Duke, Braham in 2006. Matthew Hurt Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 3 Hopkins: back on top By Bruce Strand Class 4A: Hopkins 55, Stillwater 40

The Hopkins Royals returned with a vengeance this very physical game. To win championships, you’ve got year. After missing two state tournaments, the state’s to be able to gut it out,” he said about the conquest of dominant big-school program rumbled to its 10th cham- Lakeville North. “We were kind of a free-flowing prima pionship without a close call along with way. donna team at the beginning of the year, and I thought, as the season went on, we just started to get tougher and The Royals shut down Lakeville North 55-40 in the tougher and tougher, to the point where defense became Class 4A finals Saturday at Target Center, putting an- a little bit of our identity.” other trophy in the case alongside the one the girls team captured a Hopkins’ ferocity led to horrible week earlier. shooting by Lakeville North, 3-for-27 on 3-pointers and 17-for- “It shows how dominant Hopkins 60 overall. The Royals ruled the basketball is,” said Zeke Nnaji, rebounds 47-31. By committing the Royals’ 6-10 senior Mr. Bas- just eight fouls while the Panthers ketball finalist, whose sister Maya were whistled 25 times, they had was a pillar of the girls team. a 20-3 edge in points. “There’s a great history and cul- ture at Hopkins.” Kerwin Walton tallied 17 points, Nnaji 14 points and Andy Staf- Yet Nnaji and his class watched the ford 10, as the Royals won com- last two tournaments after losing fortably despite taking just 45 to Wayzata in sectionals, finish- shots, making 14, seven of them ing 23-6 and 26-2, which marked Kerwin Walton, who had 53 points at 3-pointers. Most impressive the first time since 2007 and 2008 state, drives past Lakeville North’s stat was Dane Zimmer pulling they missed two straight. Start- Tommy Jensen to score in the finals. down 21 rebounds while notch- ing in 2009, Hopkins went seven ing seven points, three steals and times in eight years, with four championships. two blocks. “That’s my job, to get rebounds and keep people off the boards,” said the rugged 6-8 senior, who This year, the No. 3 ranked Royals (29-4) beat No. joined Nnaji and Walton on the all-tournament team. 8 Wayzata 82-71 in the Section 6AAAA finals, then rolled through state, beating Cambridge-Isanti 86- Lakeville North (27-5), in its eighth straight state trip, 53 and No. 2 East Ridge 71-47 before holding No. 4 reached finals for the fourth time. They won in 2014. Lakeville North 31 points under their season average. Tyler Wahl, Lakeville North’s Mr. Basketball finalist, “It’s nice to be able to leave your mark and hang a ban- had a strong game with 19 points (shooting 8-for-17) ner,” acknowledged Nnaji, who logged 62 points and and 17 rebounds, along with five steals and four blocked 31 rebounds at state, “and to be one of the people who shots. But Hopkins held five Panthers to a single field did that.” goal, and Jack Rusch was next with 10 points.

Hopkins, making its 23rd state appearance, is now 10-3 “This was a grinder kind of game, which is not our kind in championship games, with eight of those titles under of game. We like games to be free-flowing,” said Panther Ken Novak, who was inducted into the Minnesota High coach John Oxton about Hopkins’ ability to set the tone. School Basketball Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Hopkins led 24-17 at halftime. Lakeville North scored Novak was especially impressed with the nasty de- the first nine points of the second half and took a 26-24 fense exhibited by his latest state champion. “It was a Hopkins: Continued on Page 10 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 4 Gone, but always in their hearts By Bruce Strand

The Henning Hornets lost a teammate and friend two years ago, and have made sure ever since that Jacob Quam is always with them in spirit.

Even while celebrating their school’s first state cham- pionship last Saturday (see Page 7), the Hornets promi- nently displayed Quam’s No. 33 jersey, held aloft by his close friend Dylan Trana. A gold medal was hung on the hanger holding the jersey.

“Showing everybody that he’s still with us, and that we were playing 6-on-5 the whole time,” Trana explained. Henning keeps a chair for Jacob Quam’s jersey Quam, a sophomore at Henning, died after a head-on the only player over 6-1, coach Randy Misegades said. crash while driving to the weight room April 13, 2017. The driver of the semi that crossed the center line was Quam’s mother has kept in touch with her son’s friends. found guilty of criminal vehicular homicide. “I know at times it’s a struggle for her,” Misegades The team has left open a chair on the bench with his said. “She’s so happy for these kids and she loves them, jersey draped over it every game. Quam, who was 6-3, but at the same time, I know she can’t help but think would’ve been a starter and a captain as a senior, and what if he was out there. We keep telling her he was.” VARSITY BOYS & GIRLS 2019 PACESETTER

$290/team Register online: MINNESOTA INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT www.pacesettersports.net MIT Saturday - Sunday, July 27-28 College of St. Benedict FOR STRONG TEAMS ONLY! St. Joseph, MN (4 miles west of St. Cloud) Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 5 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 6 DeLaSalle reclaims crown By Bruce Strand Class 3A: DeLaSalle 63, Waseca 56 “Redemption!” exclaimed , beaming. DeLaSalle finished 27-5, against a brutal schedule that included 14 games against top-ten ranked teams in Min- It’s not often that DeLaSalle seeks redemption, since nesota and other states. They were 5-1 against other state they basically win state championships every season, entrants and beat an Alabama state champion that was but 2019 was the rare instance where the Islanders were ranked No. 11 in the country. They won 18 of their last not the defending champion. 19, including a win over Class 4A champion Hopkins and a loss to Class 2A champion Minnehaha Academy. Well, they’re the reigning champion again. The No. 1 ranked Islanders turned back a stern challenge from Terry, senior guard and Mr. Basketball finalist, scored 19 No. 2 Waseca 63-56 in the Class 3A points, made 10 and snagged championship game Saturday. seven rebounds in the finals. The Stanford recruit is the team rudder, “This is for all the alums, and all committing just five turnovers in the past state champs, and the play- three state games. Senior forward ers who didn’t win a championship,” Jamison Battle pumped in 26 points. said coach Travis Bledsoe, one of Senior post Jalen Travis notched 10 the few Islander luminaries who had points and seven rebounds. never won one before. “This is the greatest thing for DeLaSalle, after “DeLaSalle has unbelievable ath- the tough loss last year, to come back letes, Division I players,” Waseca and win it like we did.” coach Seth Anderson said, “so we had to play real well, and we did. The Islanders had won six titles in We defended well, won some loose a row, under coach Dave Thorson, balls, and made some tough shots, before being upset by Columbia but we did not make quite enough Heights in last year’s semifinals, plays to get over the top. Their ball their only loss in 21 state tournament DeLaSalle’s Tyrell Terry, a Mr. pressure had a lot to do with that.” games since 2012. Basketball finalist, takes aim. Two back-breaking plays were Ter- “This is my first — as a coach and as a player,” said ry’s dunk after stealing the ball from Waseca’s star guard Bledsoe, a 2005 Mr. Basketball finalist for the Island- for a 48-36 lead with 9:08 left, and Battle’s 3-pointer ers who took over last year when Thorson moved to a for a 51-44 lead with 4:45 left. “We pride ourselves on college job. “We lost to Richfield my sophomore year getting stops and scoring,” said Terry, adding, with a and Braham my senior year … I knew when I replaced grin, “I wasn’t sure if I had enough energy to dunk it.” a Hall of Fame coach that some doubts would creep in, Battle, who shot 27-for-37 in the tournament, 11-for-16 and if we don’t win the state it will be on my shoulders.” on three’s, recounted, “It was really loud at the time, and we had a specific play, but it broke down. In the DeLaSalle notched its state record 12th state title, all huddle, I had told him I could ring the ball. I was confi- since joining the MSHS, before which they won 12 dent I could make it.” Ring the bell is Bledsoe-speak for state Catholic school crowns. making sure you hit that long ball.

Of all the public school teams who have fallen to DLS Waseca (30-2) got 21 points and eight rebounds from in their recent run, Waseca was the first to give them Malik Willingham, senior point guard who topped the a close game since Washburn took them into overtime 2,000-point marker in the game. Bluejay 6-8 sophomore in 2012. “Their No. 2 is great player. Their big man Andrew Morgan notched 19 points and seven rebounds, had great game,” Bledsoe said. “We play a lot of really good teams, and they are up with the best of then. It was DeLaSalle: Continued on Page 14 probably our toughest win all year.” Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 7 Minnehaha three-peats By Bruce Strand Class 2A: Minnehaha 69, Mpls. North 52 Minnehaha Academy’s coach insists that it’s not easy coach Larry McKenzie said. “We had a hard time get- winning Class AA championships, even if the Red- ting into our sets and didn’t get a lot of good looks.” The hawks do make it look routine. After his No. 1 ranked Polars shot just 19-for-55. The coach used a gymnastics team beat No. 2 North 69-52 Saturday to term, “degree of difficulty,” for how their shots were wrap up their third straight, Lance Johnson commented: altered by Holmgren. “The big guy was a big factor.”

“We are the only team in the state of Minnesota who, if Minnehaha lost only to Class 4A champion Hopkins you lose a game in the state tour- 66-59 and 97-85. They beat nament, a lot of people see it as a Class 3A champ DeLaSalle 79- failed season. These guys handle 71 and third-place Austin 81-61 that pressure so well.” along with Class 4A state quali- fier Eden Prairie 61-60. They’ve Led by Jalen Suggs, one of the na- gone 83-11 over three years, tion’s top juniors, the Redhawks (29-2) have won nine state tour- Road to the finals nament games by an average of 22 points the last three years, the The Redhawks beat St. Peter 78- closest being 47-36 over Crosby- 47 with Suggs notching a triple Ironton for the 2016 title. double: 21 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Kaden Johnson If the Redhawks win a fourth and Holmgren scored 14 each straight, it could be a much and Aligbe 11, while Holmgren tougher road. The school applied blocked eight shots. They van- before the tournament to move quished Perham 82-52 in the up to Class 3A, the domain of the Redhawk guard Jalen Suggs scores semifinals as Suggs logged 24 DeLaSalle Islanders, next year. between North’s Nasir El-Amin (12) points and 11 rebounds, Hol- Johnson paid tribute to DeLaS- and Josh Hodges (21). mgren 23 points and 11 re- alle, which won its seventh state bounds, Aligbe 15 points and title in eight years later Saturday. ‘You realize how Johnson 14. tough it is to do what DeLaSalle has done,” Johnson said. “The target on your backs gets bigger and bigger.” Minneapolis North had a first-round battle with unseed- ed Esko and finally pulled away 61-53 in the final min- Against North (23-9), Suggs pumped in 20 points, as ute. Willie Wilson netted 17 points and Nasir El-Amin did sophomore guard Prince Aligbe. Another sopho- and Davon Townley Jr. 14 each. The Polars clipped more, willowy 7-footer Chet Holmgren, had a triple- Perham 62-46 in the semifinals as El-Amin scored 13, double — blocking 10 shots while scoring 16 points Townley 12, Wilson 11 and Eli Campbell 10. and snagging 14 rebounds. They’re all back next year. Minnehaha Academy (28-2) …...... … 30 39 — 69 Minneapolis North (23-9) …...... ……… 15 37 — 52 Suggs, who had seven turnovers, said, “This is a team game. I had moments where I wasn’t doing my best and Minnehaha Academy — 22-50 FG (1-12 3FG), 24-30, 36 re- bounds, 16 turnovers, 17 fouls … Scoring: Jalen Suggs 20 (4 ast), these guys kept me up, kept me calm.” Kaden Johnson 5, Prince Aligbe 20 (7 reb), Chet Holmgren 16 (14 reb, 10 blk, 4 ast), Siegel Howard 4, Craig McDonald 4 The Redhawks harassed North on the other end. Na- Minneapolis North — 19-55 FG (1-8 3FG), 13-21 FT, 30 rebounds, sir El-Amin scored 17 points, and the Polars’ next-high 16 turnovers, 22 fouls … Scoring: Omar Brown 2, Eli Campbell 2 (6 was Davon Townley Jr. with eight. “They did a lot of reb), Nasir El-Amin 17 (6 reb, 4 blk), Willie Wilson 7, Davon Townley Jr. 8 (7 reb), Jacob Butler 3, Josh Hodges 6, Meiko Anderson 1, switching. They did a great job scouting us,” North Darius Hanson 6 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 8 Henning races to first title By Bruce Strand Class 1A: Henning 67, North Woods 42 They can stop talking about that triple overtime game (Henning honors a teammate who died. See Page 4) with Edina in 1966 now. Henning has finally made it back to Minneapolis for basketball in late March and North Woods reached the finals for the third straight this time the Hornets brought home the championship. year and lost all three. “It’s very hard to do,” said coach Will Kleppe about three straight finals, noting that the With a lineup so small they looked like something out Grizzlies were the only returning team each of the last the sixties, the No. 7 ranked Hornets used dazzling two tournaments. “Those are things that can’t be taken speed, precise skills and deadly shooting to post a 31-1 away, even if there were no championships.” record, capped by a finals rout of No. 6 North Woods 67-42 Satur- North Woods (29-3) shot just day at Target Center. 15-for-49 overall, 4-for-22 on three’s, under Henning’s with- Henning’s only previous state ering pressure. Trevor Morri- trips were 1965 and 1966 in the son scored 11 points and Chase one-class system. The 1966 en- Kleppe 10. Cade Goggleye, their trant had an epic three-overtime 2,000-point guard, was held to loss to eventual champion Edina. five. Morrison and Goggleye Several members of that team at- each made the all-tourney team tended the tournament and took a for the third time. photo with the current team. Road to the finals The Hornets sank 26 of 47 shots (55 percent) and held North Henning beat Christ’s Household Woods to their lowest score since of Faith 63-56 with Sam Fisher 2012. They got out rebounded scoring 20 and Fraki 16, then (43-33) as usual but extracted 24 drubbed Spring Grove 67-34, turnovers from the Grizzlies. shooting 26-for-46 (and 7-for-7 Henning’s Sam Fisher leads a fast at the line) with Fraki and Sam “Once we got here, we saw we be- break resulting in his two free shots. Fisher hitting 15 each, Isaac Fish- longed, and we wanted to win it er 14 and Lange 10. all,” said Parker Fraki, 6-1 junior who notched 13 points and five assists. Sam Fisher, 5-10 senior, led with 22 North Woods beat Westbrook-Walnut Grove 56-39 with points and seven rebounds. “This is definitely the best Morrison notching 20 points and 10 rebounds, then day of my life,” said Fisher, who twice scored on perfect nipped Ada-Borup West 57-55 on Goggleye’s 3-pointer alley-oop passes from Fraki. Blake Wallevand, 6-0 junior, with 1.5 seconds left. Goggleye notched 18 points and had 12 points. Isaac Fisher, 5-10 junior, had nine. Adam Morrison 20. (See Page 8) Lange, 6-0 senior, had four. Off the bench, 5-8 junior Lee Bjorklund had five, and 5-11 senior Dylan Trana two. Henning (31-1) .....…...... … 36 31 — 67 North Woods (29-3) …...... 17 25 — 42

“Every drill we do is about movement,” coach Randy Henning — 26-47 FG (6-17 3FG), 9-14 FT, 23 rebounds, 14 turn- Misgades said. “We are not very big, so we better play overs, 12 fouls … Scoring: Parker Fraki 13 (5 ast, 5 reb), Blake Wallevand 12 (4 ast), Isaac Fisher 9, Sam Fisher 22 (7 reb, 3 ast), that way. Every game, we were the smaller team.” Adam Lange 4, Lee Bjorklund 5, Brandon Trana 2 Henning lost only to Parkers Prairie in the regular-sea- North Woods — 15-49 FG (4-22 3FG), 8-11 FT, 33 rebounds, 24 turnovers, 16 fouls … Scoring: Cade Goggleye 5 (4 ast), Ian Sher- son finale, 77-74. The Hornets nipped their toughest foe man 6, Chase Kleppe 10 (8 reb), TJ Chiabotta 5, Trevor Morrison 60-58 in the Section 6A finals with a late rally. 11 (12 reb), Bryce Chosa 2, Dylan Chiabotti 3 … Fouled out: Kleppe Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 9 Grizzlies guard delivers, again By Bruce Strand * * * Seth Anderson has an 81-10 record in his first three sea- North Woods may have lost the championship game sons coaching Waseca, with two section runners-up and for third straight year, but the Grizzlies did generate a state runner-up. He gives one player a ton of credit. the most exciting moment of the tournament -- Cade Asked about Waseca’s prospects next year, he said, “Do Goggleye’s off-balance three-pointer with 1.5 seconds you think we can replace Malik Willingham? You can’t. left that beat Ada Borup-West 57-55 in the semifinals. For my three years, this guy has had the ball in his hands a majority of the time. That will be tough to replace.” With his team down 55-54, the Willingham scored his 2,000th Grizzlies inbounded with 3.7 point in the finals and finished seconds left. Goggleye slid with 2,012. into the corner to take the pass from TJ Chiabotti. Ada-Borup * * * West’s Jared Brainerd had him Three of four divisions this year tightly covered but the 6-2 se- were girl-boy sweeps -- Hop- nior guard got the shot off, fell kins in Class 4A, DeLaSalle in backward on his butt, and from Class 3A and Minnehaha Acad- there watched the ball swish emy in Class 2A. It’s the third through the cords. sweep for both Hopkins (2006, 2011, and 2019) and DeLaSalle “We had him pinned in the cor- (2012, 2013, 2019). The only ner, and I had my hands up,” other double was by Minneapo- said Brainerd, who notched 15 lis North in 2003. points and six assists, and had just given his team the lead. North Woods teammates mobbed Cade * * * “He rose up and hit a tough Goggleye (second from left) The boys tournament field -in shot.” Goggleye, who scored 18 cluded five of the six schools points, but had thrown the ball out of bounds when up with the most state appearances. Austin is the leader 54-52, said, “I knew I had to make up for that play … I with 32 trips followed by Bemidji with 30, each with told myself that if I got the shot I was going to make it.” three titles. DeLaSalle and Hopkins each made their 23rd trip, with DeLaSalle nabbing its 12th title and Every kid dreams of making that play at state. Just a Hopkins its 10th. It was the 22nd for Minneapolis North handful actually do it. Goggleye has done it TWICE. (seven crowns). Not present was Red Wing (26 trips). His sophomore year, he hit a half-court shot to beat Central Minnesota Christian 54-51 at Williams Arena. * * * “That’s what Cade does,” coach Will Kleppe. “I have Henning coach Randy Misegades, after his team claimed heard of a lot of great plays. I’ve seen two in the last the Class 1A title beating North Woods 67-42, observed, three years, and it would be hard to put many above “This is not just Henning but for a lot of transplants in them.” other communities and in the metro area. Our moms had 450 shirts for sale and they were gone in about an hour.” * * * Isaac Fink of Springfield was high scorer in the tourna- * * * ment with 88 points. The Mr. Basketball finalist, a 6-4 Minneapolis North had won its last six championship guard, sank 30 points in the opener but the top-seeded games before losing to Minnehaha Academy 69-52. Tigers were upset by hot-shooting Spring Grove 78-67. “We had an extremely good season. We start a sopho- Fink notched 23 points in a 95-74 win over Christ’s more and a freshman, and a sophomore comes off the Household of Faith and 35 points in a 91-61 win over bench,” coach Larry McKenzie said. Senior guard Nasir Westbrook-Walnut Grove. His teammate Decker Schef- El-Amin added, “It’s hard to get here. It’s a blessing for fler scored 67 points. us to be playing in the last game of the season.” Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 10 Hopkins: 10th state title State tournament summary Continued from Page 3 CLASS 4A lead after a and dunk by Wahl. Hopkins responded Quarterfinals with a 12-0 run of its own, eight of those points by Wal- Park Center 77, Maple ton on a pair of three’s and a jumper in the paint. The Grove 56 Lakeville North 73, Eden 6-5 junior had 53 points in the tournament. Prairie 48 Hopkins 86, Cambridge- “To go from up two to down nine,” Oxton lamented, Isanti 53 “we just really, really struggled offensively.” East Ridge 78, Eastview 41 Semifinals Lakeville had three all-tourney picks in Wahl, Rusch and Lakeville North 47, Park Tommy Jensen, all seniors among eight on the roster. Center 45 Esko’s Trevor Spindler “Our seniors are amazing,” Oxton said. “They learned Hopkins 71, East Ridge 47 drives against Mpls. Championship from the guys in front of them, and carried it forward. Hopkins 55, Lakeville North’s Eli Campbell. But it’s always tough when you get to the last game.” North 40 Third place Semifinals Park Center 61, East Minnehaha Academy 82, Hopkins was ranked No. 1 for the bulk of the season but Lake City 52 dropped to No. 3 when they lost their regular-season fi- Ridge 59 Consolation Mpls. North 62, Perham 46 nale to Eden Prairie, their fourth loss. Their 29-4 record Eden Prairie 77, Maple Championship includes splits with Eden Prairie, East Ridge and Edina, Grove 74 Minnehaha Academy 69, Eastview 85, Cambridge- Minneapolis North 52 a 75-67 loss to Class 3A champion DeLaSalle, and two Third place wins over Class 2A champion Minnehaha Academy. Isanti 78 Fifth place Lake City 51, Perham 47 Eden Prairie 76, Eastview Consolation Road to the finals 65 Melrose 58, St. Peter 53 Esko 66, Redwood CLASS 3A Vallley 56 Lakeville North trounced Eden Prairie 73-48, led by Fifth place Jensen with 23 points (5-for-8 on three’s), Wahl with Quarterfinals Melrose 66, Esko 57 15, Tate Staloch 11 and Rusch 10. The Panthers edged DeLaSalle 76, Bemidji 45 top-seeded, No. 1 ranked Park Center 47-45 in the semi- Princeton 68, Mahtomedi 63 CLASS 1A finals, taking a 31-16 halftime lead and holding off a Waseca 82, Holy Angels 62 Austin 68, Monticello 52 furious Pirate rally. Jensen notched 16 points. Wahl had Semifinals Quarterfinals 11 points and 15 rebounds but also eight turnovers. DeLaSalle 93, Princeton 54 Spring Grove 78, Waseca 79, Austin 64 Springfield 67 Henning 63, Christ’s Hopkins beat Cambridge-Isanti 86-53 with Nnaji scor- Championship DeLaSalle 63, Waseca 56 Household of Faith 56 ing 25 points, Walton 19, and Zimmer 15, while domi- Third place Ada-Borup West 49, nating rebounds 43-17. They led East Ridge 26-24 at Princeton 88, Austin 76 Cromwell-Wright 39 halftime and pulled away to win 71-47, shooting 19- Consolation North Woods 56, West- Mahtomedi 87, Bemidji 49 brook-Walnut Grove 39 for-25 in the second half. Nnaji netted 23 points, Walton Semifinals 17, Andy Stafford 13 and Jalen Dearing 10. The Roy- Holy Angels 71, Monticello 65 Henning 67, Spring Grove 34 als shut down a powerful Raptor offense as Courtney Fifth place North Woods 57, Ada-Borup Brown was high with 13 points. Holy Angels 70, Mahtomedi West 55 73 Championship Henning 67, North Lakeville North (27-5) …...... ….. 17 23 — 40 Hopkins (27-4) …………...... ….. 24 31 — 55 Woods 42 CLASS 2A Third place Lakeville North — 17-60 FG (3-27 3FG), 3-6 FT, 31 rebounds, 12 Spring Grove 72, Ada-Borup turnovers, 25 fouls … Scoring: Josh Kamara 2, Tommy Jenson 2, Quarterfinals West 68, OT Tyler Wahl 19 (17 reb, 5 stl, 4 blk), Tate Staloch 3, Eli Mostaert 2, Minnehaha Academy 78, Consolation Jack Rusch 10, Will Mostaert 2 … Fouled out: Kamara St. Peter 47 Springfield 95, CHOF 73 Lake City 60, Melrose 44 WWG 70, Cromwell-Wr. 57 Hopkins —14-45 FG (7-24 FG), 20-31 FT, 47 rebounds, 20 turn- Fifth place overs, 8 fouls … Scoring: Jalen Dearing 5, Andy Stafford 10, Kerwin Mpls. North 61, Esko 53 Perham 73, Redwood Mountain Iron-Buhl 53, Walton 17, Zeke Nnaji 14 (12 rebounds, 3 blk, 2 stl), Dane Zimmer Ada-Borup West 45 7 (21 rebounds, 2 blk, 3 stl), Rayquan Valentin 2 Valley 46 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 11 Boys state tourney snapshots

How sweet it is! Rayquan Velentin beams after the final horn of Hopkins’ championship win over Lakeville North.

A Henning student exhorts her champion team to do what they do best.

Mahtomedi’s J’vonne Hadley scored 30 points in an opening loss to Princeton (above) and 80 in the tournament.

North Woods cheer- leaders rev up the Ada-Borup West’s 6-8 Ma- rooting son Miller scores against Parker Fraki of Henning takes gallery in Cromwell-Wright’s Isaac aim during the Hornets’ 67-42 the finals. Shelton (20) and Cameron win over North Woods. Cahoon (32). Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 12 Boys state tourney snapshots

Jalen Suggs carts Minnehaha Academy’s trophy toward the stu- dent gallery while Chet Holmgren signals that it’s three in a row. Tyler Wahl of Lakeville scores on an alley-oop pass.

Princeton’s James Waseca’s Andrew Morgan, Minneaoplis North’s Omar Brown, driving Flicek (3) tips away against Minnehaha stalwarts Jalen Suggs and an inbounds pass scoring against Holy An- Chet Holmgren, draws a foul from Holmgren. to Mahtomedi’s gels here, shot 29-for-37 in Zac Centers. the tournament. Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 13 MBBN picks all-tourney fab five Minnesota Basketball News selects a Fab overall and 11-for-16 on three’s — as he Five All-Tournament Team from the stars rung up 75 points. The Islanders’ peer- in all four classes. Our MVP pick is Zeke less point guard Tyrell Terry made just Nnaji, Hopkins’ agile 6-11 forward, for five turnovers while dishing out -25 as leading the Royals to the Class 4A crown, sists and scoring 56 points. Jalen Suggs, contributing 62 points (shooting 22-for- Minnehaha Academy junior, makes the 36) and 31 rebounds while anchoring a fab five for the third time, delivering 65 defense that allowed just 47 points per points, 21 assists, and seven steals, hitting game. DeLaSalle’s two senior stalwarts 19 of 23 free shots. Lakeville North 6-7 came up big to lead the Islanders to the guard Tyler Wahl logged 49 points with- Class 3A title. Jamison Battle’s shooting out shooting a lot (17-for-33) and grabbed was brilliant throughout — 27-for-37 Zeke Nnaji a tournament-high 40 rebounds. MSHSL Wells-Fago all-tournament teams

Class A — Front: Alec Folz & Ethan Matzke, Spring Class 2A — Front: Davon Townley Jr. & Nasir El-Amin, Grove, Mason Miller, Ada-Borup West; Decker Schef- Mpls. North; Reid Gastner & Nathan Heise, Lake City; fler & Isaac Fink, Springfield. Back: Isaac Fisher, Sam Finn Diggins, Perham. Back: Prince Aligbe & Chet Hol- Fisher & Parker Fraki, Henning; Trevor Morrison & Cade mgren, Minnehaha; Eli Campbell, North; Jalen Suggs, Goggleye, North Woods Minnehaha. Not pictured: Preston Keaveny, Melrose

Class 3A — Front: Andrew Morgan & Kyreese Willingham, Class 4A — Front: Dain Dainja & Tommy Chatman, Waseca; Adam Williams, Princeton; Max Gerstner, Holy Park Center; Courtney Brown, East Ridge; Drake Angels. Back: Kameron Givens, Jamison Battle & Tyrell Dobbs, Eden Prairie. Back: Dane Zimmer, Zeke Nnaji & Terry, DeLaSalle; Malik Willingham, Waseca. Not pictured: Kerwin Walton, Hopkins; Tyler Wahl, Tommy Jensen & J’vonne Hadley, Mahtomedi; Medi Obang, Austin Jack Rusch, Lakeville North Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 14

meron Givens and Travis 10 each. The Islanders over- DeLaSalle wins 3A whelmed Princeton 93-54, shooting 64 percent with 12 steals. Battle netted 28 points, Terry 22, Givens 19 and Continued from Page 5 Travis 14. For Princeton, Adam Williams had 21. capping a super tourney in which he shot 29-for-37 and Waseca rolled past Holy Angels 82-62, ruling the rims totaled 63 points and 31 rebounds. 49-30 with Malik Willingham notching 22 points and 11 rebounds, Morgan 21 and nine, Kyreese Willingham But the Bluejays could manage only 56 points. They 17 and 12, and Matt Olsem nine and nine. The Bluejays were 3-for-16 on three’s and just 3-for-3 on free shots beat Austin 79-69, again with a rebounding edge of 39- as DLS made only seven fouls. “We don’t see defenses 29. Dufault pumped in 30 points (4-for-5 on three’s), like that,” Willingham said. With his team down 60-50 Morgan 23 (and 15 rebounds) and Kyreese Willingham and fading, Willingham provided late excitement nail- 14. Medi Obang drilled 28 points for Austin. ing two straight 3-pointers from another time zone in the last minute but it was too little too late. DeLaSalle (27-5) …...... …. 25 38 — 63 Waseca, making its 10th state trip, has reached the finals Waseca (30-2) …...... ……. 21 35 — 56 once before — 101 years ago. In 1918, Waseca was 13-0 DeLaSalle — 23-47 FG (3-9 3FG), 14-19 FT, 25 rebounds, 8 turn- and beat Duluth Central 29-10 for the championship. overs, 7 fouls … Scoring: Tyrell Terry 19 (7 reb, 10 ast), Kameron Givens 6, Andrew Irvin 2 (2 blk, 2 stl), Jamison Battle 26, Jalen Road to the finals Travis 10 (7 reb) Waseca — 25-53 FG (3-16 3FG), 3-3 FT, 23 rebounds, 10 turn- DeLaSalle blitzed Bemidji 76-45, shooting 13-for-21 on overs, 19 fouls … Scoring: Kyreese Willingham 4 (3 blk), Malik Will- ingham 21 (8 ast), Ryan Dufault 4, Andrew Morgan 19 (7 reb), Matt three’s, with Battle sinking 21 points, Terry 15, and Ka- Olsem 8 (6 reb) … Fouled out: Olsem

pacesetter FEATURING: JOHN CARLSON • Former Litchfield Boys Head Coach • 3- time MN State champion 2000, 2002, 2003 • MN Coach of the Year 2000 champ camp • Record 469 - 307 • MN BB Coaches Assocation HOF For boys & girls entering grades 6 - 10

Willmar Community Christian School “ The BEST Camps in Minnesota!” Tuesday-Thursday June 11-13 Tues: 10am-8pm • Wed: 8:30am-8pm • Thurs: 8:30am-4pm Player Fee: $230 - 28 hours, includes 5 meals & 7 snacks OPEN TO ALL AREA PLAYERS REGISTER ONLINE:@ www.pacesettersports.net Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 15 Salute to the third-place teams BOYS GIRLS CLASS 4A: Park Center Park Center, which came into the tournament top-ranked, CLASS 4A: Centennial top-seeded, and with the best record, edged East Ridge Centennial (27-5) topped 2018 champion Eastview 68- 61-59 in the third-place game. Tommy Chatman won it 53 in the third-place game, led by Wisconsin recruit Sara with a jump shot with :05 left. Chatman and Khari Broad- Stapleton with 20 points and Drake recruit Taylor McAu- way scored 15 points each and Dain Dianja 14 for the Pi- lay with 19 (12-for-13 at the line). Mady Sanders added rates (30-2). Kendall Brown had 18, Ben Carlson 14 and 11. Cassidy Carson had 16 and Emma Carpenter 15 for Courtney Brown 13 for East Ridge (28-4). Park Center Eastview (25-7). Centennial beat Maple Grove 74-64 in beat Maple Grove 77-56 before falling to Lakeville North the first round with McAulay scoring 22 and Sarah Lavell 47-45 in the semifinals. They almost 19, then lost to undefeated champion pulled it out after trailing 31-14 in a di- Hopkins 75-47 in the semifinals. sastrous first half. The rally was sparked by Emmanuel Tamba with 16 points and CLASS 3A: Holy Angels nine steals, and Dianja with 11 points and Academy of Holy Angels (23-8) repelled 11 rebounds. 2018 champion Robbinsdale Cooper 78- 69 in the third-place game with Franc- CLASS 3A: Austin esca Vascellaro delivering 28 points and Austin (25-6) outgunned Princeton 88-76 Emma Mastre 14. Aja Wheeler scored in the third-place game with senior guard 16, Andrea Tribble 14 and Jayla Reliford Medi Obang drilling 38 points (shoot- 14 for Cooper (21-10). Holy Angels had ing 14-for-26). Aga Nyesh added 12 and two nail-biters before that, edging Fer- Gavin Owens 11 for Austin. Jon Stim- gus Falls 58-57 and losing to champion mler had 23 points and 15 rebounds for DeLaSalle 61-59. Vascellaro, sophomore Princeton (27-5). Austin beat Monticello guard, logged 82 points (35 against DLS) 68-52, then lost to Waseca 79-69. Obang Reid Gastner launches a and 27 rebounds in the tournament. had 16 and 28 points in those games for a 3-pointer for Lake City. tourney total of 82. CLASS 2A: Roseau Roseau, top-seeded in the tournament, CLASS 2A: Lake City nipped Redwood Valley 75-74 before falling to Caledo- Lake City (28-2), led by two high-scoring juniors, won nia 65-55 in the semifinals. The Rams (30-3), after play- the third-place game over Perham 51-47 with Nathan ing in three straight state finals, finished this season in Heise hitting 23 points and Reid Gastner 17. Jenson the third-place game, thumping Albany 81-43 with Kacie Beachy sank 19 and Finn Diggins 18 for Perham (30-3). Borowicz closing a brilliant career with 40 points. Paige Lake City beat Melrose 60-44 in the quarterfinals, then Meyer had 22 for Albany (19-10). Borowicz scored 101 saw its 19-game win streak halted by Minnehaha Acad- points in the tourney while sister Katie had 59. Roseau, emy 82-52. Heise scored 57 points and Gastner 46 in the in five straight tournaments, finished first once, second tournament. twice, and third twice. CLASS 1A: Spring Grove CLASS 1A: Heritage Christian Spring Grove, unseeded, in its first-ever state appearance, Heritage Christian tripped Menagha 60-52 in the third- shocked top-seeded Springfield 78-67 in the first round, place duel as Taylor Scott led with 21 points. Kristin Rob- nailing 13 of 20 three’s. Noah Elton tallied 25 points, bins added 14, Jordyn Allen 11 and Taylor Schuck 11 for Alex Folz 21 and Ethan Matzke 19. Isaac Fink hit 30 the Eagles (28-3). Alyssa Peterson hit 21 and Cierra Ahlf points for Springfield (29-3). Spring Grove was humbled 12 for Menahga (30-3). Heritage opened with a 67-59 by champion Henning 67-34 in the semifinals. The Lions conquest of Ada-Borup West, then gave champion Min- claimed the third-place trophy beating Ada-Borup 72-68 neota its toughest test in sectionals or state, losing 55-50, in overtime as Folz sank 29 points and Matzke 21. with Robbins scoring 16 and Schuck 15. Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 16

A MINNESOTA LEGEND in your gym!

A CAMP for your kids – A FREE CLINIC for your staff

Coaches-

We have something very special to offer you this summer.

Only 1-2 days in your gym. Help us celebrate our 40th Pacesetter season.

These Minnesota coaches are all expected to coach in our “Tour of Champions” Basketball Camps this summer:

DIRECTORS - State Tournament Coaches Dave Galovich, Crosby-Ironton 9 state tournaments, 700+ wins Tom Vix, Rushford-Peterson 16 state tournaments John Carlson, Litchfield 3-time state champions Brian Cosgriff, Hopkins 6-time state champions Dave Smart, Ada-Borup 3-time state champions Dave Walker, Maple River State champions Reggie Perkins, Minneapolis State champions Barry Wohler, Orono State champions

State champions as players – who also direct camps Terry Kunze State champion, college coach, pro player Paul McDonald 2-time state champion, head college coach Joel McDonald State champions, head HS coach Sascha Hansen 3-time state champion, administrator Barry Wohler 3-time state champion, head HS coach Steve Lingenfelter State champion, NBA player, HS coach Cody Schilling 3-time state champion, college head coach Josh Ortmann State champion, head HS coach

CHOICE OF TWO FORMATS: A) 1-day camp • 8 hours • $80/player B) 2-day camp • 16 hours • $160/player OR two 4-hour sessions per day for split groups • $80/player

MONEY BACK TO YOU or YOUR PROGRAM: $200-$500 likely $10 per $80 fee OR $20 per $160 fee will be provided back to the host.

COACHING CLINIC: Your coaching staff may attend as a coaching clinic – FREE!

Check your available dates and write Jeff McCarron at [email protected] Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News March 29 Page 16

NEW Hall of Fame BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS The Jack Link’s Minnesota High School Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to announce three elite basketball events that will showcase the best that Minnesota basketball has to offer. The events are also meant to raise funds to support the core mission of the Hall of Fame. We invite boys and girls high school and club coaches and teams to join us in these new Minnesota basketball traditions. Spring Fling CLUB TOURNAMENT April 12-13-14, 2019 Bloomington Jefferson High School Boys club teams of all ages are invited to participate in our first-ever Hall of Fame tournament: the first annual Hall of Fame Spring Fling! Super 64 SUMMER HS INVITATIONAL July 20-21, 2019 Boys • East Ridge High School July 29-30, 2019 Girls • Anoka-Ramsey CC These invitational tournaments will match many of Minnesota’s elite high school basketball programs. Classic WINTER HS SHOOTOUT January 18, 2020 Anoka-Ramsey Community College Featuring 12 of Minnesota’s elite high school basketball programs — boys and girls, varsity and JV.

For more information go to www.mnhsbasketballhall.com