WEEKLY ROUNDUP

*Top 20s in each class *Mr. 5 finalists *Pelican Rapids girls 25-0 *Sauk Centre’s record streak

Volume 25 Issue No. 14 February 28 2019-20 Banham’s back in MN where they lost to the champions. Lynx trade for They had four players who won Gopher great from Olympics gold medals twice. The core four leaders of that group Lakeville North are now all gone. Maya Moore, their star of stars, stepped away af- By Bruce Strand ter 2018 at the height of her career to pursue other interests. The other achel Banham, a legend for three were just got past their prime. Rboth Lakeville North and the is now coaching Minnesota Gophers, is coming the Gophers, home to join the . joined the Lynx coaching staff, and 14-year veteran guard Seimone Au- The 26-year-old guard was ac- gustus recently signed with Los An- quired Tuesday in a trade with the geles to finish her career there. , where she spent four seasons in the WNBA. The only remaining all-pro is 6-6 center , who joined Banham issued this statement: them in 2015 and was league MVP in their last championship season. “I couldn’t be happier to be coming Rachel Banham was the fourth home and be a member of this his- pick in the 2016 draft by Con- Banham was Miss Basketball in toric franchise. Growing up a Lynx necticutt but her pro career 2011, finishing with 1,957 points. fan, I’ve always admired the way never took off there. As a junior she teamed with 2010 Cheryl and her staff have made the Miss Basketball Cassie Rochel to Lynx into a model franchise in the Connecticut used the fourth overall lead North to a 32-0, state Class 4A WNBA. I can’t wait to see every- pick in 2016 to take Banham. She championship season. They played one at Target Center this summer.” did not become a starter there, how- against each other in the Big Ten as ever, averaging four points and 11.4 Rachel went to Wisconsin. Lynx general manager/coach Cher- minutes per game in four seasons. yl Reeve sent the Sun a 2021 sec- In her spectacular career with the ond-round draft pick. The 5-foot-9 Banham has a good Gophers, Banham scored a Big Ten opportunity for a new start with the record 3,093 points, tied an NCAA “We are excited to welcome Ra- Lynx, who are trying to rebuild af- single-game record with 60 points chel home to Minnesota,” Reeve ter two mediocre seasons. against Northwestern, and averaged stated. “Her ability to shoot the ball 28.6 points as a senior, second-best is something we valued during this The Lynx had the best women’s in the nation. She was Big Ten process and we look forward to basketball team ever assembled Player of the Year, first-team AP having her in a Lynx uniform this anywhere from 2011 through 2017, All-American, and John Wooden season and beyond.” with four championships plus two Award finalist that year. runner-up and one third-place finish Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News February 28 Page 2 Mr. Basketball finalists unveiled The Mr. Basketball committee named five finalists for the 2020 award. They will be recognized April 5 at the Timberwolves’ game against the Pistons, where winner will be announced.

Jalen Suggs NATHAN HEISE DRAKE DOBBS dawson garcia BEN CARLSON Minnehaha Academy Lake City Eden Prairie Prior Lake East Ridge

Suggs, a 6-5 Heise, a 6-5 Dobbs, a 6-1 point Garcia, a superb Carlson, a 6-9 guard, recruited guard currently guard, leads the athlete in a 6-11 power forward with by everybody and averaging 29.2 star-studded 25-0 frame, averages a tremendously signed by Gon- points and eight Eagles with 18.8 32 points and 10 diverse skill-set, zaga, has led the rebounds for the ppg in his fourth rebounds for the averages 24.7 Redhawks to three Tigers (23-3) has year as a starter Lakers (17-7), runs points and 11.3 Class 2A titles and 97 varsity wins, on teams with a the team from the rebounds for the a No. 1 ranking in two state trips and 86-32 record and point about a third Raptors, after lead- 3A this year. He 2,199 points on his two state trips. A of the time. He av- ing them to their has 2,764 points, ledger. He will play polished all-around eraged 27 last year first state tourna- averages 22.2 this for Northern Iowa. player, his 1,956 has 1,924 career ment last year av- year, and excels as He’s the only non- points includes 83 points, The No. eraging 16 and 11. a passer, - metro finalist. His in state tourna- 31 ranked recruit He’s scored 1,916 er and defender. sister Taylor was a ment games. He’ll in the country, he career points. His And he was Mr. Miss Hockey (for play for D-1 Liberty signed with college team will Football this fall. Red Wing). Baptist in Virginia. Marquette. be Wisconsin. Sauk Centre girls have record home streak auk Centre finished unbeaten at home in girls bas- Class 2A state champions. Sketball for the seventh consecutive season by de- feating Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 59-21 on Thursday Sauk Centre (25-2), ranked No. 2 in Class 2A, resumes evening in the first round of Section 6AA. its bid for another state trip Saturday against Pierz at St. Cloud State, 6 p.m. They were stopped last year The Mainstreeters, coached by Scott Bergman, own with an upset loss to Albany in the sectionals. the longest home-court win streak in Minnesota prep basketball history, boys or girls, with 93 in a row, ac- The previous state girls record home win streak record cording to state hoops historian Matt Pederson. was 76 by Rochester Lourdes from 1989-96.

The last team to beat Sauk Centre at home was Osakis, The longest boys home win streak is 85 straight by 49-40, on Jan. 8, 2013. The Mainstreeters finished 27-3 Braham from 2009-16. Braham also has the third-lon- that year and reached the tournament, as they’ve also gest girls home win streak, 74 straight, ending in 2015. done in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, when the were Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News February 28 Page 3 The latest round goes to Waseca aseca and Marshall will no longer butt heads in every year,” said Anderson. In Section 2A this year, sectionals but the fierce rivalry continues in the the only other ranked team is No. 7 Minnesota Valley BigW South Conference. Waseca won the latest install- Lutheran. ment 57-55 on Friday evening (Feb. 21) in the annual clash of the two division leaders, in Waseca. In Friday’s thriller, Waseca’s Andrew Morgan hit a turn-around jumper from the elbow with just under a Waseca, state Class 3A runner-up last year, dropped minute left to knot the game at 55. Marshall held the to Class 2A this year and is ranked No. 2. Marshall is ball for a last shot. Ryan Dufault of Waseca tipped ranked No. 5 in Class 3A. away a pass with a few seconds left.

With 13 teams in the Big South, they split into East and Kyreese Willingham snagged the ball and threw it West, and the division winners duel at the end of the ahead to Morgan sprinting toward the other basket. season for the overall crown. Morgan was pushed from behind and the referees ruled it a flagrant foul. With eight-tenths of a second left, “The last few years, it’s come down to Waseca and Morgan made one of two free shots, then got fouled Marshall slugging it out,” said Waseca coach Seth An- again on the inbounds pass and again made one of two. derson. “The games have always been great battles.” Morgan logged 16 points and 13 rebounds, Willing- There’s been three highly-ranked teams in Section ham 16 points, and Dufault 12 points and six assists. 2AAA in recent years, with Mankato East also in the For Marshall, Bryce Lance tallied 18 points and Noah fray, which “has left two out of the state tournament Peutz 13. Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News February 28 Page 4 A first for Pelican Rapids: 25-0 By Bruce Strand “Maddie is a great defender, with great court vision, and a high basketball IQ,” coach Korf said. elican Rapids is heading into playoffs with a 25-0 record this season, marking the first unbeaten regu- Greta Tollefson, 5-10 junior, averages 18 points, six re- larP season in the program’s history. bounds and four assists. She’s a starter since eighth grade, and a 1,000-pointer. Anna Stephenson, 5-11 junior, aver- That’s on the heels of last year’s 26-2 season, marking ages 16 points, six rebounds and three assists. the most wins the Vikings ever had. The fun ended in the Section 6A semifinals last Chris Paulson, 5-7 junior year with a 49-46 loss to guard, averages six points Ada-Borup, whom they had and two steals. Riley Paul- beaten 57-54 in the season son, 5-9 senior post, is a opener. solid post defender averag- ing six points and six re- “We have good mix of size, bounds. Top subs are 5-4 strength and speed,” coach senior Abby Syverson, 5-6 Brian Korf said about a junior Allie Haiby and 5-9 unit that’s won 51 of its last sophomore Karina Torres, 53 games. “The team has who add about 14 ppg be- good chemistry and work tween them. ethic. We have solid inside and outside game. The girls The Vikings’ closest wins play hard defensively and were 49-48 over Hawley, rebound well.” where they led by four and gave up a 3-pointer The No. 5 ranked Vikings at the buzzer; 66-64 over have perhaps a tougher road Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton to state this year, moving (9-16), with free shots by up to Class 2A. Their sec- Guler, Stephenson and tion includes Hawley (20- Tollefson in the last min- 5), whom they’ve beaten ute pulling it out; and 32- 49-48, No. 2 ranked Fergus Pelican Rapids 27 over Crookston (20-7), Falls (22-4) and Roseau (22- scoring leader which was not a slow-down 6). Pelican opened against Greta Tollefson game, just one with poor of- Barnesville on Thursday (above) works fense by both teams. evening. The winner faces the baseline Crookston or East Grand against Wade- Teams with 15 or more Forks on Saturday at Con- na-Deer Creek. wins they’ve beaten are cordia. Senior guard Crookston, Hawley, Ada- Maddie Guller Borup, Perham, Brecken- Pelican’s floor leader is (left) runs the ridge, Badgre-Greenbush- Maddie Guler, 5-2 senior show in her Middle River. point guard who averages fourth year as a seven points, five assists starter. The Vikings, Heart of Lakes and three steals. She’s been Conference champions, are a starter for four years after seeking their third state ap- playing beyond 2,000-point pearance, joining the 2001 scorer Mackenzie Korf in and 2013 teams. eighth grade. Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News February 28 Page 5 Perham fends off Esko 42-41, remains unbeaten erham remained, just barely, one of four unbeaten Perham (24-0). Eli Blue and Peyton Wefel notched 12 boys teams in the state as they fended off Esko 42-41 points each and Riley Fischer 11 for Esko (18-7). The two onP Friday, Feb. 21, in Esko. Elijah Morris, fouled on a northern powers are 170 miles apart but have played each drive to the hoop, made the first of two free shots to break other the last five seasons, with Perham winning the last a 41-41 tie, and Esko missed a last-second shot. Esko ef- three after Esko took the first two. The other unbeatens fectively slowed the pace more than Perham wanted and are Eden Prairie, St. Croix Prep and Southwest Minne- led by as much as nine points. Morris scored 17 points sota Christian. The only girls unbeatens are Hopkins and and Charlie Rassmussen and Finn Diggins 10 each for Pelican Rapids. Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News February 28 Page 6 Como Park girls nab She got 1,000th on last another Twin Cities title shot of career; sis helped ed by sophomores, St. Paul Como Park won the lly Bruegger of Maple River became a 1,000-point Twin Cities girls basketball championship game — scorer on the final shot of her career, with a big forL the sixth straight year — over Minneapolis South assistA from twin sister Abby, reports their coach, Devin 69-61 Saturday at home. Sophomore guard Ronnie Por- Drager. ter delivered 21 points and six assists for the Cougars. Adding 14 points each were two more sophs, Kaylynn Brugger scored 21 points in a 72-64 loss to Fairmont in Asberry and Cloey Dmytruk, the latter of whom also the first round of sectionals Friday. That last basket came blocked six shots. Como Park is 19-4 with 13 straight with 8.4 seconds left, giving her 1,001 points. wins and ranked No. 7 in Class 3A. Their coach Alexis Gray-Lawson, a former pro player in the WNBA and Eu- “Ally did not know rope. For Minneapolis South (24-3), junior guard Jade that she needed only Hill scored 28 points and her eighth-grade sister Angel 20 points to reach this scored 19. Como Park was 12-0 in the St. Paul Confer- milestone,” Drager said. ence. Minneapolis South was 10-0 in the Minneapolis “However, her twin sis- Conference. ter, Abby, knew it, and was determined to make ayton Danielson finished her career at Mabel-Can- Ally and Abby Brueger sure it happened! ton as the school’s all-time leader (girls and boys) withP 1,580 points and 503 steals, also ranking second “Abby passed up an open layup to make the pass that led with 988 rebounds, reported her coach, Adam Wilder. to a layup by Ally to surpass 1,000. A pretty cool way for The 5-4 guard averaged 12.5 points, 10 rebounds and both of them to end their careers at Maple River.” 4.2 steals on a 10-16 team this season. Ally Bruegger, a guard, averaged 15.2 points this year for ill Tschetter, state scoring leader, dominated with the Eagles (15-12). She played four years and became a 44 points and 15 rebounds as Stewartville beat starter late in her sophomore year. No.W 3 ranked Lake City 77-72 on Saturday evening at home. Tschetter, a 6-8 junior forward, averages 34.4 points per game. Mr. Basketball finalist Nathan Heise Legacy Christian boys make swift scored 32 for Lake City. Lake City (25-3) beat Stewart- rise to 20-4 season led by juniors ville (22-5) earlier in the season 70-45. egacy Christian is enjoying its best boys basketball ankato East boys are 21-0 in the Big Nine after Lseason in a long time with a 20-4 record, That’s a Mturning back Austin 65-57 on Monday, led by marked improvement from 9-18 last year and 5-25 the Jordan Merseth with 21 points and eight rebounds, year before. shooting 9-for-10. The Cougars can wrap an unbeaten Big Nine season against Faribault on Friday evening. The Andover school has a new coach and activities direc- Rochester Mayo finished 17-5 and Austin is 16-5 with tor this year in Nathan Bellefeuille, previously director of a game left. the Crossfire AAU program and a college assistant coach with Northwestern-St. Paul. n last week’s edition of MBBN, we noted that Asher Zubitz of Mountain Iron-Buhl had the most career pointsI every by a freshman boy in Minnesota with Jake Wald, junior guard who transferred from St. Francis 1,454 through 23 games this year. For the record, the this year, is the Lions’ leading scorer with 18.4 points per most ever by a girl through her freshman year is 1,831 game. The top four scorers are all juniors. The others are by Braham’s Rebekah Dahlman, who graduated in guard Harley Kendall (12.1 ppg), forward Trenton Har- 2013 with a state girls record of 5,060 points. rison (11.2) and forward Brian Halcomb (8.8). Got a tip for Minnesota Basketball News? Send a note Legacy Christian has had just three previous winning sea- to [email protected]. sons in the last 15 years, the best being 18-9 in 2009-10. Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News February 28 Page 7 Pacesetter’s youth state tourneys, leading to Great Five-State, coming up acesetter Sports will conduct its 28th annual Minne- invited to the Pacesetter Great Five-State Championships Psota Youth Basketball Championships for teams in in Minneapolis along with top teams from Wisconsin, grades 4-9, starting with region playoffs from February Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota. through April. All teams in that tournament will have at least one game This one-class, statewide competition involving 600 to on the main Target Center floor. 800 teams will start with eight regional qualifiers. Teams may register online now by visiting our web site at The regionals are as follows. Region 1 in Rochester and www.pacesettersports.net. Stewartville, Region 2 in Mankato, Region 3 in Redwood Falls, Region 4 in Mora and Willow River, Region 5 in Paynesville, Region 6 in Alexandria, Region 7 in Grand Officials needed Rapids and Mountan Iron-Buhl, and Region 8 in Bemidji. Officials interested in working Pacesetter basketball tour- naments from March through July should write to jeff@ The region champions are invited to the Minnesota Youth pacesetternet.com. See www.pacesettersports.net for Basketball State Championships in Maple Grove in June. more information. The champion and runner-up at the state tournament are Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News February 28 Page 8 STATE BOYs Top 20 rankings CLASS 4A CLASS 3A

1. Eden Prairie (2) 25-0 1. Minnehaha Academy (4) 20-3 2. Eastview (3) 22-3 2. Mankato East (2) 23-1 3. Cretin-Derham Hall (4) 22-3 3. DeLaSalle (6) 20-5 4. Hopkins (6) 20-5 4. Totino-Grace (4) 17-8 5. Maple Grove (8) 21-4 5. Marshall (2) 24-2 6. Park Center (5) 20-5 6. Waconia (6) 20-4 7. Spring Lake Park (5) 21-4 7. Delano (5) 21-3 8. Chaska (2) 22–3 8. Richfield (3) 20-5 9. Shakopee (2) 20-5 9. Princeton (7) 21-4 10. Prior Lake (2) 17-7 10. Austin (1) 20-5 11. Robbinsdale Armstrong (6) 18-6 11. Hermantown (7) 18-7 12. East Ridge (4) 20-5 12. Bemidji (8) 17-6 13. North St. Paul (4) 18-7 13. St. Peter (2) 18-8 14. Tartan (4) 22-3 14. Holy Angels (3) 17-9 15. Robbinsdale Cooper (6) 17-5 15. Mound Westonka (6) 19-6 16. Lakeville South (1) 18-7 16. St. Cloud Apollo (8) 18-7 17. Champlin Park (5) 16-9 17. Hibbing (7) 18-7 18. Cambridge-Isanti (7) 21-4 18. South St. Paul (3) 17-9 19. Rochester Mayo (1) 19-6 19. Sartell-St. Stephen (8) 15-9 20. Lakeville North (3) 15-10 20. Alexandria (8) 17-8 CLASS 2A CLASS 1A 1. Caledonia (1) 24-1 1. BOLD (2) 25-1 2. Waseca (2) 22-5 2. Henning (6) 24-1 3. St. Croix Prep (4) 24-0 3. Ada-Borup (8) 23-1 4. Lake City (1) 25-3 4. Southwest MN Christian (3) 25-0 5. Minneapolis North (5) 18-7 5. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown (2) 24-2 6. Perham (8) 24-0 6. New Ulm Cathedral (2) 23-3 7. Minnesota Valley Lutheran (2) 24-2 7. Springfield (2) 23-3 8. East Grand Forks (8) 23-2 8. West Central Area (6) 22-2 9. Osakis (6) 23-2 9. Mountain Lake-Comfrey (2) 22-4 10. Eden Valley-Watkins (6) 24-1 10. Blooming Prairie (1) 21-3 11. Fergus Falls (8) 21-4 11. Fertile-Beltrami (8) 23-4 12. Stewartville (1) 22-5 12. Hayfield (1) 21-5 13. Rockford (5) 20-5 13. Cromwell-Wright (5) 19-3 14. Pine City (6) 23-2 14. Cass Lake-Bena (8) 19-7 15. Virginia (7) 19-6 15. Nevis (5) 20-4 16. Moose Lake-Willow River (7) 20-4 16. Nashwauk-Keewatin (7) 21-4 17. Lewiston-Altura (1) 22-4 17. North Woods (7) 20-5 18. LaCrescent-Hokah (1) 18-7 18. Central MN Christian (3) 21-4 19. Minnewaska Area (3) 18-6 19. Nicollet (2) 20-5 20. Annandale (6) 18-7 20. Parkers Prairie (6) 20-5 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News February 28 Page 9

VARSITY BOYS & GIRLS 2020 PACESETTER

MINNESOTAMIT INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT Saturday - Sunday, July 25-26 College of St. Benedict FOR STRONG TEAMS! St. Joseph, MN (4 miles west of St. Cloud)

The Pacesetter Minnesota Invitational Tournament has been one of the premier summer tournaments in the Midwest since 1991. NBA players Joel Przybilla, Mike Miller, Kris Humphries, and Nate Wolters are a few of the many top players who have played in the MIT. The top teams from the 5-state area of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin are invited annually. All teams play 5-6 games in two days. Teams play in “regional” brackets on Saturday (3-4 games) and advance based on Saturday results for Sunday Final Four brackets (2 games). Teams that win the prestigious MIT championship will receive individual plaques. Teams with high finishes receive medals with neck ribbons. One of the top facilities in the state will host this event: Clemens Field House at the College of St. Benedict (St. Joseph, MN). Register Early for VMIT & Save BIG! New Tiered Pricing! • 1st - 8th teams to register/pay $250 • 9th - 16th teams to register/pay $280 • All other teams to register/pay $310

Registration Deadline: July 15 Online Registration: www.pacesettersports.net Register online: Contact Information: Email Jeff McCarron at [email protected] www.pacesettersports.net or call 320-243-7460 Pacesetter Basketball Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News February 28 Page 10 STATE GIRLs Top 20 rankings (final) CLASS 4A CLASS 3A

1. Hopkins (6) 25-0 1. DeLaSalle (4) 21-4 2. Farmington (1) 24-2 2. Becker (5) 24-2 3. Wayzata (6) 22-4 3. Simley (3) 24-2 4. Park Center (5) 22-4 4. Marshall (2) 25-0 5. Chaska (2) 22-4 5. Holy Angels (6) 19-6 6. St. Michael-Albertville (8) 17-8 6. Red Wing (1) 24-2 7. Maple Grove (8) 21-5 7. St. Paul Como Park (3) 19-4 8. Stillwater (4) 20-5 8. Hill-Murray (4) 19-7 9. Rosemount (3) 22-4 9. Alexandria (8) 19-7 10. Eden Prairie (2) 15-11 10. Austin (1) 20-6 11. Lakeville North 15-10 11. Mankato West (2) 19-7 12. Elk River (8) 19-7 12. Hutchinson (2) 19-7 13. Centennial (5) 19-7 13. Waconia (2) 16-10 14. Rochester Mayo (1) 21-4 14. St. Croix Lutheran (3) 19-7 15. New Prague (1) 20-6 15. Hermantown (7) 23-3 16. Minnetonka (2) 16-10 16. Totino-Grace (4) 12-13 17. Roseville (5) 18-8 17. St. Peter (2) 20-5 18. Spring Lake Park (5) 19-7 18. Mahtomedi (4) 19-7 19. Andover (7) 16-10 19. Kasson-Mantorville (1) 17-9 20. St. Louis Park (6) 13-12 20. Big Lake (5) 18-8 CLASS 2A CLASS 1A 1. Rochester Lourdes (1) 23-2 1. Minneota (3) 26-1 2. Sauk Centre (6) 24-2 2. Cromwell-Wright (7) 24-2 3. Fergus Falls (8) 22-4 3. Walker-Hackensack-Akeley (5) 25-2 4. New London-Spicer (3) 25-1 4. Henning (6) 24-2 5. Pelican Rapids (8) 25-0 5. Mountain Iron-Buhl (7) 20-6 6. Albany (6) 24-2 6. Mayer Lutheran (4) 21-5 7. Lake City (1) 21-5 7. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown (2) 22-4 8. Goodhue (1) 23-3 8. Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s (2) 22-2 9. Pine City (6) 24-2 9. Blooming Prairie (1) 18-5 10. Proctor (7) 23-3 10. Cherry (7) 20-6 11. Minnehaha Academy (4) 17-8 11. Hills-Beaver Creek (3) 20-2 12. Waseca (2) 20-6 12. Heritage Christian (4) 19-7 13. Duluth Marshall (7) 21-5 13. Southwest MN Christian (3) 21-5 14. Providence Academy (5) 21-5 14. Warren-Alvarado-Oslo (8) 21-3 15. Winona Cotter (1) 22-3 15. Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart (2) 19-6 16. Stewartville (1) 18-8 16. Springfield (2) 20-5 17. Belle Plaine (2) 23-3 17. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (5) 15-10 18. Mesabi East (7) 22-4 18. Fillmore Central (1) 18-8 19. Roseau (8) 20-6 19. Red Lake (8) 17-9 20. Hawley (8) 20-5 20. Underwood (6) 18-6 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News February 28 Page 11