The second and last four part section preview looks at the eight boys basketball sections in the four classes. First up is Class AAAA.
Heading south to Section 1 where once again head coach John Oxton has led the Lakeville North Panthers to the top seed. Last season, the Panthers took home the Class AAAA third place trophy. But this year could be the end of the Lakeville monopoly in Section 1 with the hot, second seeded Rochester John Marshall Rockers, winners of 12 straight games. The Rockets have the state's best player in Matthew Hurt, who has not led his team to Target Center. This could be the be the year basketball fans can finally see this talented youngster before some Division I power outside Minnesota keeps him from playing along side his brother Michael at The Barn.
Over in Section 2, the top ranked team in Class AAAA is the top seeded Prior Lake Lakers. Section play, in the words of Ringo Starr "It Don't Come Easy" because there are five other teams that could dethrone Prior Lake. Two teams from the Lake Conference, the second seeded Eden Prairie Eagles and the third seeded Edina Hornets followed by the fourth seeded Shakopee Sabers, the fifth seeded Chaska Hawks who are on an 11 game winning streak and look out for the sixith seeded Chanhassen Storm. Who will it be? Find out in the section final, March 15.
What's up with Section 3? There's only one team with a winning record, the top seeded Eastview Lightning. They enter section play with four wins in their last five games. Looking to pull the upset are the second seeded Burnsville Blaze and the third seeded Eagan Wildcats.
Now to Section 4 which has the best team in Class AAAA besides Prior Lake, the top seeded East Ridge Raptors. The City of Woodbury has had some outstanding team when the Royals were the lone high school team going back to the days of Del Schifffler and on the girls side, Dave Preller but it could be a first for Bryce Texdahl's bunch, led by Ben Carlson and Alex Larson. But first they have to get past the second seeded Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders or the hot third seed, the Tartan Titans who have won 17 games in a row. It should be an outstanding section.
In Section 5, it could be a two team race with a couple of Northwest Suburban Conference teams, the top seeded Park Center Pirates and the second seeded Champlin Park Rebels, who are on a nine game winning streak. The Pirates only loss this season was to the Armstrong Falcons January 8. They have a very talented junior in 6'10" Dain Dainja. Remember Theo John, who led the Rebels to the 2017 Class AAAA final and now plays for Marquette? His brother Alex is a 6'8" senior. Can he lead the Rebels to another trip to Target Center? First they will likely deal with the third seeded Spring Lake Park Panthers.
As of this writing, the Section 6 pairings have not yet been released but it is likely that the top seeds, just like their female counterparts will be Hopkins and Wayzata. As for the St. Louis Park Orioles, they could go fourth or fifth.
Heading north to Section 7 where it has been a great winter season for the blue and white clad Blaine fans. First, the boys hockey team got the number two seed in the state tournament and now the boys basketball team has the top seed. Another school that's also battling for the Class AA boys hockey title is the second seeded Duluth East Greyhounds. Also in the hunt is the third seeded Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets.
Concluding the Class AAAA Preview is Section 8 as the top seeded Maple Grove Crimson hasn't missed a beat since they lost Brad Davison to graduation and the Wisconsin Badgers. A memo to Nick Schroeder, you've got tough competition in your path down I-94 to downtown Minneapolis as the second seeded Buffalo Bison, the third seeded Moorhead Spuds and the fourth seeded St. Michael-Albertville Knights battle the Crimson. Another tough section.
Next up, the eight Class AAA sections.
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