2017 Class A State Boys Basketball Tournament Preview

                    2017 CLASS A STATE BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE
                                    Games played Thursday, March 23 at Williams Arena, Minneapolis

11:00:  Red Lake vs. Minneapolis North (Seed 1)
1:00:  Springfield (Seed 5 ) vs. Nevis (Seed 4)
3:00:  Lake Park-Audubon vs, Goodhue (Seed 2)
5:00:  North Woods vs. Central MN Christian (Seed 3)

Examining the Field:  The Class A quarterfinals get underway at The Barn with a rematch of last year's semifinal game between the Red Lake Warriors and the defending state champion Minneapolis North Polars.  The Polars won last year's semifinal game 82-61 and return several players from last season's team, Tayler and Isaac Johnson and ODell Wilson IV.  Their only losses this season were to Class AAAA schools Apple Valley and Hopkins.  Mpls. North has a high powered offense that has broken the 100 point mark six times.  This year is the 20th anniversary of the game Red Lake played Wabasso and lost 123-177.  Could there be another high scoring affair or will the Polars continue their outstanding offensive output that could lead them to their sixth state championship?

It's the "Battle of the Tigers" for the second quarterfinal game that pits Springfield and Nevis.  Springfield is in their first tournament since they took home the Class A title in 2011.  Nevis is in it's second trip to state after losing to the Central MN Christian Bluejays in the Class A quarterfinals.  Nevis has won 20 straight games since losing 73-70 to the Cass Lake-Bena Panthers on December 27.  Springfield needed overtime to clinch their trip to state with a win over Cedar Mountain/Comfrey.  It should be an interest battle.

Next up is the Lake Park-Audubon Raiders and the second seeded Goodhue Wildcats.  It's also a rematch of last year's Class A quarterfinal game that Goodhue won 54-29 and set the Wildcats on a path to the championship where they lost to Mpls. North.  Lake Park-Audubon returns the tallest player in the tournament 6'10" senior Jesse Bergh.  As for Goodhue, Wildcats fans were celebrating last Saturday after the girls basketball team won their second consecutive Class A state championship.  This week, they will be heading up Highway 52 to support the purple and white as they attempt to return to the championship game and a rematch with the Polars.

The last quarterfinal  game features the North Woods Grizzlies from the small towns of Cook and Orr and the third seeded Central MN Christian Bluejays.  The Grizzlies have won 12 straight games since they lost to the Virginia Blue Devils on January 19.  The Bluejays head down Highway 7 from Prinsburg to make their third straight trip to state.  They have finished third both years and hope to upgrade their medals from bronze to gold.  Could they wind up playing Mpls. North in the Class A final?

Four classes.  Four outstanding matchups.  Plenty of excitement starting Wednesday at Target Center and Williams Arena.