2021 Class A State Girls Basketball Tournament Preview

 2021 CLASS A STATE GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE

                                 Games played Tuesday, March 30

7:00:  West Central Area (Seed North 4) vs. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (North Seed 1) at Perham

5:00:  Houston (Seed South 4) vs .Minneota (Seed South 1) at Mankato East

4:30:  Cass Lake-Bena (Seed North 3) vs. Mountain Iron-Buhl (Seed North 2) at Pequot Lakes

                                  Game Played Wednesday, March 31

5:00:  Sleepy Eye-St. Mary's (Seed South 3) vs. Mayer Lutheran (South Seed 2)

Examining the field:  Two first time teams are among the eight in this year's Class A tournament.  The first is the West Central Area Knights, located in Barrett.  The Knights have won 12 of their last 13 games including victories over the two top subsection seeds the Hancock Owls and the Henning Hornets.  Their opponent, the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Jaguars is in their second straight trip to state and enters on a 12 game winning streak since losing to the Minneota Vikings.  Could there be a rematch in the Class A final?  

The second game features a couple of teams that have ended state tournament droughts.  The first, the unbeaten Sleepy Eye St. Mary's Saints make their third appearance and first since 2005.  They will take on the Mayer Lutheran Crusaders.  The Crusaders are playing in their fourth tournament and their first since 2001.  Mayer Lutheran is on an eight game winning streak headed into the state tournament and is best known for a successful Class A volleyball program.  Can the school's volleyball success transfer to the basketball court.  

The other first time team in Class A is the Houston Hurricane.  Houston has lived up to their name throughout the season as they have gone unbeaten with only two games decided by a margin of less than 10 points.  However, they have a difficult opponent to solve in the defending Class A champion Minneota Vikings.  Head coach Chad Johnston has built a solid program in girls basketball as well as football and this game should be a big test for both teams.  Even though fan counts are restricted due to the pandemic, this would be worth the trip down Highway 169 to Mankato.  This should be a dandy.  

Wrapping up the quarterfinals are the Cass Lake-Bena Panthers, in their fourth trip to state and first since 2005 and the perennial Iron Range power led by Jeff Buffeta, the Mountain Iron-Buhl Rangers.  It's the Rangers 11th trip to state and they are still looking to bring a title trophy home to the two communities.  Cass Lake-Bena has gone 12-2 since starting 1-3 due to two forfeited games as a result of the coronavirus.  Stay healthy Panthers, you could get a shot at heading to Target Center the following week.