2022 Class AAAA State Boys Basketball Tournament Preview

 2022 MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE

                           (Games played Tuesday, March 22 at Target Center in Minneapolis)

10:00:  Andover vs. Park Center (Seed 1)

12:00:  Eden Prairie (Seed 5) vs. Eastview (Seed 4)

 2:00:  Cretin-Derham Hall vs. Owatonna (Seed 2)

 4:00:  Moorhead vs. Wayzata (Seed 3)

Examining the Field:  It will be a Northwest Suburban Conference showdown to open the 2022 State Boys Basketball Tournament as the Andover Huskies, playing in their sixth state tournament face the top seeded Park Center Pirates.  The two teams met on March 1 with the Pirates prevailing 77-62.  Park Center, led by Gopher signee Braeden Carrington won three games against tournament teams DeLaSalle, Minneapolis North and Minnehaha Academy.  They have been the top Class AAAA team in Minnesota most of the season.  Can they bring home a championship trophy up Brooklyn Blvd.?  

The fifth seeded Eden Prairie Eagles are in Minneapolis for the 14th time and beat the top seeded Shakopee Sabers in the Section 2 final.  They are on a five game winning streak and face the fourth seeded Eastview Lightning, who make the trip from Apple Valley for the sixth time.  The Lightning came off losses to Shakopee and Farmington and won four of their last six games.  Who will emerge victorious?  This should be a good game to go to on your lunch break if you work downtown.  

Another team making its 14th trip to state is the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders.  The Raiders are led by Michigan St. bound Tre Holloman, who has been a part of two successful state tournament teams.  The Owatonna Huskies head up I-35 for the eighth time to Minneapolis and have won 21 straight games.  Their only two losses were to the Armstrong Falcons and the Park of Cottage Grove Wolfpack.  Owatonna beat the top seeded Farmington Tigers in the Section 1 final.  Can Holloman end his career on a high note or will Owatonna head south with a trophy?  

Wrapping up the Class AAAA quarterfinals is the Moorhead Spuds, who travel down I-94 for the 24th time to state.  The last time the Spuds played for a state title was in the one class era back in 1958.  They will have a tough task in the defending Class AAAA state champion Wayzata Trojans.  The Trojan offense, anchored by Carter Bjerke are in the tournament for the seventh time and won the school's first state title since 1958 last season.  Can they make it two straight or will Moorhead try to end their championship drought?  

Next, the Class AAA preview