2023 Class AAAA Girls Basketball Section Preview

 Girls hockey is finished.  Boys hockey is closer to deciding 16 state tournament berths and that means The Road to the Barn is open for girls basketball with the start of section play.  Here's a preview of the eight Class AAAA sections.  

There seems to be a pattern in Section 1.  The top seed is the Lakeville North Panthers, followed by the second seeded Rochester Mayo, the third seeded Lakeville South Cougars and the fourth seeded Rochester Century Panthers.  Will it be an All Lakeville or All Rochester section final?  

In Section 2, the top seeded Chaska Hawks are also the top ranked team in Class AAAA.  Led by Colorado bound Kennedy Sanders, the Hawks have won 20 straight games and have Mallory Heyer's sister Aubrey in the starting lineup.  Looking to keep the Chaska fans buses off Highway 212 are the second seeded Minnetonka Skippers, the third seeded Prior Lake Lakers and the fourth seeded Ededn Prairie Eagles.  Could the Hawks go Heyer, Heyer and Heyer toward a state tournament berth?  

The top seed in Section 3 is the Rosemount Irish.  The Irish have gone 3-2 in their last five games but can they hold off the second seeded Eagan Wildcats and the third seeded Eastview Lightning?  

To Section 4, where the top seeded East Ridge Raptors are three wins away from their first trip to The Barn.  But Raptors fans, before you head down I-94 to Minneapolis, there are two other challengers that could take home the title trophy.  They are the second seeded Stillwater Ponies and the third seeded White Bear Lake Bears, who enter section play with five straight wins.  An interesting section to watch.  

Heading to Section 5, the top seeded Maple Grove Crimson has lost only one game since January 5, losing 77-72 to the Eden Prairie Eagles.  The only other team in their section with a record above .500 is the second seeded Roseville Raiders.  

It could be a two team race between a pair of Lake Conference powers.  The top seeded and defending state Class AAAA champion Hopkins Royals and the second seeded Wayzata Trojans.  Both teams split their season series.  Is a third meeting possible in the section final?  

Section 7 has no dominate force but four teams have a shot at the section title.  They are the top seeded Centennial Cougars,  the second seeded Blaine Bengals, the third seeded Anoka Tornadoes and the fourth seeded Andover Huskies.  Who will come out of this section?  

Another Lake Conference power is the top seed in Section 8, the St. Michael-Albertville Knights.  The Knights armor was a little tarnished, losing their last two regular season games.  It won't be easy for STMA as they battle the second seeded Elk River Elks, the red hot Rogers Royals and the fourth seeded Sartell-St. Stephen Sabers.  

Next the eight Class AAA sections.