2023 Class AA Boys Basketball State Tournament Preview

 2023 MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS AA BOYS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE

                                   (Games played Tuesday, March 21 at Target Center, Minneapolis)

6:00:  Eden Valley-Watkins vs. Holy Family Catholic (Seed 1)

8:00:  Minnehaha Academy (Seed 5) vs. Maple River (Seed 4)

                                  (Games played Tuesday, March 21 at Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota campus)

6:00:  Pequot Lakes vs. Albany (Seed 2)  

8:00:  Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton vs. Plainview-Elgin-Millville (Seed 3)

                                        EXAMINING THE FIELD

Opening up the Class AA portion of the state tournament is the lone first time team in the field, the Eden Valley-Watkins Eagles.  The Eagles, seeded second in Section 3, have a tall task ahead as they face the top seeded Holy Family Catholic Fire.  The Fire have been the top ranked team most of the season and they have two players at 6'11"  The Victoria based school are the favorites to bring home the championship trophy but can the first time Eagles pull off the upset?  

Wrapping up the Target Center portion of the day's festivities is the return of the Minnehaha Academy Redhawks, the fifth seed that's playing in their 11th state tournament and sixth straight.  They face the fourth seeded Maple River Eagles, in their eighth tournament and first since 20-16.  The two teams met in the second game of the season in Mapleton December 3 with the Eagles picking up a 68-63 win.  who will win the rematch?  

Heading to The Barn where the Pequot Lakes Patriots return for the second straight year and fifth overall against another five time tourney team, the second seeded Albany Huskies. Purple and white clad fans will return to Minneapolis after the Albany girls fell to Providence Academy in the Class AA title game.  Can the boys head home happy up I-94 with a championship trophy if they likely beat Holy family in Saturday's title game or will Pequot Lakes be on their quest to their first state championship?  

The final game of the day pits two teams from six towns as the Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Rebels face the third seeded Plainview-Elgin-Millville Bulldogs.  The Rebels were the third seed in section 8 and defeated the top seeded Thief River Falls Prowlers in overtime to earn their first trip to Minneapolis since 2016.     The Bulldogs are playing in their first state tournament since 2012 and have gone 23-1 since the calendar changed to 2023, including a Section 1 final win against the top seeded Lake City Tigers.  Can P-E-M continue their run?  

Next:  The Class A preview