2023 Class AAAA State Boys Basketball Tournament Preview

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

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

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

12:00:  Eastview (Seed 5) vs. Minnetonka (Seed 4)

 2:00:   Buffalo vs. Lakeville North (Seed 2)

 4:00:   White Bear Lake vs. Wayzata (Seed 3)

                         EXAMINING THE FIELD

It's a Northwest Suburban Conference battle to open the 2023 State Boys Basketball Tournament as the Andover Huskies get a rematch with the top seeded and defending Class AAAA champion Park Center Pirates.  The Pirates won their lone regular season meeting 97-91.  The Pirates have been the top ranked team in Class AAAA throughout the season, though they suffered a pair of three point defeats to Elk River and Maple Grove.  Once again, they are the favorites to bring the title trophy back to Brooklyn Park.  

There will be plenty of blue in the Target Center seats when the fifth seeded Eastview Lightning face the fourth seeded Minnetonka Skippers.  The Lightning is in their seventh state tournament while Minnetonka in their fifth and first since 2018.  Eastview has won eight of their last nine games, their only loss in their regular season finale to Shakopee.  Minnetonka enters the state tournament with six straight wins and is the first of threeLake Conference teams in the Class AAAA field.  The boys hockey team won the Class AA title almost two weeks ago.  Can they win another trophy?  

The second Lake Conference team is the Buffalo Bison, in their 12th state tournament and their first since 2014.  They face the second seeded Lakeville North Panthers, in their 11th state tournament.  Buffalo faced Wayzata in their regular season finale and lost 95-62.  Lakeville North is led by Nolan Winter, who will play next season at Wisconsin.  The Panthers lost to Park Center on December 17 78-71.  Is a rematch possible in the championship game?  

Concluding the Class AAAA portion is the White Bear Lake Bears, in their seventh state tournament and first since 2000 and the third seeded Wayzata Trojans, playing in their eighth tournament and third straight.  The Bears have been on a roll, winning 10 straight games, including a victory in the Section 4 final over the East Ridge Raptors.  The Trojans are also hot, riding a seven game winning streak.  Wayzata got off to an 0-3 start and has gone 21-1 since their first win against Prior Lake.  

Next:  The Class AAA preview