NHR State: 16U Pool Preview
The NHR State Tournament this weekend has a very strong 16U field that includes 23 of the top 25 teams including the top four teams in the state at this level. With everyone in Minnesota having a chance to compete…
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Continue ReadingThe NHR State Tournament this weekend has a very strong 16U field that includes 23 of the top 25 teams including the top four teams in the state at this level. With everyone in Minnesota having a chance to compete against the state’s best the NHR 16U state event is a very unique opportunity to the best against the best.
Pool A. D1 Minnesota (28-3) is the second ranked 16U team in the nation and the state’s best team at this level. Their pool challengers are Heat Pratt (13-7) who is ranked 19th in the state as well as 23rd ranked Suns Thurston (13-10) as well as Twins Pride. Heat Pratt recently won an event but D1 Minnesota is fighting for the best spot in the nation when they play this weekend for the best spot in Minnesota.
Pool B. Heat Reese (21-5) beat D1 Minnesota in a short jamboree game two months ago. Many people want to see the teams play in a full game to see what would happen. Heat Reese is second ranked in the state and has Team Get Shook (11-8) and MN Bulldogs (9-11) who are ranked 20th and 25th in the state. WOTN Wold is also in this pool.
Pool C. Crossfire Swanson (13-7) and West Central United (13-9) are ranked teams that have been better this year than many expected. When they play each other it will likely be for the second spot in bracket play as Comets Stumpf is the heavy favorite as the third ranked team in the state with a 16-5 mark.
Pool D. The fourth group is Pool D and has the second Grassroots team, Each One Teach one (ranked 24th at 9-7), Comets Little at 16 (18-8), and favorite Fury Wilde who is ranked fourth at 18-6. Comets Little won the Spring Jam in Sioux Falls beating the much hyped PBC Pentagon National team and they are shooting for another upset this weekend against Fury.
Pool E. Select Altenhofen was a team that was rolling strong with Beijon Newbern looking like one of the elite players in 16U this year. He got injured but Select is still a quality bunch with CJ Dickson and Mike Coble scoring in slashing ways. The 7th ranked Select team is 14-6 and they also have two other ranked teams in their pool with 20th ranked Phenom and 22nd ranked Powerhouse Red.
Pool F. One of the better pool games will be the Minnesota Eagles (Apple Valley kids) who are 16-5 and ranked 8th and they will take on Minnesota Rise who is 13-9 and ranked 15th but has wins over Comets Little (twice), SW Minnesota Stars (ranked 6th), and D1 Minnesota Prospects. Should be a great battle.
Pool G. Another big time game will be 9th ranked Powerhouse Black (15-6) facing Wear Out the Net, a team that has faced a very tough schedule and has come out of it ranked 14th. Also in the group is the top Grassroots Minnesota team and there is little known as to what they are going to have or have had.
Pool H. Comets second team is Comets Servaty, the Fury second team is Fury Antl. Comets Servaty is 15-6 and ranked 10th, Fury Antl is ranked 13th with a 14-7 mark. They have yet to play this year but their game should be one of the games of pool play.
Pool I. The most evenly matched-up pool play game is 11tn ranked D1 Minnesota Prospects (19-8) against Minnesota Basketball Academy Witthus (18-7) as they will be going for win 20 in pool play. This is about as evenly matched a pair as you will see with the winner getting a better draw in bracket play.