Ten Best: Minneapolis North vs. Caledonia
A matchup featuring contenders at the Class A and AA levels didn’t disappoint as Minneapolis North got 26 points from Isaac Johnson, 16 from Odell Wilson IV and 15 from Jaquan Sanders-Smith in a 74-70 win over Caledonia. A true…
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Continue ReadingA matchup featuring contenders at the Class A and AA levels didn’t disappoint as Minneapolis North got 26 points from Isaac Johnson, 16 from Odell Wilson IV and 15 from Jaquan Sanders-Smith in a 74-70 win over Caledonia.
A true game of runs, neither team separated from the other until the bitter end. Caledonia used a 21-10 run to take a 63-62 lead with about five minutes left in regulation. The run was made thanks in large part to the excellent play of Owen and Noah King. But Johnson and Wilson IV led the way as the Polars finished the game on a 12-7 run over the final five minutes.
MVP: Isaac Johnson (Minn. North)
Johnson is the Polars’ go-to guy and he showed just how good he is Saturday on both ends of the floor. He carried a heavy burden offensively, scoring 26 points while also checking Caledonia’s star guard Owen King throughout the game. When the Warriors stormed back to take a lead in the second half, it was Johnson who took the game over and willed the Polars to a win.
Best Offensive Performance: Owen King (Caledonia)
King was outstanding for the Warriors and had a lot on his plate against a relentless Polars defense. King scored 26 points including 19 in the second half. He hit six 3-pointers and showed off an impressive drive game, using his savviness to get into the paint and his strength to finish through contact. His ability to handle the constant pressure and make good decisions out of ball screen actions or isolations kept the Warriors in the game.
Best Defensive Performance: Johnson (Minn. North)
Johnson spent the entire afternoon checking Owen King, which meant he gave up some points. But King is one of the best players in the state and guarding him is an all-day affair. He made King work for literally every inch of the floor. His defense late in the game was especially terrific as he forced two big turnovers on King and held the star guard to three points over the final five minutes of the game.
Best Underclassman: Noah King (Caledonia)
Noah King scored a game-high 31 points, including 21 in the first half. Just a freshman, King already possesses an advanced offensive skillset that includes a pretty outside shooting stroke, a solid drive game and good footwork in the post. He’s very skilled, but he’s also got a motor that runs hot and his activity level allows him to score points that similarly skilled players might not. He’s built like an upperclassman and puts his strength to good use.
Best Big Man: Odell Wilson IV (Minn. North)
Caledonia simply didn’t have someone who could match Wilson’s strength inside. The 6-foot-6 junior big man scored 16 points and hauled in 14 rebounds. Many of those came on the offensive side where he was an absolute terror on the offensive glass.
Best Under-the-Radar Performance: Marquis Holloman (Minn. North)
Holloman stuffed the stat sheet for the Polars and had his fingerprints all over the key moments in the game. The 6-foot-5 senior scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds to go along with four assists and three steals.
Best Shooter: Jaquan Sanders-Smith (Minn. North)
If there’s a formula to beating the Polars, it starts with packing the paint and trying to turn all of their athletes into jump shooters. That plan has yet to lead to a win because the Polars are just so much more athletic than most of their competition but the formula is sound considering they don’t have a lot of great shooters. Jaquan Sanders-Smith is a guy that can wreck that plan though and he did Saturday. The senior guard went 4 of 6 from beyond the arc and hit most of them late in the first half during the team’s 17-7 run to close the first half.
Best Aspect of the Environment: Caledonia faithful makes the trek
For those that aren’t big into geography, Caledonia is a long, long ways away from the twin cities. It’s about a three-hour drive from Caledonia Public Schools to North High School. But Caledonia is one of those “last one to leave turns the lights off” kind of towns and basketball is big there. It showed Saturday as there was a strong Caledonia contingent in the crowd.
Best Storyline Going Forward: Title Favorites?
It’s going to take an awful lot for a Class A team to take down Minneapolis North. The Polars have so much size, athleticism and depth. They ran away with the title last year and at this point, they should be considered the heavy favorite to repeat.
Caledonia won’t be considered an overwhelming favorite in Class AA but the Warriors should certainly be on the short list of legitimate contenders. Minnehaha Academy has the most talent but the Redhawks are young and a little inconsistent. The winner of an assumed Melrose and St. Cloud Cathedral section final would have to be in the mix. And Esko certainly has something no other team has with Adam Trapp inside. But the Warriors absolutely have the talent to take home the Class AA title.
Coach Said: Josh Dierson (Caledonia)
“It was great. That’s the kind of competition we want in our non-conference; someone that will challenge every shot and challenge us on both ends. Both teams battled. I thought the flow of the game was great. The ups and downs were great. We need that. We want that where it’s a battle on every possession. The competition was awesome.”