Postseason Preview: Section 8AA
photo courtesy of the Perham Focus Section basketball is just around the corner and as the season comes to a close, it’s time to start looking at individual sections. Here’s the lowdown on Section 8AA: Contenders: Perham, Breckenridge Perham…
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photo courtesy of the Perham Focus
Section basketball is just around the corner and as the season comes to a close, it’s time to start looking at individual sections.
Here’s the lowdown on Section 8AA:
Contenders: Perham, Breckenridge
Perham and Breckenridge split the season series with one another, with Perham winning the most recent affair by double digits.
Both teams are strong with Perham having the defensive edge while Breck has proven to be more explosive.
The Yellowjackets check all the boxes. Good defense, good shooting and good mix of experienced players and high-end underclass talent.
Jenson Beachy is one of the top guards in the 2019 class, averaging 17 points per game and connecting on nearly 40 percent of his 3-pointers, Beachy gives the Yellowjackets a legitimate go-to scorer. Reid Moser is a second quality perimeter player and Perham’s well-stocked with interior players as Aaron Solberg is one of the top two-way bigs in the section and Logan Richter does a little bit of everything.
Breckenridge has lost just twice all year — to Fergus Falls and Perham — and has the best offense in the section. A trio of Steven Lipp, Derek Dahlgren and Noah Christensen gives the Cowboys a great chance to win in any game they play and while they haven’t been tested much throughout the year, they’ve got a lot of experience after last year’s run to the section semifinal game.
In the Hunt: Crookston, Staples-Motley
On the surface, it’s a two-team section in the grand scheme of things. But Crookston and Staples-Motley both have enough talent to win a game or two and advance deep into the tournament.
Crookston plays a slower brand of basketball, opting to grind out wins with strong defense. And that’s worked for the Pirates as they’ve got 15 wins on the season. It didn’t work at all against Perham or Breckenridge as those two teams beat them by a combined 72 points. But the Pirates are playing much better lately and gave one of the top teams in Class A, Ada-Borup a good run before losing in double overtime earlier in February.
Chris Wavra and Matt Garmen don’t have a lot of size in the backcourt, but both guys have been consistent this year and should have enough gas to lead the Pirates on an extended postseason run.
Staples-Motley has one of the best offenses in the section, but also allows more than 61 points per game.
Gavin Smith (pictured) is one of the top scorers in the state, averaging more than 23 points per game.
(Photo by Staples World)He’s an excellent 3-point shooter and gets to the free throw line nearly seven times per game. The Cardinals don’t have a great record on the year, but they’ve got Smith, which in the playoffs can mean a win or two.
Team to watch: Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton
The Rebels don’t have a great record (just nine wins on the year) but they’ve played Breckenridge close twice this year, lost a close game to Lake Park-Audubon, a close game to Norman County East and suffered a bunch of other close losses.
That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll win because close losses are still losses and at this time of the year, losses are just losses. But the Rebels have quality talent, namely the senior duo of Kyle Rothschadl and Ethan Edeen.
Projected Seedings
- Perham
- Breckenridge
- Crookston
- Staples-Motley
- Roseau
- Hawley
- Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton
- Wadena-Deer Creek
- East Grand Forks
- Warroad
- Barnesville
- Pelican Rapids
- Bagley
- Park Rapids Area
- Bagley
- Badger/Greenbush-Middle River
- Frazee