Postseason Preview: Section 4AAA
Section basketball is kicking off this week for the big schools. Here are some things to know about Section 4AAA:
Favorite: Mahtomedi
The Zephyrs have a great shot at not only getting to the state tournament, but doing well there.
Parker Fox is one of the top bigs in the state, averaging 23 points and nine rebounds. He can hurt teams from the post, the high post, in transition or on the offensive glass and his ability to not only score but pass makes the Zephyrs a tough team to defend (as evidenced by their 74 points per game).
Shayne Frost, Lincoln Rock and Andy Voyen fill in around him very well and all three guys are capable of putting points in bunches.
The Zephyrs are also very good defensively, allowing just 56 points per game which is particularly strong considering the pace that they play at.
In the Hunt: Totino-Grace, Columbia Heights
Totino-Grace might be the second best team in the section despite a middling 14-12 record. The Eagles landed the No. 4 seed in the section because of that but the team went 8-11 in conference thanks to a combined seven losses to Champlin Park, Maple Grove, Park Center and Robbinsdale Armstrong. They also played New Prague at Christmas time. No team in the section has been tested quite like the Eagles.
The Eagles have a very good trio led by North Dakota State signee Rocky Kreuser. Nathan Kavolak and Charlie Jacob average 15.7 and 14.2 points per game respectively.
Columbia Heights landed the No. 2 seed in the section thanks to an 18-8 regular season record. The Hylanders have several impressive wins over Mahtomedi, East Ridge, Waconia and Prairie Seeds Academy and no real bad losses.
Deaundra Roberson is one of the top scoring guards in the section, putting up 18 points per game and he’s got a terrific running mate up front in Wendell Matthews. Matthews puts up 16 points per game and can wear teams out inside. Throw in a third junior guard in Quentin Hardrict and the Hylanders not only have a great shot to go deep this season, but they should be very fun to watch next year.
Players to Watch
Rhys Langums, Aaron Smith and Tait Nelson form perhaps the most formidable trio in the section for St. Anthony Village — the No. 3 seed in the section. Langums is one of the top uncommitted 2017 players in the state and Smith is certainly a guy to watch in 2018.
Fridley’s Tirik Reeves is one of the best pure scorers in the section and helped lead the Tigers to the state tournament a year ago as a low seed.
Hill-Murray didn’t have a great regular season but if there’s a reason to watch that opening round game with Mahtomedi, it would be senior guard Simeon Davis. Davis averaged 31 points per game on the year and is one of the top 75 players in the 2017 class.
Section Outlook
Upsets happen all the time and this section certainly saw that last year as Fridley went to state despite a losing record in the regular season.
That said, Mahtomedi looks like the frontrunner this year and the Zephyrs have all the pieces requisite a state title contender. Totino-Grace is a team to watch as the Eagles’ unbelievably tough conference season means they got a bit underseeded. Aside from that, there is a lot of individual talent, which could certainly set up for some entertaining basketball over the next two weeks.
Section Seedings
- Mahtomedi
- Columbia Heights
- Anthony Village
- Totino-Grace
- Fridley
- Paul Johnson
- Paul Como Park
- Hill-Murray