The Weekend Menu

The second weekend of December means we are getting closer to the half-way point of the high school basketball season.  Every game matters.  So what can you go see this weekend?  NHR gives you the menu.

Tasty Appetizer. Tonight's early game followed by a short drive to another location is Rochester Century at Rochester JM.  This game is very interesting because Century is now 7-4 coming off a big win over Rochester Mayo.  How did Century beat Mayo 78-65?  Balance.  Senior Jack Fisher led the way but got big help from a big senior core that includes Gabe Hanson and Stephen Olander and several others.  Century has lost four games but those games were to Austin, Mankato East, Lakeville North, and St. Croix Prep.  Century has a chance to go on a 5 or 6 week winning run but beating JM would be key.  JM has won three straight defeating solid programs from Columbia Heights and Mankato West.  The Rockets are led by scholarship level big Lincoln Mesiter who is averaging 21.3 points and 9.5 boards a game.  And hey, after this early 5:30 start people can get in the car and head over to the Lourdes at Byron game as well. 

Specials. On Saturday at Minneapolis Henry High School there is a multi-game event starting with a solid game between CHOF and Hiawatha Academy at 10:15am with Prairie Seeds Academy against Rice Lake (WI) at 1:45 (Girls game between that contest).  There is also the host team Minneapolis Henry playing Moorhead in a solid contest at 3pm and Cristo Rey taking on Twin Cities Academy at 7pm.  If you love the full day menu of hoops this is your option in the Twin Cities this weekend.  

In the Duluth Area?  The Breakdown has a treat for you.  The Lake Superior Classic is a seven game event at Duluth East High School starting at 10am with Grand Rapids and Proctor.  John Sutherland, a future UMD Bulldog, will be the featured player in that early session followed by top ten ranked St. Cloud Apollo representing Minnesota against Superior from Wisconsin in the game that follows.  Three point shooting Pine City faces Dylan DeChampeau and Greenway at 4:15 followed by an excellent Class AAA game between Mound-Westonka and Hermantown, and then host squad Duluth East faces St. Paul Central at 7:30pm.  

Main Course.  Southern Minnesota gets the best of the state once again this weekend.  Minneapolis North is coming off of a big win against DeLSalle and now they get their shot at #1 ranked Caledonia on Saturday in their annual match-up.  Remember when Caledonia beat North in the Breakdown Summer State tournament by about 40 (it was 67-33 when I stopped watching)?  I'm sure North remembers it well and will want some revenge.  Another top ten match-up is Waterville-Elysian-Morristown playing at Blooming Prairie (one loss between the two schools). 

Then you have the game of the weekend, Marshall at Mankato East.  It's a pair of top five schools with many quality players going head to head.  Marshall has a big more up front (Noah Puetz and Yahya Black going at Jordan Merseth) but East has more in the backcourt (Jax Madson and Joich Gong are veterans that Bryce Lance has to counter.  It's ton of talent and the must see game of the weekend.  

Dessert.  Hopkins and DeLaSalle would both like to have a few games back but the two storied programs facing off tonight is as sweet as an evening of hoops can get.  The Islanders just dropped a game versus North while Hopkins is on a seven game winning streak.  Shooters?  Kerwin Walton and Cade Haskins.  Size?  Jonah Travis against Elvis Nnaji sounds good.  Guard play?  Amir Whitlock and Cornell Richardson sounds excellent.  A lot to watch at Hopkins this evening.