The Mid-State Preview

<p>The Mid-State Conference has some traditionally good basketball.  What does the league look like this year?  NHR has a look. </p> <p><strong>Conference Commentary</strong></p> <p><strong>Favorite -</strong> Pequot Lakes</p> <p>With four starters back from a 19-9 team, the Patriots have big goals.  League MVP [player_tooltip player_id="774869" first="Bode" last="Magnuson"] is an all around talent that will lead but there is a lot back around him too.  Not understanding how good Pequot Lakes was, and will be, is the biggest error I made in predictions for the Breakdown book this year.  The Patriots are a top five team in 7AA.</p> <p><strong>Contender</strong> - Aitkin, Crosby-Ironton</p> <p>With two starters back and one of the league’s best players leading the way (Hunter Nissen) the Gobblers will be three games over .500 again, and maybe even better.  There are three starters to replace but two of the team’s top four players.  C-I is in a better spot as they have their top two players returning, three of their five starters plus their sixth man.  C-I dropped a pair to Pequot Lakes last season but should close the gap this winter.  </p> <p><strong>Rebuilding</strong> - Detroit Lakes, Staples-Motley, Park Rapids </p> <p>Detroit Lakes was very good in Mid-State league play (8-2) but awful outside the conference (3-13).  To make matters worse they’ve lost all five starters so it’s a team that will be rebuilding.  Detroit Lakes pounded Staples-Motley twice last year.  The games will be closer this season but DL still has a talent edge.  [player_tooltip player_id="958809" first="Sivert" last="Klefsaas"] will be the best player on the floor and that’s a good representation of how the Cards could take a step forward. Park Rapids has a player to build around in junior Nick Michaelson but not much around him.  </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>20-21 Mid-State Conference Predictions</strong></p> <ol> <li>Pequot Lakes</li> <li>Crosby-Ironton</li> <li>Aitkin</li> <li>Detroit Lakes</li> <li>Staples-Motley</li> <li>Park Rapids Area</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Preseason All Mid-State Conference </strong></p> <p><strong><u>First Team</u></strong></p> <p>Korey Jackson of Pequot Lakes (Sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="774869" first="Bode" last="Magnuson"] of Pequot Lakes (Sr)</p> <p>Hunter Nissen of Aitkin (Sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958778" first="Jordan" last="Oehrlein"] of Crosby-Ironton (Jr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958738" first="Carsen" last="Turk"] of Crosby-Ironton (Jr)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>Second Team</u></strong></p> <p>Nate Cihak of Detroit Lakes (Jr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958809" first="Sivert" last="Klefsaas"] of Staples-Motley (Jr)</p> <p>Nick Michaelson of Park Rapids (Jr)</p> <p>Alex Morgan of Pequot Lakes (Sr)</p> <p>Dietrich Winegarner of Crosby-Ironton (Sr)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>Third Team</u></strong></p> <p>Owen Hagen of Aitkin (Sr)</p> <p>Gabe Kramer of Crosby-Ironton (Sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="962249" first="Eli" last="Laposky"] of Pequot Lakes (Soph)</p> <p>Zack Oistad of Detroit Lakes (Sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="962311" first="Isaiah" last="Schultz"] of Staples-Motley (Soph)</p>