The Weekend Menu – Heavyweight Conference Clashes

<p>It’s a big weekend of high school basketball in Minnesota. What are the top match-ups? We break it down in The Weekend Menu!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Tasty Appetizer</strong>. There are two 6pm starts tonight that will allow people to tune in to that game, and then break off for another game after that. And those two games are very good as it’s Morris Area at Minnewaska Area, and Minnehaha Academy at Duluth East.</p> <p>Minnewaska Area is making a top ten push having beaten BOLD and challenged Melrose while Morris Area is led by D1 offered junior [player_tooltip player_id="850706" first="Jackson" last="Loge"] (UND offered). In Duluth, the top ranked Redhawks will face a top 10 Class AAAA team in Duluth East. The loss of the Greyhounds point guard is tough but DE will put up a fight against [player_tooltip player_id="532574" first="Chet" last="Holmgren"], [player_tooltip player_id="850702" first="Prince" last="Aligbe"], and company. Excellent first games</p> <p><strong>Specials</strong>. This was the area I used to save for the weekend event/events, the places were people could go see multiple games in one spot. Since that isn’t happening this year I will look for something that is maybe unique or fun in this area. The most uniquely fun game of the weekend was Minnehaha Academy vs Duluth but since we already looked there, I turn my attention to Columbia Heights vs Holy Angels, a big Class AAA battle.</p> <p>I love some of the match-ups here with [player_tooltip player_id="957232" first="Elijah" last="Williams"] and [player_tooltip player_id="850716" first="Emmett" last="Johnson"] going head to head as speedy junior lead guards. Or [player_tooltip player_id="958645" first="Camden" last="Holter"] facing [player_tooltip player_id="850729" first="Muja" last="Burton"] on the wing. Up front [player_tooltip player_id="957198" first="Bryce" last="Boyd"] will have his hands full with [player_tooltip player_id="958666" first="Donnavin" last="Hinsz"] plus watch for some of the shooters in this game to make an impact. These teams have some guys that can shoot the ball that may not be the biggest name scorers but they place (Brown and Pierce come to mind).</p> <p><strong>Main Course. </strong>This is a big night for conference heavyweight match-ups. In the South Suburba,n Lakeville North and Lakeville South are going head to head in a rivalry match-up that is always good. South is a top five team while North is on the verge of being a top ten squad once again. Just need that one win, and it could be tonight. In the SEC, East Ridge and CDH have been at the top of the league for some time so this is of course a huge game plus a return match-up from last year’s section final. In the Northwest Suburban Conference there are two big games with Champlin Park vs Maple Grove and Osseo against Park Center. CP and MG have the returning talent from winning teams making them top ten squads. PC and Osseo have the talent to be top ten teams but PC is breaking in a lot of new guys while Osseo is coming off an injury plague season that hurt their record. A win for either likely vaults them to the top ten spot they have the talent to be in.</p> <p><strong>Dessert</strong>. The latest tip-off time on Saturday night is a good Big Nine contest between Austin and Mankato West. Both teams are league contenders and both are 2-0. Austin has crushed a few bad teams while West had a statement win last night over Owatonna. Austin is ranked in the top ten while we had West a top 20 squad and climbing in Class AAA. The match-ups of Mehki Collins vs Tey Hovland, [player_tooltip player_id="957155" first="Okey" last="Okey"] vs [player_tooltip player_id="958702" first="Buom" last="Jock"], lots of good stuff.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>