Class AAAA Title Contender: Maple Grove

<p style="text-align: left;">Maple Grove bounced back from two bad three-week runs to be a final four team in Class AAAA basketball last year.  Are they ready for an encore?</p> <p><strong>Key Wins in 20-21 (13-10)</strong><strong>: </strong>  Osseo, Andover, Armstrong, Elk River, Moorhead, Champlin Park</p> <p><strong>Oops</strong>: CDH, Elk River, Park Center, Spring Lake Park, Champlin Park, Osseo, Totino-Grace</p> <p><strong>Moving On:  </strong>Maple Grove had two starters graduate:  Wing Morgan Moore who scored 13 points a game putting together a surprising senior season that was a fun story to track at times.  Moore developed into a really nice player.  Kaleb Champion became a starter as the year moved on as a hard working role player who became a trusted senior.  He stepped in for Caden Boettcher who was the team’s third leading scorer before getting hurt.  You can also count Boettcher as a starter as he began several games for the Crimson.  He graduated as did fourth leading scorer Terence Anthony-Larmouth, another player that started some games and was always a contributor.  Reserves Jack O’Leary, Andy Tran, and Jatai Dillard came off the bench last year and they’ve graduated, plus [player_tooltip player_id="958687" first="Payton" last="Mogire"] transferred to Armstrong. The seniors averaged a basket a game while Mogire gave his team two baskets a game on average.  </p> <p><strong>Returning Starters (3): </strong>  The Crimson used [player_tooltip player_id="1158739" first="Raoul" last="Vaidya"] at starting point guard at the end of the year, [player_tooltip player_id="958650" first="Jon" last="Haakenson"] is a two year starter returning, and Lincoln Palibicki started last season as a sophomore center.  With all three back Maple Grove is in contention.  That, and the Crimson are always bringing players up from the junior varsity levels ready to make an impact. </p> <p>Vaidya did a really nice job running the team with the right initial reads and competing with toughness as a sophomore.  He had a good summer playing AAU at the 16u level and should enter the season ready with a state tournament push to his resume.  Haakenson is currently injured but we hope he recovers quick as Jon is one of the better defenders in the state last season and he led the Crimson in scoring last year.  Palbicki was the starting center and he enters his junior year in great shape and playing extremely well.  Lincoln has had several division one schools by Maple Grove to see him lately.  </p> <p><strong>Reserves Playing a Bigger Role: </strong>  Vaidya was a reserve for part of the season and when he was, he was the only reserve that wasn’t a senior.  There are no other back-ups from last season that are returning. </p> <p><strong>Potentials from the JV:   </strong>There is a long list of players that will be seniors this year that were JV talents a season ago.  Most are guards and wings.  Ashton Keomysy and Matthew Moline are guards to keep an eye on and wings Derrick Jameson, Adreian Mitchell, Matt Hosmann, Peter Norby, and Bekani Berisso are all seniors now and all of them will fight for time. Moline is the player that I think could make a major jump this year after his strong summer with the Crossfire.  Keomysy has been excellent in fall league.  That pair could step into starting spots.   Jaziah Atikinson is a senior that will play around the basket and junior Jacob Anderson is one to watch as well.  </p> <p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong>:  The Crimson are a team that can never be counted out.  They have a returning lead guard, a three year veteran leader, a division one level big, and some senior guards and wings ready for their shot.  When this team finds it’s chemistry and Haakenson is ready to go, this team will be tough to deal with each night.</p>