The Tri-Metro Preview

<p>The Tri-Metro was an entertaining round robin last year with Columbia Heights, St. Croix Lutheran, DeLaSalle, and Richfield.  It will be fun once again this season. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Conference Commentary</strong></p> <p><strong>Top Ten</strong>: Columbia Heights, DeLaSalle, Richfield</p> <p>The Hylanders have one of the top couple teams in Class AAA basketball this year and they will be making a run at the state title.  They have a core returning four starters that will be seniors this year and all four are coming off very good off-seasons.  This is the year that CH has been pointing towards and they enter the season as the Tri Metro favorite.</p> <p>The Islanders are another top contender.  Their backcourt group is really five potential double figure scoring players in Whitlock, Chavis, McClendon, Johnson, and Everett.  They will of course defend at a very high level and spread people out.  They won't be as big as Columbia Heights or Richfield but they will have more guards to throw at teams. </p> <p>The third contender is Richfield.  The Spartans lost the most of these top three teams but they are still going to be a contender with two starters back and some reserves stepping into bigger roles.  [player_tooltip player_id="958679" first="Mitchell" last="January"] is going to have a monster scoring year while [player_tooltip player_id="958660" first="Jaden" last="Wollmuth"] I think is going to be a top double-double man in the metro. </p> <p><strong>Potential Top Ten:</strong> Holy Angels</p> <p>AHA has an outside shot at the top ten if things break the right way.  When [player_tooltip player_id="850716" first="Emmett" last="Johnson"] is done headlining all the football highlight shows he will move over to the basketball court and lead that team as well.  He has some fellow seniors (Isaa, Roberts) and a big in [player_tooltip player_id="962267" first="Joe" last="Miller"] that I think will surprise some people this year.  </p> <p><strong>Compete with Most</strong>: Brooklyn Center, Fridley, St. Anthony</p> <p>I think BC should be more competitive this year.  [player_tooltip player_id="962210" first="Quyavant" last="Douglas"] is one of the best players in the league and they have some experienced players around him that should make them tougher this year.  They won only a game last year but I expect them to improve.  Fridley is always a pest.  They will likely be a pest to teams again.  [player_tooltip player_id="1225659" first="Eli" last="Nelson"] and Devin Williams are two very good wings for the Tigers. Saint Anthony took a hit when through transfer losses after a 5-14 season.  They have a really solid group of juniors that will keep them tough.  </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>21-22 Conference Predictions</strong></p> <ol> <li>Columbia Heights</li> <li>DeLaSalle</li> <li>Richfield</li> <li>Holy Angels </li> <li>Fridley</li> <li>Brooklyn Center</li> <li>Saint Anthony</li> </ol> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Preseason All Tri Metro Conference</strong></p> <p><strong><u>First Team</u></strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="962218" first="Nasir" last="Whitlock"] of DeLaSalle (jr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958666" first="Donnavin" last="Hinsz"] of Columbia Heights (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958648" first="Hassan" last="Kamara"] of Columbia Heights (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="850729" first="Muja" last="Burton"] of Columbia Heights (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958660" first="Jaden" last="Wollmuth"] of Richfield (sr)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>Second Team</u></strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958679" first="Mitchell" last="January"] of Richfield (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="850716" first="Emmett" last="Johnson"] of Holy Angels (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1172835" first="Casmir" last="Chavis"] of DeLaSalle (so)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="962210" first="Quyavant" last="Douglas"] of Brooklyn Center (jr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958742" first="Terrence" last="Brown"] of Columbia Heights (sr)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>Third Team</u></strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958672" first="Amir" last="Everett"] of DeLaSalle (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="958777" first="Kyle" last="Johnson"] of DeLaSalle (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1225659" first="Eli" last="Nelson"] of Fridley (sr)</p> <p>Randy McClendon Jr of DeLaSalle (so)</p> <p>Devin Williams of Fridley (sr)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><u>Fourth Team</u></strong></p> <p>Terrence Roberts of Holy Angels (sr)</p> <p>Chris Taylor of Brooklyn Center (jr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1288741" first="Jaedyn" last="Patterson"] of Richfield (sr)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1284156" first="Jency" last="Davis"] of Columbia Heights (so)</p> <p>Rob Issa of Holy Angels (sr)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>