The Border Battle Preview

This Saturday the 15th Border Battle will be played at Minneapolis North between top programs in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  Six games total, Wisconsin seems to be the favorite in the event this year in terms of talented teams.  Can Minnesota earn at least the split?  Let’s dive in!

Rice Lake (8-3) vs Maranatha Christian (8-3)

Favorite:  Split.  The first game could tip the scales.  Neither team is ranked but both teams are good. Whichever state gets the win here could hold the edge to the weekend win. 

Key Players: Tyler Orr Tyler Orr 5'11" | PG Rice Lake | 2023 State WI and Zach Orr are brothers and the top players on Rice Lake.  Tyler is a top 50 junior in Wisconsin scoring 24 points a game while Zach is a freshman averaging in double digits. Jeremiah LaVelle Jeremiah LaVelle 6'4" | SF Maranatha Christian | 2022 State MN is having a great senior season for MCA scoring 19 a game as a 6’4 forward.  Bailey McDonald Bailey McDonald 6'0" | PG Maranatha Christian | 2023 State MN is a junior lead guard scoring 17 a game.  He is the son of former Gopher point guard Ariel McDonald. 

6th Ranked Eau Claire Memorial (12-2) vs Richfield (4-5)

Favorite:  With three of the top 50 prospects in Wisconsin and being a top ten team in their state, Memorial is a heavy favorite here.  Richfield is coming off two straight section titles but has struggled this year.  Memorial is a big favorite coming into this game. 

Key Players:   Concordia St-Paul committed Will Boser Will Boser 6'6" | CG Eau Claire Memorial | 2022 State WI leads the team with 18 points a game.   Fellow senior Mekhi Shaw Mekhi Shaw 6'1" | PG Eau Claire Memorial | 2022 State WI is the second leading scorer and big LJ Wells is one of the better 3-4 available bigs in Wisconsin.  Future Drake football player Mitchell January Mitchell January 6'1" | SG Richfield | 2022 State MN leads Richfield with 21 points a game while big Jaden Wollmuth Jaden Wollmuth 6'5" | C Richfield | 2022 State MN is scoring 14 a game. 

2nd Ranked Pewaukee (8-2) vs Robbinsdale Armstrong (5-6)

Favorite:  Pewaukee is half the size of Armstrong as a school but as the second best team in their class they are the big favorite coming in.  Don’t overlook Armstrong though as their schedule has been extremely tough, and they have wins over Owatonna and Coon Rapids who are top 20 level Class AAAA teams in Minnesota.  

Key Players:  One of the main stars of the event will be playing in this event and that is Milan Momcilovic Milan Momcilovic 6'8" | SF Pewaukee | 2023 State #44 Nation WI , the number one rated player in Wisconsin’s junior class.  He is a senior scoring 18 points with nine boards a game.  Hillsdale committed Asthon Janowski – a top 15 senior in Wisconsin – and top 3 Wisconsin sophomore Nick Janowski Nick Janowski 6'3" | CG Pewaukee | 2024 State #71 Nation WI are two other pieces to an extremely potent Pewaukee line-up.  Armstrong will counter with leading scorer Peyton Newbern Peyton Newbern 6'5" | SF Robbinsdale Armstrong | 2022 State MN – averages 17 a game and is the son of former Gopher Melvin Newbern – and his brother Seth, a sophomore, as well as stretch forward Owen Skram Owen Skram 6'5" | PF Robbinsdale Armstrong | 2023 State MN . 

5th ranked Menominee Falls (10-2) vs number 1 ranked Totino-Grace (9-2)

Favorite:  The Eagles are undefeated against Minnesota teams and have a 1-2 record against teams outside of Minnesota (the losses are to Whitney Young out of Illinois and Centennial Corona out of California).  This will likely be the most anticipated game of the event considering the two highly ranked teams and talent that goes with it. 

Key Players:  The Eagles are led by the top ranked junior in Minnesota, Taison Chatman Taison Chatman 6'4" | PG Totino-Grace | 2023 State #35 Nation MN .  Taison is coming off an amazing 29 point, 8 assist game against CDH last weekend when he scored 23 points in a blink leading the Eagles to a blowout win. Iowa State signed Demarion Watson Demarion Watson 6'8" | SF Totino-Grace | 2022 State #150 Nation MN and UST signed Ahjany Lee Ahjany Lee 6'11" | C Totino-Grace | 2022 State #145 Nation MN are both nationally ranked while juniors Tommy Humphries Tommy Humphries 6'5" | SF Totino-Grace | 2023 State #283 Nation MN and Patrick Bath Patrick Bath 6'9" | C Totino-Grace | 2023 State MN both have D1 offers.  Menominee Falls counters with two of the top four seniors in Wisconsin: top ranked Seth Trimble Seth Trimble 6'3" | PG Menomonee Falls | 2022 State #50 Nation WI who is headed to North Carolina, and 6’5 guard Steven Clay Steven Clay 6'5" | SG Menomonee Falls | 2022 State #193 Nation WI who has earned several D1 offers in his time.    Grant Martin Grant Martin 6'0" | CG Menomonee Falls | 2022 State WI is a top 100 Wisconsin senior as well.  

Number 1 ranked Wisconsin Lutheran (10-1) vs Minnehaha Academy (2-4)

Favorite:  We have to look towards the top ranked Division 2 team in Wisconsin is the favorite as we really don’t know what to expect from Minnehaha Academy.  They have struggled, they have had to cancel games, the team just lost Mercy Miller Mercy Miller 6'4" | SG Minnehaha Academy | 2024 VA , they have pulled out of games and replaced them with others, and through it all they have two wins so far.  Tough to know what to expect so we look at Wisconsin Lutheran as the favorite. 

Key Players. Sticking with Minnehaha Academy, they are led by Boston College signed Prince Aligbe Prince Aligbe 6'6" | SF Minnehaha Academy | 2022 State #167 Nation MN who is scoring 26 points with 10 rebounds a game.  Kon II Knueppel Kon II Knueppel 6'6" | SG Wisconsin Lutheran | 2024 State #56 Nation WI of Wisconsin Lutheran is a sophomore and the best player in Wisconsin’s sophomore class.  Between Kon and top 75 Wisconsin senior Jordan Glenn Jordan Glenn 5'11" | PG Wisconsin Lutheran | 2022 State WI the top ranked Wisconsin Lutheran team has a potent line-up.  

Brookfield East (4-9) vs 2nd ranked Minneapolis North (8-3)

Favorite:  The host is the favorite and the state of Minnesota will likely need North to win so Minnesota can get a split out of this year’s games.   The Polars have faced a tough schedule once again this season and will be more than prepared for this game.  Brookfield East’s record is a tad misleading as they were without their best player for the first five games and didn’t win those games

Key Players.  That key player is Dan Gherezgher Dan Gherezgher 6'1" | SG Brookfield East | 2022 State WI , a 6’3 top 25 senior in Wisconsin.  Dan is joined by Matt Schmainda, a top 50 junior, and Andrew Graf Andrew Graf 5'11" | CG Brookfield East | 2024 State WI , a top 40 sophomore in Wisconsin.   North is led by Willie Wilson Willie Wilson 6'2" | CG Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN , Jacob Butler Jacob Butler 6'5" | SF Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN , De’Meiko Anderson De’Meiko Anderson 6'1" | SG Minneapolis North | 2022 State MN , and Gani Stevens Gani Stevens 6'7" | C Saint Anthony Village | 2022 State MN , four seniors who are top 60 level in the state of Minnesota overall.  The Polars also have two of the better sophomores in Minnesota: Zashon Rich and Datrell McCrimmon.