The 7AA Profile

We think Pequot Lakes gets it done again this year. Most coaches and players in the area seem to think it will be Esko (and they might be right). We will find out this winter in 7AA.

7AA Power Rankings

1. Esko
2. Pequot Lakes
3. Rock Ridge
4. Two Harbors
5. Crosby-Ironton
6. Moose Lake-Willow River
7. Pierz
8. Pillager
9. Hinckley-Finlayson
10. Aitkin
11. Proctor
12. Mesabi East
13. Staples-Motley
14. Greenway
15. International Falls

The Section 15

First Team

Cuinn Berger Cuinn Berger 6'1" | SG Esko | 2023 State MN of Esko (sr)

Trent Gomez Trent Gomez 6'0" | PG Two Harbors | 2023 State MN of Two Harbors (sr)

Grant Hansen Grant Hansen 5'10" | PG Rock Ridge | 2023 State MN of Rock Ridge (sr)

Eli Laposky Eli Laposky 6'1" | PG Pequot Lakes | 2023 State MN of Pequot Lakes (sr)

Makoi Perich Makoi Perich 6'2" | SG Esko | 2024 State MN of Esko (jr)

Second Team

Carter Mavec Carter Mavec 6'1" | PG Rock Ridge | 2023 State MN of Rock Ridge (sr)

Dalton Spindler of Esko (jr)

Zane Lokken Zane Lokken 6'0" | PG Virginia | 2024 MN of Rock Ridge (jr)

AJ Roen of Rock Ridge (sr)

Cyliss Lafave of Hinckley-Finlaysion (jr)

Third Team

Will Meyer of Crosby-Ironton (sr)

Grant Loge of Pequot Lakes (sr)

Jalen Miskowitz of Rock Ridge (jr)

James Stokman James Stokman 6'3" | PG Crosby-Ironton | 2024 State MN of Crosby-Ironton (jr)

Noah Oberfeld Noah Oberfeld 6'5" | SG Mora | 2025 State MN of Pierz (soph)

The 7AA Rundown

We’ve made a change. Since the Breakdown book was released I have been made aware of a big error.

Every year it seems there is a player that is really good that I miss around the state because that player doesn’t play near the metro much (where I live), the player doesn’t play AAU that I was able to see, and that player’s stats don’t appear in any of the statistical locations that Minnesota teams use. And this year it was a big name that was missed.

It happens, Will Ramberg is a current Gopher basketball player and I had never heard of him because of the same reasons listed above. And this year the name is Makoi Perich Makoi Perich 6'2" | SG Esko | 2024 State MN . If you are football fan, you’ve seen the name because Makoi just got a Gopher football offer. He is a three sport high school athlete that was the Polar Conference MVP who averaged 27 points a game. I caught it in time to get Makoi on the list of top 75 players in the Breakdown book but it was too late to get him on the all section team. I have since of course added Makoi to the all section team here.

And this surely changes the team rankings for Class AA because when we introduce our top tens in November, Esko will be a top ten team. Last year Eli Laposky Eli Laposky 6'1" | PG Pequot Lakes | 2023 State MN – headed to Bemidji State and is a hell of a player – led Pequot Lakes past Esko in the section finals (Esko beat them earlier in the year). But looking at things, based on what Esko has back and Perich becoming an upperclassmen, we likely need to put Esko in the top ten as the section favorite.

Another thing. Rock Ridge high school combined Eveleth-Gilbert and Virginia plus added Grant Hansen Grant Hansen 5'10" | PG Rock Ridge | 2023 State MN from Greenway. That is FIVE all conference players on their team this year (their first as a team). Rock Ridge has 97 points per game returning to their line-up this year (and they won’t be scoring 97 a game so guys have to be prepared for less shots)! That group has to figure out chemistry but if Rock Ridge does look out, they will have the deepest team in the section. They could be a top ten team in Class AA this year too IF they come together in year one.