The Tri-Metro Preview
In this article:
The Tri-Metro has grown to a nine time league with the addition of Robbinsdale Cooper and Bloomington Kennedy. Those schools will join six others in trying to knock off Columbia Heights who has won the league the last two seasons.…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe Tri-Metro has grown to a nine time league with the addition of Robbinsdale Cooper and Bloomington Kennedy. Those schools will join six others in trying to knock off Columbia Heights who has won the league the last two seasons. Here is the Tri-Metro Preview!
Conference Commentary
Top Ten in State: Columbia Heights, DeLaSalle
Columbia Heights will look a bit different this year after their 2022 class led them to so many big victories the past 2-3 seasons. There is still talent at Heights and their coaches – led by Willie Braziel – always get their team to play at a higher level than anticipated so we still think they are a top ten team despite four new starters taking the floor this season. DeLaSalle has a “new” coach but Todd Anderson is not new to the Islanders at all as he is a highly respected long time assistant. They are coming off a state title game run returning their best player (Nasir Withlock) and several experienced players.
Top Ten in State Potential: Richfield
The Spartans have a quality mix of quality transfers coming in, quality youth coming up, and quality experienced reserves coming back. They are a top 20 team in Class AAA with a chance to push for the top ten if they gel like expected. Really like the leadership I’ve seen in fall league from Jalen Hayes Jalen Hayes 6'1" | SF Mankato East | 2023 State MN and overall the talent level if solid.
Compete with Most: Robbinsdale Cooper, Fridley, Holy Angels
Cooper may not be a top ten team in Class AAAA this year but for this league they will most certainly be in the mix as a top four squad. Bo Powell always has his team competing at a strong level regardless if he has a small group, a young group, a bigger group, or whatever. Fridley, always competes. They may not be a contender sometimes but they always compete and they will do so again. Holy Angels lost some key players but I don’t think they are going to slip as far as some might think.
Rebuilding: Bloomington Kennedy, St Anthony Village, Brooklyn Center
Kennedy has a new staff led by Pat Buchanan and they are coming off a six win season. They will not be a push over because they have returning experienced players but they are starting fresh again. St. Anthony Village actually has seven of their top eight guys back so the only way it’s really a rebuild is that they have a new coach in Josh Pratt. BC won three games last year and they gave up 86 points a contest so they are still rebuilding at this time.
2022-23 Conference Predictions
- DeLaSalle
- Columbia Heights
- Richfield
- Robbinsdale Cooper
- Fridley
- Academy of Holy Angels
- St. Anthony Village
- Bloomington Kennedy
- Brooklyn Center
Preseason All Tri-Metro Conference
First Team
Nasir Whitlock Nasir Whitlock 6'2" | PG Delasalle | 2023 State MN of DeLaSalle (sr)
Jency Davis Jency Davis 5'9" | PG Columbia Heights | 2024 State MN of Columbia Heights (jr)
Jalen Hayes Jalen Hayes 6'1" | SF Mankato East | 2023 State MN of Richfield (sr)
Isreal Moses V of DeLaSalle (sr)
Quyavant Douglas Quyavant Douglas 6'0" | SG Brooklyn Center | 2023 State MN of Brooklyn Center (sr)
Second Team
Sam Massaquoi Sam Massaquoi 5'11" | PG Robbinsdale Cooper | 2023 State MN of Robbinsdale Cooper (sr)
Randy McClendon Jr Randy McClendon Jr 6'2" | SG Columbia Heights | 2024 State MN of Columbia Heights (jr)
Antwan Smith Antwan Smith 5'11" | PG Fridley | 2024 State MN of Fridley (jr)
Jaden Morgan Jaden Morgan 6'4" | SG DeLaSalle | 2024 State MN of DeLaSalle (jr)
Pj Pounds Pj Pounds 6'7" | SF Delasalle | 2023 MN of DeLaSale (sr)
Third Team
AJ Boarman AJ Boarman 6'5" | SG Holy Angels | 2023 MN of Holy Angels (sr)
Bronell Marcus Bronell Marcus 6'5" | SG Fridley | 2023 State MN of DeLaSalle (sr)
CJ Armstrong of Richfield (soph)
Myles Dillon-Parks of DeLaSalle (sr)
Nathan Lucas Nathan Lucas 6'0" | SG St. Anthony Village | 2023 State MN of St. Anthony Village (sr)
FourthTeam
Michael Cooper Michael Cooper 6'6" | PF Robbinsdale Cooper | 2023 State MN of Robbinsdale Cooper (sr)
Martez Wise Martez Wise 6'3" | SF Robbinsdale Cooper | 2023 State MN of Columbia Heights (sr)
Jaylen Boehm-Peterson Jaylen Boehm-Peterson 6'2" | SG Holy Angels | 2023 MN of Holy Angels (sr)
Zavier Hayes of Richfield (jr)
Riley Blaylark Riley Blaylark 6'0" | PG DeLaSalle | 2023 State MN of DeLaSalle (sr)
Fifth Team
Avery Wells Avery Wells 6'4" | PF Minneapolis Roosevelt | 2024 MN of Richfield (jr)
Kenji Asai Kenji Asai 6'1" | PG St. Anthony Village | 2024 State MN of St. Anthony Village (jr)
Jamian Cook of Robbinsdale Cooper (jr)
Aidan Higgins Aidan Higgins 6'2" | SG De La Salle | 2023 State MN of DeLaSalle (sr)
Tajan Pearson of Bloomington Kennedy (sr)
Leavale Hicks Leavale Hicks 5'7" | PG Columbia Heights | 2023 MN of Columbia Heights (sr)