The Minnesota Hoops Weekend

Where should you be looking to watch high school basketball games this weekend in Minnesota? We give you the weekend run down now!

The Friday Combo.  Start at Mounds Park Academy who is taking on Breck for a 6pm tip off. Mounds Park is more competitive this year led by sophomore forward Wyatt Srsen who scores 22 points a game. Breck junior Hanif Muhhammed leads a balanced Breck squad who is 10-5 on the year.

From there you can likely cruise around 694 and get to the heavy weight battle between Maranatha and New Life Academy (leave by 7:20 and you can do it!). MCA is ranked third in Class AA with a balanced roster of SIX players scoring double digits and more are seniors. Bailey Mcdonald Bailey Mcdonald 6'2" Maranatha Christian Academy | 2023 MN leads at 17 points a game. New Life is ranked third in Class A and is pushing for a state title behind Max Briggs Max Briggs 6'0" | PG New Life Academy | 2023 State MN and Erick Reader Erick Reader 6'8" | C New Life Academy | 2023 State MN .

Friday’s Best. We stick with that Skyline Conference match-up as we go deeper into the contest.

One. Trell McCrimmon vs Max Briggs Max Briggs 6'0" | PG New Life Academy | 2023 State MN . McCrimmon got the better of Briggs in game one as Trell got to the rim to score while he, the Blufords, and the rest of the MCA guards swarmed Briggs into a tough game.

Two. Bailey Mcdonald Bailey Mcdonald 6'2" Maranatha Christian Academy | 2023 MN vs John Kirschling John Kirschling 5'11" | PG New Life Academy | 2024 MN . McDonald scored eight times off the bench in the first game while Kirschling gave NLA a chance with his three point touch.

Three. Jarory Purnell vs Colter Stone Colter Stone 6'4" | SF New Life Academy | 2024 MN . The wing workers both average nine a game.

Four. Drew Balentine Drew Balentine 6'1" | PG Maranatha Christian Academy | 2024 State MN vs Colton Hendricks Colton Hendricks 6'7" | PF New Life Academy | 2023 MN . Hendricks scores 11 a game, Balentine is close to that. Balentine is more face-up, Hendricks around the rim. NLA is way bigger but MCA rebounded way better in game one.

Five. Nick Anderson vs Erick Reader Erick Reader 6'8" | C New Life Academy | 2023 State MN . Nick Anderson had an excellent first game while Reader leads NLA at 16 and 12.5 a night.

Bang For the Buck. Winter Classic. The Winter Classic in Alexandria is a mix of boys and girls games all day tomorrow and it has some great match-ups. The headliner is Alexandria vs Orono which has three top five prospects in the state in that game ( Grayson Grove Grayson Grove 6'9" | PF Alexandria Area | 2024 State #206 Nation MN , Chase Thompson Chase Thompson 6'8" | SF Alexandria | 2025 State MN , Brady Wooley Brady Wooley 6'8" | PF Orono | 2025 State MN ) plus is sounds like Isaiah Hagen Isaiah Hagen 6'3" | PG Orono | 2023 State MN will be back for the contest.

Perham vs Albany is a top ten Class AA game match-up two state contenders. The Soren Anderson Soren Anderson 6'4" | SF Perham | 2023 State MN and Micah Thompson Micah Thompson 6'6" | SF Perham | 2023 State MN duo matches up with Sam Hondl Sam Hondl 6'7" | SF Albany | 2025 State MN and Tysen Gerads Tysen Gerads 6'3" | SG Albany | 2023 State MN . The real match-up to watch might be Alex Ohm vs Esekial Austin at lead guard.

The event also has Jay Neubert Jay Neubert 6'2" | SG Sauk Centre | 2024 State MN and Sauk Centre taking on Pelican Rapids, and Owen Leach Owen Leach 6'6" | SF Dillworth Glyndon-Felton | 2023 State MN ‘s DGF team facing Osakis.

Saturday’s Best. Eastview at Minnetonka is a huge game. Athletes all over, Tonka has more guards, Eastview has more size. Both are big favorites right now to come out of their section and play in the state tournament. It will be great to see Elias Batala Elias Batala 6'1" | PG Eastview | 2023 State MN vs Andy Stefonowicz Andy Stefonowicz 6'2" | PG Minnetonka | 2024 State MN , and Ibrahim El-Amin Ibrahim El-Amin 5'10" | PG Minnetonka | 2023 State MN vs Dylan Omweno Dylan Omweno 6'0" | PG Eastview | 2023 State MN , plus Jonathan Mekonnen Jonathan Mekonnen 6'7" | PF Eastview | 2024 State #178 Nation MN vs Jordan Cain Jordan Cain 6'3" | SF Minnetonka | 2024 State MN . Eastview has so much more size with Chet Kloss Chet Kloss 6'6" | PF Eastview | 2023 State MN and Myles Adams Myles Adams 6'6" Eastview | 2023 MN and Mario Adams Mario Adams 6'6" Eastview | 2023 MN , it will be interesting to see how that affects the game.

Top Ten Weekend Games!

1. 6AAAA Eastview at 4AAAA Minnetonka (Saturday)
2. 4A New Life Academy at 3AA Maranatha Christian (Friday)
3. 4AA Albany vs 7AA Perham (Saturday) at the Breakdown Winter Lakes Classic in Alexandria
4. 8AAAA Buffalo at 4AAAA Minnetonka (Friday)
5. 8AAA Orono at 5AAA Alexandria (Saturday) at the Breakdown Winter Lakes Classic
6. 6AAA Stewartville at 6A Goodhue (Friday)
7. 9AA Mora at 4AA Albany (Friday)
8. Delano at 1AA Holy Family (Friday)
9. Caledonia at 6AA Maple River (Friday)
10. 6AAA Stewartville vs Mounds View (Friday) at Kasson-Mantorville