Tuesday Night Match-Up and Predictions!

March Madness begins tomorrow! We get one more day of hoops in February so let’s make it a great night of basketball!

1AAA DeLaSalle at 3AAAA Wayzata

Nasir Whitlock Nasir Whitlock 6'1" | PG DeLaSalle | 2023 State MN vs Hayden Tibbits Hayden Tibbits 5'11" | PG Wayzata | 2023 State MN . The two Mr. Basketball candidates who are playing at a very high level right now, this should be a great viewing. Both are not only scoring at a high rate but doing it efficiently.

Riley Blaylark Riley Blaylark 6'0" | PG DeLaSalle | 2023 State MN vs Jake Schmitt Jake Schmitt 6'1" | SG Wayzata | 2023 State MN . Riley is known for his all word defense and I am guessing he will spend time on Tibbits, Schmitt scores ten points a game.

Isreal Moses IV vs Spencer Hall Spencer Hall 6'3" | SF Wayzata | 2023 State MN . Moses IV might be the ex-factor in this game. He is a 14/15 ppg scorer who has had a really nice year. Can he do it against the Trojans? The match-up with Hall will be a fun one of this is the route the Trojans go.

Jaden Morgan Jaden Morgan 6'4" | SG DeLaSalle | 2024 State MN vs Isaiah Habte Isaiah Habte 6'6" | PF Wayzata | 2023 State MN . Morgan is scoring 7 points a game for the Island, Habte makes Wayzata bigger and scores six a contest. When Wayzata matches all the Islander guards Nic Beeninga will be on the floor and he has been playing well.

Pj Pounds Pj Pounds 6'7" | SF Delasalle | 2023 MN vs Jackson McAndrew Jackson McAndrew 6'10" | PF Wayzata | 2024 State #152 Nation MN . Pounds is the third leading scorer and the biggest body De has, McAndrew is the best long term prospect in Minnesota’s junior class with his 6’11 size and his pretty touch with range. Jackson is scoring 16 a game.

Our Prediction….. This should be a lot of fun and it’s a game meant for these teams to get ready for the high level play of section finals and state tournament games. I think Wayzata has a bit more depth and size, they win by four.

5AAA Mahtomedi at Tartan

AJ McCleery AJ McCleery 6'2" | PG Mahtomedi | 2023 MN vs Cedric Banks Cedric Banks 5'10" | PG Tartan | 2025 State MN . Banks is one of the two Tartan sophomore guards that can go (along with Jerror Borsay Jerror Borsay 6'2" | SF Tartan | 2025 State MN ) while McCleery is the Zephyr who steers the ship of experience.

Will Underwood Will Underwood 6'3" | PG Mahtomedi | 2023 State MN vs Demetrius Weems Demetrius Weems 6'2" | SG Tartan | 2024 State MN . Underwood is the heart of Mahtomedi and has had a great comeback season from injury while Weems is a hard working junior scoring nine a game.

Owen Carlson Owen Carlson 6'3" | SG Mahtomedi | 2023 State MN vs Elijah Barrett Elijah Barrett 6'4" | PF Tartan | 2024 State MN . Carlson is the 20 point per game guy who gives the Zephyrs burst. He is a guard/wing where as Barrett is 6’6 and gets his team leading 14 points per game closer to the basket.

Javan Harvey vs Brody Radtke Brody Radtke 6'7" | PF Tartan | 2024 State MN . These are the working role guys around the paint but of different types as Harvey is a smaller player that is tough and strong, Radtke is the developing big with 6’8 size.

Our Prediction….. This is the senior dominate crew against the juniors/sophomores of Tartan who could be really good next year. The Zephyrs need this game badly where as Tartan is playing the spoiler. Tartan has had a few other big games giving SSP and STA a run but came up short. Is tonight the night? I think Zephyrs by seven taking care of business.

7AAA Princeton at Delano

Graham Peterson Graham Peterson 6'0" | SG Princeton | 2023 MN vs Max Iversen Max Iversen 5'9" | PG Delano | 2026 State MN . Graham is a 6’2 veteran having an excellent senior year after being a junior role player, Iversen is a freshman popping in over 17 points a game.

Cooper Drews Cooper Drews 6'4" | SF Princeton | 2023 State MN vs Will Strandemo Will Strandemo 5'11" | PG Delano | 2024 State MN . This is your pair of explosive scorers and your big name award winners. Both lead their team in scoring, Drews is 6’4 with a face-up all around game, Will has one of the toughest pull-ups to stop in the state.

Aaron Keykal Aaron Keykal 6'6" | PF Princeton | 2023 MN vs Jackson Stewart Jackson Stewart 6'6" | PF Delano | 2023 State MN . The two frontcourt bangers, Keykal is averaging 14 and 11 for the Tigers in a surprising double-double averaging season. Stewart isn’t too far off of that scoring 11 a game with his 8/9 boards.

Our Prediction…. I feel like this could go either way. Princeton has the experience in terms of age but these Delano contributors have all been playing multiple years regardless of their age and they are looking for a trademark win. Could this be it? Maybe. But Princeton is always better than expected so I say Tigers by three.

2AAAA Lakeville North at Shakopee

Matthew Drake vs Jalen Langsy Jalen Langsy 5'11" | PG Shakopee | 2024 State MN . Two of the better junior point guards go head to head. Langsy scores 18.5 a game and always has the ball making plays, Drake has been the distributor that North has needed making clutch plays late and getting everybody touches.

Jack Robison Jack Robison 6'7" | SF Lakeville North | 2024 State #147 Nation MN vs Termaine Fulton. These are the wings, Robison can score inside and out at 6’7, Fulton is scoring 13/14 points a contest for Shakopee on the wing.

Our Prediction…. North is clicking on all cylinders right now getting high percentage baskets all over. And Nolan Winter Nolan Winter 7'0" | PF Lakeville North | 2023 State #98 Nation MN is playing at a high level. Not sure how Shakopee stops him as they have don’t have the size to match-up. North by a dozen.

Milaca at 3AA Albany

Lewis Wolbert Lewis Wolbert 5'11" Milaca | 2023 MN vs Ezekial Austin. Wolbert is scoring 23.6 points a game and has his team at 18-5 but he is going against a top sophomore guard in Austin.

Peyton Hunt Peyton Hunt 6'2" | SG Milaca | 2023 State MN vs Tysen Gerads Tysen Gerads 6'3" | SG Albany | 2023 State MN . Hunt is 6’5 on the wing and scores 19 a contest, Gerads is headed to Minnesota State-Morehead with his explosive 6’3 wing game.

Our prediction…. Albany wins at home by ten. This is a huge chance for Milaca who is looking for a statement game but Albany is pry too good.