2023 Boys State Tournament Single A Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Wednesday March 22nd the day belongs to Single A, the smallest enrollment schools in Minnesota. Below are the first round match ups and some prospects to watch on games that kick off at 11am with the last game at 5PM.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#1 Russell-Tyler-Ruthton vs Nevis</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A rematch of sorts for RTR and Nevis. Both returning teams from 2022, and looking for some better luck in round 1. Both teams lost opening games, and Nevis got the best of RTR 74-71 in the consolation game. RTR comes in this year however the #1 overall seed in Single A with a 28-1 record.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>RTR has a pair of players averaging 17 plus a game, [player_tooltip player_id='962291' first='Aiden' last='Wichmann'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1284129' first='Drew' last='Werkman'], and solid contributors Cody Wichmann and [player_tooltip player_id='962303' first='Hayden' last='Gravley']. Nevis went 24-6 and is led by [player_tooltip player_id='1284161' first='John' last='Paul Benson'], [player_tooltip player_id='2398568' first='Austin' last='Ahrendt'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2103319' first='Alex' last='Lester'], all underclassmen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#4 Cherry vs #5 Border West</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cherry went 26-4 and rolled through sections to state, winning 4 games by 25 or more points in each game. They are led by Minnesota Gophers committed 3-Star guard [player_tooltip player_id='1288733' first='Isaac' last='Asuma']. Backed by a pair of sophomores, [player_tooltip player_id='1579911' first='Carson' last='Brown'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1579910' first='Noah' last='Sundquist'], and his Freshman brother [player_tooltip player_id='1601068' first='Noah' last='Asuma'] and cousin 8th grader [player_tooltip player_id='2126128' first='Isaiah' last='Asuma'], Cherry is firepowered #4 seed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Border West went 26-2, they feature 19 point per game scorer Clint Determan, 14 point per game Dylyan Bainbridge, [player_tooltip player_id='962317' first='Cole' last='Gilsdorf'], and Andrew Walker. Border West has been rolling to state having not lost a game since December.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#2 New Life Academy vs Sacred Heart</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#2 New Life Academy features key players at all positions, big, wing, and guard. Minnesota Gopher commit [player_tooltip player_id='1225651' first='Erick' last='Reader'] anchors the middle and [player_tooltip player_id='1225656' first='Max' last='Briggs'] runs the offense. [player_tooltip player_id='1727584' first='Colton' last='Hendricks'], [player_tooltip player_id='1730571' first='Colter' last='Stone'], and Austin Woolf have been key contributors all year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sacred Heart went 27-4 and beat fellow state team Nevis in January. They're led by Ethan Arntson and [player_tooltip player_id='2399797' first='Josiah' last='Sundby'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#3 Spring Grove vs Mankato Loyola</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Spring Grove and Mankato Loyola finish out Single A. Spring Grove is 29-1 and Mankato Loyola went 22-8. Spring Grove features [player_tooltip player_id='1834616' first='Jaxon' last='Strinmoen'], [player_tooltip player_id='1284133' first='Elijah' last='Solum'], [player_tooltip player_id='1226400' first='Tysen' last='Grinde'] and Jacob Olerud. Loyola features [player_tooltip player_id='962250' first='Lawson' last='Godfrey'] who's scored more than 1700 points in his high school career, and [player_tooltip player_id='1341717' first='Simon' last='Morgan'] who's scored more than a 1,000 points and grabbed 1,000 career rebounds.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->