Minnesota Playoff Central: Three More State Bound

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last night three more state tournament tickets were punched: RTR, Eden Valley-Watkins, and Alexandria. Here is all you need to know from Wednesday night! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Playoff Central</strong>. In what was likely the biggest game of the evening, RTR knocked off Dawson-Boyd meaning RTR is headed back to state. It was the third match-up of the season between the teams and the second game that RTR won in the series, this time 63-55. RTR can lean on a number of guys for point production and last night it was senior [player_tooltip player_id='962291' first='Aiden' last='Wichmann'] scoring 26 points with seven rebounds countering the 24 points and 11 rebounds from sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1411178' first='Brayson' last='Boike']. Big man [player_tooltip player_id='1284129' first='Drew' last='Werkman'] had a double-double of ten points and ten boards. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Also punching their ticket to state later that night in the same building was Eden Valley-Watkins. EVW won 75-72 and what was truly special about this win was that the Eagles are making their first trip to state in boys basketball history! And when teams make it to state for the first time it's a special, special thing so congrats to Coach Jacob Anderson, his staff, and his players!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The third team going dancing from Wednesday was the Alexandria Cardinals. Alex and St. Cloud Tech played their long awaited and anticipated third game of the season and Alexandria won 56-44 led by 17 points from [player_tooltip player_id='1284138' first='Grayson' last='Grove']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Upset City</strong>. Every year there is a really good team that people didn't quite see coming and kind of floats under the radar and I think we found that team. Border West improved to 25-2 defeating BBE 51-49 and stopping the Jags from a second straight state appearance. Senior Dylan Bainbridge led the Bucs with 20 points and Border West (stocked with players from Wheaton Herman Norcross who had high expectations) got up early and held on for the one score lead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The Big Stage</strong>. The big stage is the massive match-up between the experienced Orono Spartans and the young and talented Benilde-St. Margaret's squad playing their third game of the year against one another. It's a game at Chanhassen High School and that massive amount of stands may not even contain the excitement.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking for two? You have two options: Mayo Civic Center and Minnesota State-Mankato. At the Civic Center you get Stewartville versus Winona and the Lakeville battle of North versus South. As for the Taylor Center, you get Cedar Mountain versus Mankato Loyola followed by Minnesota Valley Lutheran against Maple River. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Performers</strong>. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1288753' first='Ethan' last='Williams'] scored 29 points and led Deer River over Mountain Iron-Buhl. Deer River will play Cherry on Friday for state. Cherry beat Northland led by the 24 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists of [player_tooltip player_id='1288733' first='Isaac' last='Asuma']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Buffalo guard [player_tooltip player_id='1491756' first='Nate' last='Dahl'] had 21 leading Buffalo past Bemidji by 30 points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1139197' first='Adam' last='Jenkins'] had a double-double leading Moorhead over Brainerd 77-70. Jenkins had 23 points and 13 rebounds to overcome the 30 from [player_tooltip player_id='1221114' first='John' last='Pecarich']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tip of the Hat to the Career</strong>. Several high quality players finished their careers last night starting with Mountain Iron-Buhl's [player_tooltip player_id='962209' first='Asher' last='Zubich'], a northern Minnesota playmaker that scored big and created even more. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another shooter that filled it up throughout his career was [player_tooltip player_id='962322' first='Alec' last='Wake'] of Northland, one of the best three point shooters in the state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->