The Big Nine Preview
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It’s that time! Time to spend about 2.5 months previewing the 2023-24 basketball season in every which way possible. And that includes previewing most, if not all of the 47 conferences in Minnesota! Conference Commentary Top Ten in State: Mankato East…
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Continue ReadingIt’s that time! Time to spend about 2.5 months previewing the 2023-24 basketball season in every which way possible. And that includes previewing most, if not all of the 47 conferences in Minnesota!
Conference Commentary
Top Ten in State: Mankato East
The Cougars have the pieces to not only run away with this league, to not just be a top five team, I think East can dream about a title. They have a junior lead guard that was arguably the most accomplished sophomore in the state last year in Brogan Madson Brogan Madson 6'1" | PG Mankato East | 2025 State MN . East also has a fantastic junior class that has not just Madson but several wings that are excellent players. They have size in sophomore Braden Petzel, there are role players that have improved. and Carson Schweim Carson Schweim 6'7" | SF Mankato East | 2024 State MN is now back from injury. The Cougars are in a great spot.
Top Ten Potential: Mankato West
West has a couple big number producers in Kyle Steinke and Landon Dimler Landon Dimler 6'5" | SG Mankato West | 2024 State MN plus other pieces around them that are returning with experience. If anybody could get a win over East it’s West because they have the second most talent in the league and they of course are the local rivals.
Compete with Most: Rochester Century, Owatonna, Northfield, Mayo, Winona
The next spots seem up for grabs. Century has Shaun Wysocki Shaun Wysocki 6'7" | SF Rochester Century | 2024 State MN , but they have a ton of seniors to replace and I believe there is a new coach there now as well. Owatonna has some pieces back but they were a strong backcourt that will be new. I really like Koep and Mahal together for Northfield, and Mayo had a great summer in the Breakdown Summer Series of events, but do they have enough for a top third run? Winona lost three starters but Jackson Harvey Jackson Harvey 6'7" | PF Winona | 2024 State MN might be the best player you don’t know. A hard working talent that scored 16 a game last season.
Rebuilding: Austin, Faribault, Red Wing, JM, Albert Lea
Austin will pretty much be an entirely new varsity team with almost all new names in the rotation. Faribault is likely in the last year in rebuilding stage but this is the year they could win some games. They have a nice sophomore class. Albert Lea lost their best players and is now in Class AA, JM is basically starting over, and Red Wing lost a lot of seniors and they had a rough year last year.
22-23 Conference Predictions
Big Nine
- Mankato East
- Mankato West
- Rochester Century
- Northfield
- Owatonna
- Winona
- Rochester Mayo
- Austin
- Faribault
- Red Wing
- Rochester JM
- Albert Lea
Preseason All Big Nine
First Team
Shaun Wysocki Shaun Wysocki 6'7" | SF Rochester Century | 2024 State MN of Rochester Century (sr)
Brogan Madson Brogan Madson 6'1" | PG Mankato East | 2025 State MN of Mankato East (jr)
Landon Dimler Landon Dimler 6'5" | SG Mankato West | 2024 State MN of Mankato West (sr)
Carson Schweim Carson Schweim 6'7" | SF Mankato East | 2024 State MN of Mankato East (sr)
Ganden Gosch Ganden Gosch 6'5" | SF Mankato East | 2025 State MN of Mankato East (jr)
Second Team
Jackson Harvey Jackson Harvey 6'7" | PF Winona | 2024 State MN of Winona (sr)
Kyle Steinke of Mankato West (jr)
Austin Koep Austin Koep 6'3" | SF Northfield | 2024 State MN of Northfield (sr)
Isaiah Mahal Isaiah Mahal 6'2" | CG Northfield | 2025 State MN of Northfield (jr)
Sawyer Markham Sawyer Markham 6'1" | SG Mayo | 2024 State MN of Rochester Mayo (jr)
Third Team
Manaow Omot Manaow Omot 6'3" | SG Mankato East | 2024 State MN of Mankato East (sr)
Rielly Kleeberger Rielly Kleeberger 6'0" | PG Owatonna | 2024 State MN of Owatonna (sr)
Braden Petzel of Mankato East (soph)
Dwayne Bryant Dwayne Bryant 5'10" | PG Mankato East | 2024 State MN of Mankato East (sr)
Isaiah Bell Isaiah Bell 6'0" | PG Winona | 2024 State MN of Winona (sr)
Braden Schulz Braden Schulz 5'11" | PG Faribault | 2025 MN of Faribault (jr)