Tuesday Night Preview and Predictions: #2 Hopkins vs #3 Wayzata

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's the game of the year so far when Hopkins plays Wayzata, plus there are some other Big games we preview throughout the state!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2AAAA Hopkins at 3AAAA Wayzata</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1550877' first='Jayden' last='Moore'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1560807' first='Isaac' last='Olmstead']. Two of the better guards in the state. [player_tooltip player_id='1550877' first='Jayden' last='Moore'] is still my state player of the year at the moment and looks to be the best prospect in his class, Olmstead is the main Trojan playmaker and feels he is the best. A chance for both to prove things! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2429912' first='Ryan' last='Mann'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1574212' first='Anthony' last='Smith']. Size wise I know Mann is similar to Smith but I do wonder if it will be Wiggins trying to slow the 25 points per game of Smith. Mann is the latest solid player to come from the Trojan JV to play a key role as a senior. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560867' first='Christian' last='Wiggins'] vs Davion Hart. Can Wiggins slow Smith or Hart? His team needs him to, and he needs to get his regular 18 while Hart needs to try and score something similar like he did last year. Smith needs to be slowed in this game as does Wiggins, can either team get that done?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560778' first='Nolen' last='Anderson'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1595734' first='JJ' last='Semanko']. One of the better games I've seen Semanko play was at Wayzata last year. I thought he shot it well and was aggressive near the rim. This year [player_tooltip player_id='1560778' first='Nolen' last='Anderson'] is the guy JJ will likely have to go against so can Nolen get his team leading near 20 a game while also limiting JJ?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1454976' first='Wyatt' last='McBeth'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='2420169' first='Ahmed' last='Nur']. Nur is the fastest rising prospects in the state right now at 6'9 and scoring 13 a game. McBeth is his match-up and Wyatt is an 11 point per game scorer for his team. Good match-up of length and agility. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction. Last year Wayzata won two of three with a blowout win in the playoffs and an 11 point win but Hopkins won 71-70 in the other game. That said, Jackson McAndrew isn't around to score 40 points in a big game again. Hopkins has everything back plus depth that has developed. Because they have lost twice I think Wayzata has more motivation to win but the Royals have stuff to prove from last year. I saw Hopkins comes in and wins by a basket. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>4AAAA Tartan at 10AAAA Eagan</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>CJ Banks vs Will Berran. Banks leads the Titans in scoring and is a quick and speedy attack guard. Berran is a solid role player in the backcourt for Eagan.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>KJ Wilson vs [player_tooltip player_id='1552751' first='Michael' last='McKenzie']. I don't believe they will defend one another as the other starters will likely have that role, but Wilson and McKenzie are the second leading scorers for these teams. Wilson is a freshman scorer while McKenzie is a high percentage spot up shooter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2560458' first='Emmanuel' last='Oyesanmi'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1560747' first='Alex' last='Schroepfer']. Alex is one of the best all around players in his class that leads Eagan in scoring plus he is a rebounder and playmaker, Emmanuel is a log and skilled freshman with agility that scores just under double figures each night. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kaden Ekerke vs [player_tooltip player_id='2118833' first='Kevin' last='Kemp']. Both are four bucket a game guys although Kemp has true center size while Ekerke is a strong post that isn't as tall but plays a smart, physical game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction. This is a tough one to predict but I can tell you both played a solid Mayo team with Tartan winning 82-46 and Eagan won 56-45. Eagan is bigger, Tartan is quicker. I say Tartan by five. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>7AAA Bryon at 7AA Cannon Falls </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560862' first='Fisher' last='Kruckeberg'] vs Ryan Hjellming. The playmaking guards for each team that score about 15 a game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1575327' first='Max' last='Dearborn'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='2569260' first='Miles' last='Rechtzigel']. Both are 6'3/6'4 area scores on the wing averaging between 20 and 17 points a contest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1874846' first='Gavin' last='Johnson'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1939373' first='Colin' last='Hansen']. Gavin is scoring 23 points a game as a forward and at 6'5 he is the biggest Cannon Falls player to work against Hansen. Johnson and Dearborn could be a great match-up too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction. First off Byron Public schools Twitter, as I went looking for information to make sure this game was being played, I found tons and tons of Byron wrestling tweets, but little else, so Byron Twitter guy, you have other sports than wrestling! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Byron by four.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>6AAAA Sauk Rapids-Rice at Buffalo - Postponed. </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>6AAA Alexandria at Moorhead </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1572690' first='Chase' last='Thompson'] vs ?. The Spuds are a good team that few know about because of their location but they are not big at all. Edmond Wotoe is 6'4 and the biggest player Moorhead has to guard Chase but will the Spuds match-up with just Wotoe? Are there others? How much will they double?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2118449' first='Mason' last='Witt'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='2451500' first='David' last='Mack']. [player_tooltip player_id='2451500' first='David' last='Mack'] is an aggressive, speedy attack guard that is not talk but very quick in a Kris Hoskins like way. [player_tooltip player_id='2118449' first='Mason' last='Witt'] will likely see a lot of Mack when the zone goes to work on the Spuds skill and Witt is showing a shooting stroke that few in the state can rival.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction. Moorhead is one of the few teams with a depth of guards that might be able to match Alex. Mack, [player_tooltip player_id='2423573' first='Reign' last='Battle'], and Brian Zarazua are very good, but on the flip side, what does Moorhead do with Chase? Alex by eight points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Goodhue at 8AA Lake City</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126464' first='Gavyn' last='Lorenson'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='2394170' first='Alex' last='Loos']. When it comes to prospects these are two of the fastest rising in their grades. Gavyn is now 6'4, skilled and leading the Tigers with 20 a game. Loos is a 6'2/6'3 freshman that shoots it at a 40 percent rate at the arc.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction. Lake City by eight. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->