3A State Playoff Match-Ups and Prospects

These are the first round match-ups for the Class 3A Minnesota Boys State Basketball Championship. Four of the Five Minnesota Mr. Basketball Finalists are here (One team was eliminated by Orono in a thrilling game). Five teams are returning to state for the third straight year, Totino-Grace is their 5th straight year and they've won three in a row.   #1 Mankato East vs #8 St. Paul Harding   Mankato East is making their 4th straight 3A state championship appearance, and it's not a coincidence 2025 senior [player_tooltip player_id='1437303' first='Brogan' last='Madson'] has been on the team all four years as a starter. The Sioux Falls committed point guard has led the Cougars to a 27-1 record and he is one of the five Finalists for MN Mr. Basketball.   Madson is a natural facilitator who is a good outside shooter that averaged 22.8 points per game with 21 recorded contests. His backcourt teammate is [player_tooltip player_id='1560798' first='Lucas' last='Gustafson'], a 2026 guard with deep 3-point range that scored 14.3 points per game. They play off each other, one can lead and the other follow and vise-versa.   On the wing the Cougars have 2025 senior [player_tooltip player_id='2103251' first='Ganden' last='Gosch'] and 2026 junior [player_tooltip player_id='1886972' first='Amari' last='Nobles']. Both Gosch and Nobles are six-foot-five-inches and get up and down the floor well. Versatile defenders who can shoot the ball from deep.   Harding gets to the state tournament for the first time ever. You read that right, first appearance of any kind in their history. Harding's leader is Ai'Jhon Douglas, a 2025 senior five-foot-nine-inch guard who is scoring 17 points per game. After Douglas is 2025 senior [player_tooltip player_id='2822387' first='Tobis' last='Williams'] who's averaging 14.7 points per game, and then [player_tooltip player_id='2463188' first='Salman' last='Hussein'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2422779' first='Mahamadou' last='Kamara'] both averaging just about 10 points per game. Hussein the only underclassman of the four, he's a 2026 junior.   Douglas, a two-sport athlete, is quick and fast, plays quickly. Hussein gives Harding a forward who's six-foot-four-inches is lanky that hits the glass.    #2 Totino-Grace vs #7 Duluth Denfeld   The Eagles are back again after beating Monticello to advance to state in a strange game. Early the Eagles couldn't make a shot and the game was all square at half. In the second half behind MN Mr. Basketball Finalist [player_tooltip player_id='1574227' first='Chace' last='Watley'], 2026 wing [player_tooltip player_id='1560740' first='Dothan' last='Ijadimbola'], and 2027 point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2126117' first='Malachi' last='Hill'] the Eagles scored 54 points. The scoring was rapid, and relentless attacking at the rim.   This Eagles team has just three seniors, Watley, Vincent Jacob, and six-foot-four-inch forward [player_tooltip player_id='1617806' first='Will' last='Fariss']. Fariss impressed me versus Monticello with his lack of needing the ball to contribute. He set screens, rebounded, and worked on the defensive side of the ball.This opened the floor for dynamic guards Watley and Hill to attack.   After Totino's Big 3 they have 2026 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1560835' first='Tian' last='Chatman'] (not sure of his availability as he did not play versus Monticello), 2027 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2126166' first='Jaylan' last='Hynes'], 2028 forward [player_tooltip player_id='1895712' first='Daniel' last='Zoa'], and 2027 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1956268' first='Shay' last='Jackson']. Without Chatman the Eagles seemed to struggle to stretch the floor versus the Magic, they'll need six-foot-six-inch Ijadimbola to look for his shot more and Hynes to shoot it when open.   Like the Eagles, Duluth Denfeld secured their ticket to state with a 20-point victory in sections. Denfeld beat Hibbing behind 31 points from 2025 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2104431' first='Marnaries' last='Ferguson'] and a 17 points, 12 rebound performance from [player_tooltip player_id='2877064' first='Carter' last='Brown']. Ferguson is a five-foot-ten-inch guard that is quick and explosive, and can score in bunches. Brown is a six-foot-four-inch wing that is a good leaper, and is showing signs of improvement offensive from the perimeter and getting his own shot.   Player to watch could be six-foot-six-inch 2026 junior [player_tooltip player_id='2910340' first='Antonio' last='Brown']. Brown shot 61% from the field and averaged over 7 rebounds per game.   #3 Alexandria vs #6 Byron   The Cardinals feature Gatorade Football Player of the Year, MN Mr. Basketball Finalist, and Clemson 2025 commit [player_tooltip player_id='1572690' first='Chase' last='Thompson']. Thompson went from throwing for over 3500 yards and 38 TDs on the gridiron to averaging more than 25 points per game on the basketball court.   The six-foot-eight-inch wing is strong, quick, and shoots the ball at a high clip from the outside. For most high schoolers he's a match-up nightmare, and as from the commitment to Clemson, he's a P4 level player.   Outside of Thompson the Byron Bears will have to deal with 2026 cousins [player_tooltip player_id='2118449' first='Mason' last='Witt'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2118495' first='Talan' last='Witt'], two guards who are quick and shoot it from the outside at a high percentage. Both good athletes who are aggressive and super tough competitors. The Cardinals also have six-foot-two-inch junior [player_tooltip player_id='2115657' first='Gavin' last='Roderick'], 2026 junior [player_tooltip player_id='2115658' first='Myles' last='Gray'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2119601' first='Thomas' last='Hinrichs']. Gray gives the Cardinals another six-foot-two-inch player who is a skilled passer and inside scorer.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DFhSOG3sq4K/?hl=en&img_index=1 </div></figure>   The 26-3 senior heavy Byron Bears got past a thorn in their side Stewartville Tigers to advance to state. They do it behind multi-sport athletes WIll Brian, [player_tooltip player_id='1939373' first='Colin' last='Hansen'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1575327' first='Max' last='Dearborn'] who are all at least six-foot-five-inches and there's also Aidan Gross. In the back court junior [player_tooltip player_id='1560862' first='Fisher' last='Kruckeberg'] leads them, especially on the perimeter.   The Bears leading scorer Brian hit 68 3-pointers while averaging 19 points per game and [player_tooltip player_id='1575327' first='Max' last='Dearborn'] averaged 16.5 points per game and made 47 3-pointers. Brian more of a perimeter heavy operator while Dearborn is a stretch four type forward.   #4 Orono vs #5 DeLaSalle   Orono has made state 3 years in a row by beating Benilde-St. Margaret's in some of the best Section Final games in recent memory. In two straight years Orono has been bested by DeLaSalle at state. Will the Islanders do the same to the [program_tooltip program_id='2075852' first='Spartans' last=''] that the [program_tooltip program_id='2075852' first='Spartans' last=''] have done to the Red Knight's three years in a row?   Orono is led by three seniors, MN Mr. Basketball Finalist [player_tooltip player_id='1579885' first='Nolan' last='Groves'], [player_tooltip player_id='1484016' first='Brady' last='Wooley'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1391203' first='Mitchell' last='Kauch'] while the Islanders have [player_tooltip player_id='2103258' first='De'von' last='Irvin'], [player_tooltip player_id='2103394' first='Dorian' last='Pruitt'], 2027 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2126102' first='Jaeden' last='Udean'], and 2027 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2126474' first='Kamar' last='Thomas'].   Prospects to look for DLS have the most in Udean and Thomas plus 2028 freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2557528' first='Ichima' last='Idoko']. Thomas has been ascending rapidly this season as a scorer utilizing his athleticism to his advantage and shooting the ball better. Idoko offers length and 3-point shooting.    For the [program_tooltip program_id='2075852' first='Spartans' last=''] Groves is averaging 34 points per game and has scored more than 30 19 times and hit 57 versus St. Louis Park. Grove is just 11 points short of 1,000 points for the season. Groves is a good outside shooter, and a talented finisher. At six-foot-four-inches he's a very good rebounder and can play with the ball or without. With the ball, Groves is such a good scorer you tend to downplay his passing.   Wooley the six-foot-nine-inch forward is an excellent rebounder, good passer, and improving outside shooter.    [player_tooltip player_id='2424180' first='Grant' last='Hansen'] is a six-foot 2027 sophomore that offers Orono an excellent outside shooter and willing passer.

These are the first round match-ups for the Class 3A Minnesota Boys State Basketball Championship. Four of the Five Minnesota Mr. Basketball Finalists are here (One team was eliminated by Orono in a thrilling game). Five teams are returning to state for the third straight year, Totino-Grace is their 5th straight year and they've won three in a row.