The 5AAA Profile: The Race for Second Place

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking for a chance to try and pull the USA vs USSR hockey miracle of Minnesota high school basketball this year? That's the other teams in 5AAA trying to get a shot at beating TG for state. Who will it be? Let's have a look! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5AAA Power Rankings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Totino-Grace</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Becker</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Zimmerman</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Princeton</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Big Lake</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Fridley</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Francis</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> <strong>The Section 15</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>First Team</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560835' first='Tian' last='Chatman'] of Totino-Grace (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126117' first='Malachi' last='Hill'] of Totino-Grace (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560740' first='Dothan' last='Ijadimbola'] of Totino-Grace (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126113' first='AJ' last='Taban'] of Totino-Grace (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2145758' first='Thomas' last='McEachern'] of Zimmerman (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Second Team</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560824' first='Deangelo' last='Dungey'] of Totino-Grace (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2121382' first='Noah' last='Stencel'] of Princeton (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2399176' first='Bryce' last='Paumen'] of Becker (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126166' first='Jaylan' last='Hynes'] of Totino-Grace (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1895712' first='Daniel' last='Zoa'] of Totino-Grace (Fr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Third Team</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1628775' first='Sawyer' last='Brown'] of Becker (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1506327' first='Nathan' last='Weiss'] of Becker (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1956268' first='Shay' last='Jackson'] of Totino-Grace (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2417091' first='Isiah' last='Boyer'] of Becker (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2835369' first='Matthew' last='Hallberg'] of Princeton (Soph)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>One Thought Per Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Becker.</strong> We have high expectations for Becker. They had their highest season win total ever last year and they play really good team basketball, and when you play really good team basketball and bring back just about everything. This is a top ten level team in Class AAA for sure. Lots of pieces to have a great year. But....</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>can they pull the miracle? If somebody is going to do it they have to be experienced and tough, Becker will be that. They have the best chance... although that chance still seems to be an outside chance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Big Lake</strong>. Big Lake should be solid. With [player_tooltip player_id='2413330' first='Judd' last='Layton'], [player_tooltip player_id='2462338' first='Lane' last='Pettis'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1628769' first='Owen' last='Wilczek'] all back as horable mention M8 guys, they should improve on the 9-18 spot. Especially with Wilczek healthy and ready to roll. This should be a solid team that could surprise some teams. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fridley</strong>. Fridley lost their top two scorers (both 20ppg guys) but they do have two starters back ready to take a step forward. [player_tooltip player_id='2379323' first='Brevon' last='Robinson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2779906' first='Tyrone' last='Washington'] are the seniors that will be in the spotlight but will the team have the needed depth?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Princeton</strong>. All right Princeton, it's time. There was a rebuilding phase but I think now is the time they jump back into the upper half and compete in league and section. This team took a nice step forward last year and now they look to take another. This will be a good group of guards that are skilled. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>St. Francis</strong>. The word rebuild is tough to hear but I think that is where St. Francis is. They have had a long run of good players that went on to college basketball lead their team and make them competitive. But a lot graduated and it seems like there is a restart for this program. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Totino-Grace</strong>. After three state titles the Eagles made the final four last year but lost. Can they get back to the state title game? Absolutely. Can they win it? It will be a battle likely of the deepest teams in Class AAA when we see De vs TG. Are we talking about it too early? Did they start talking about Andre vs Hulk too early? No! They got excited for it for half a year! And if somebody upsets TG or DE on their way to the title game, then that right there will be an amazing story itself. But the depth of the Eagles is crazy. I am going to guess their second five will be [player_tooltip player_id='1956268' first='Shay' last='Jackson'], [player_tooltip player_id='2140618' first='Griffin' last='Carroll'], [player_tooltip player_id='2126166' first='Jaylan' last='Hynes'], [player_tooltip player_id='1895712' first='Daniel' last='Zoa'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2119585' first='Luther' last='Bunge']. That second five right there with their JV being the depth, would win this section as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zimmerman</strong>. A couple senior starters were lost but the top dog is back in McEachern plus two other starters and some reserves. The Z-Men will head into the season working for a league title and they can make a run for it. Section title is of course a tougher task but this team can be top three in this section without a doubt. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->