The 5AAAA Profile: Depth will make Maple Grove Different

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you want to win and win at a high level, it's depth you need. Maple Grove has some star power but it's the full depth of names that will make them the contender they should be. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5AAAA Power Rankings</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Maple Grove</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Champlin Park</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Osseo</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Spring Lake Park</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mounds View</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Roseville</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Park Center</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Irondale</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- 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='2126467' first='Baboucarr' last='Ann'] of Maple Grove (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560739' first='Max' last='Iversen'] of Maple Grove (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2524650' first='Kwatamah' last='Silikpoh'] of Osseo (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126450' first='Gavin' last='Walter'] of Champlin Park (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126108' first='Jack' last='Thelen'] of Maple Grove (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Second Team</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560865' first='Nolan' last='Myren'] of Spring Lake Park (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1960892' first='Henry' last='Knutson'] of Maple Grove (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560760' first='Kyler' last='Pust'] of Champlin Park (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2120494' first='Cameron' last='Cramble'] of Irondale (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126442' first='Bennett' last='Cizadlo'] of Maple Grove (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Third Team</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126472' first='Owen' last='Counce'] of Osseo (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2575651' first='Quincy' last='Johnson'] of Osseo (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560826' first='Joel' last='Saah'] of Osseo (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560768' first='Colin' last='Welch'] of Spring Lake Park (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2352576' first='Moussa' last='Dukuly'] of Champlin Park (Soph)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>One Thought Per Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Champlin Park. There is no doubt that the Rebels have a chance to work to the top ten and be a very good team. Walter, Pust and Dukuly mean a very good player in each class plus a few returning guys. We have them in that 16-18 range overall for AAAA and would not be surprised to see them sneak into the top ten. To go higher they will need a lot of depth to develop. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Irondale. More change for this program. They have a double-double guy in Cramble and a few other returning players. I think they can win more than five games but to go too much higher they will have to truly battle. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maple Grove. [player_tooltip player_id='2121337' first='Kaden' last='Harney'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2126442' first='Bennett' last='Cizadlo']. I think these two players are so key for the Crimson. They have the talent to contend for state, that is obvious. Ann, Iversen, Thelen, these are household names and the teams that play Maple Grove know about what [player_tooltip player_id='1960892' first='Henry' last='Knutson'] can bring. But to make the state title push that is on the minds of Crimson fans they need those talented guys that are coming up through the program to be that quality depth. And to me that is guys like Harney and Cizadlo. Cizadlo had another good season with the Fury and he is going to be such a key part of the depth. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mounds View. It's tough to have any idea of what Mounds View will be as they lost FIVE all league players and pretty much their entire rotation. Mounds View did well at the younger levels and we saw some of their up and coming sophomore and juniors have good spring/summer success but the Mustangs are short on experience.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Osseo. [player_tooltip player_id='1560826' first='Joel' last='Saah'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2575651' first='Quincy' last='Johnson']. These two seniors might be the difference in what happens for the Orioles this year. Kwat and Counce are key figures and Osseo always had good up and coming upperclassmen that plays good roles, but the senior guards seem to be the main factor. They are the veterans and they are speedy guards that can make plays. The way they mix with Kwat and Counce is everything to the season. One of the scariest things on a schedule is going to be having to deal with a constant run of three Osseo guards at the same time (and maybe they go small and throw four at you often), and if they are in unison both ways, that's a team that moves from our 15th spot to into that 7-8 area state wide. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Park Center. [player_tooltip player_id='1560870' first='Elvis' last='Neckles'] is the name returning from PC that should have a nice year. This is going to be the forgotten bunch, and that should motivate the Pirates. James Ware moving to Hopkins makes sense: that is where he works, that is where he grew up, and that is where he will be head coach eventually. To me this is not the forgotten bunch because a coach left, the players left are the forgotten bunch because so many transfers took off before a coach was finally named and that took some time so some didn't wait to find out. The coach? Bo Powell who is a good coach, he will motivate this team this year and battle. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Roseville. The Raiders are going to be kind of like Holy Family football from a few years ago with all these good veteran coaches on the bench and helping. Tom Critchley Jr and I now have something in common. Twenty-two years ago I ran Dusty Rychart basketball camps and I had Dave Galovich as my assistant which felt quite odd because Dave is a legend. Tom now has Dave as his assistant so we can relate! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Spring Lake Park. Spring Lake Park is always that team that can bite you when you are ready, or when you aren't ready. And they have extra teeth this year with [player_tooltip player_id='1560865' first='Nolan' last='Myren'] ready to score a ton, [player_tooltip player_id='1560768' first='Colin' last='Welch'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2126461' first='Cal' last='Spencer'] are dangerous players t give space to, and there are always up and comers in this well coached program. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->