Minnesota State Tournament: Friday Game Recaps

Ryan James March 27, 2026 @ 10:52 PM

Deron Russell Deron Russell 6'1" | PG Waseca | 2026 State MN was amazing against Minnehaha Academy but the Hawks were deeper. Cedric Tomes Cedric Tomes 6'0" | PG East Ridge | 2026 State MN scored 31 plus points a game at the AAAA level against the best teams in the state, but those teams were deeper. And even though Kale Misegades Kale Misegades 6'2" | CG Henning | 2026 State MN had 32 points on 12 of 20 shooting with three threes, a dozen rebounds, and six assists, the Patriots were deeper.

That depth included TWO Metzgers totalling double-doubles: 6'4 sophomore Brodie Metzger Brodie Metzger 6'4" | PG Hills-Beaver Creek | 2028 State MN had 13 points and 11 rebounds while 6'5 senior Jamin Metzger Jamin Metzger 6'5" | PF Hills-Beaver Creek | 2026 State MN totalled 13 points and ten rebounds. The biggest playmaker though was Micah Bush Micah Bush 6'0" | PG Hills-Beaver Creek | 2026 State MN . While Misegades was very good, at times Bush physically went through him to get to the rim for 20 points on 8 of 11 shooting. Bush also had five boards and five assists, and after winning a state football title he has his team playing for a state basketball title tomorrow.

Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 67 Red Lake County 58. If you wrap up this game in a quick statement it would be…. “JWP was deeper and quicker to every 50-50 ball”.

Both teams struggled at the three point line and both teams gave up ten offensive boards, those are two areas where you can commonly point to something that made a big difference. But the other areas are often who forced more turnovers (JWP forced four more), who had more points in the paint (JWP by four), and who turned more mistakes into quick transition rim chances and that was surely JWP. The Jags had 20 fast break points to six for Red Lake County and they got to space forcing fouls way more often leading to way more foul shots (27 to 7).

Daulton Bauer Daulton Bauer 5'7" | PG JWP | 2026 State MN seemed on a constant run to space for boards, for deflections, steals and open floor chances. The senior had 29 points with seven of his eight field goals coming in the paint and then 12 of his points coming at the foul line (out of 14 attempts). Throw in the 16 points from Gavin Baer and the dozen from Caleb Quast Caleb Quast 5'10" | PG Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton | 2026 MN and you have JWP playing for a state title tomorrow.

Goodhue 76 Albany 74. It was a regular state tournament team dressed in purple from the south against a regular state tournament team dressed in purple from the north. The only difference is Albany has won recent titles, and Goodhue is now looking for theirs.

In a tight game with a lot of close foul calls and several back and forth swings, Goodhue finished two points ahead and earned a spot in the title game. Albany had a lead 74-73 with 23 seconds left but a Luke Roschen Luke Roschen 6'3" | SG/CG Goodhue | 2026 State MN attack put him in the front of the rim and he was eventually fouled. Those two makes were followed by an Albany turnover and then another Roschen free throw make. Albany had a chance at the buzzer but the Ashton Olson Ashton Olson 6'3" | SG Albany | 2026 State MN last second attempt wasn't a clean look as he didn't have the time to get set and it missed.

Roschen scored 23 points with four threes, Alex Loss scored 21 points and Owen Roschen Owen Roschen 5'11" | PG State MN had 16. Jaxson Austin Jaxson Austin 6'3" | PG Albany | 2027 State MN and Braeden Justin Braeden Justin 6'2" | SG Albany | 2026 State MN each had 17 points for Goodhue while Olston scored 16.

Minnehaha Academy 50 Pequot Lakes 46. Minnehaha Academy has played in ten straight state tournaments. Pequot Lakes has played in the last five state tournaments. The Redhawks have title banners, the Patriots have section banners, and the past is the present again as Minnehaha Academy is playing for a state title and Pequot is finishing at Concordia Academy.

The first half wasn't pretty regardless of who you were cheering for. But it was uglier for Pequot who scored only 16 points shooting 5 of 20 from the field with eight turnovers. The Patriots had some ugliness but the speed the Redhawks have all over the floor had a lot to do with those ugly numbers. Malachi Snell and Ayden Green Ayden Green 6'0" | PG/SG Minnehaha Academy | 2027 State MN look like All State defenders both on and off the ball right now.

Pequot Lakes forwards Samuel Afagwu and Gus McKenna Gus McKenna 6'8" | SF/PF Pequot Lakes | 2028 MN got their offense going to make sure the final minutes were highly interesting especially with the three McKenna threes. But two key scores from Ayden Green Ayden Green 6'0" | PG/SG Minnehaha Academy | 2027 State MN down the stretch put the Hawks back in the state title game for the fourth time in ten years. Green and Kellen Troup Kellen Troup 6'8" | PF Minnehaha Academy | 2027 State MN had a team high 14 points while Afagwu had a game high 16 points in the loss.