Section 5AAAA: 26-27 First Look

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Are there legit challengers in Class 5AAAA for the Crimson this year? We believe so yes and we explain today!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Section Power Rankings</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Maple Grove - The Crimson return three key players and they have a number of players coming from the JV that have played very well in 17u and 16u that we expect to be the depth.  </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Champlin Park - The Rebels were just 13-15 last season but they have the talent to be a top ten team and a contender in this section.  They have a handler, athletes, size, and skill and if the depth is there they can have a great year. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mounds View - Expectations are high with Mounds View returning three double figure scorers and five of their top six players overall from a 16-win team.  They run good stuff, the players execute, and while the star power might not be that of others, the depth is.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Osseo - The Orioles were better than expected last year winning 22 games.  They have two players back from last year's rotation and [player_tooltip player_id='2126472' first='Owen' last='Counce'] has an all state opportunity in front of him. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Spring Lake Park - The Panthers are always right there.  They are a team that other teams know they have to be in a battle with, and that will continue with four of their top seven back.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Park Center - I think the state needs to be ready for Park Center to take a jump back into the competitive fight of conference and section.  [player_tooltip player_id='2847647' first='Paris' last='Kyles'] is the best incoming freshman talent that I have seen since Jackson McAndrew or Chet Holmgren.  That statement is a lot for a young man but the way he's been playing I don't think he cares about pressure. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Roseville - The Raiders were a tough team last year with several battling seniors.  They have their top scorer back in [player_tooltip player_id='2880161' first='Micah' last='Wiskus'] but they need another group of guys to come up from the bench and from the JV to fill out those battler roles. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Irondale - the Knights were better than expected last year but everybody on the team that scored more than twice a game graduated unfortunately<br></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Preseason All Section 5AAAA</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>First Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126467' first='Baboucarr' last='Ann'] of Maple Grove (Sr).&nbsp; Minnesota and Wisconsin are in a big fight right now for the all state talent for the Crimson.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126108' first='Jack' last='Thelen'] of Maple Grove (Sr).&nbsp; Thelen just committed to Wisconsin, he is a skilled seven footer.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126450' first='Gavin' last='Walter'] of Champlin Park (Sr).&nbsp; Walter is a UNI committed wing, Gavin is a very skilled player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126472' first='Owen' last='Counce'] of Osseo (Sr).&nbsp; Owen led Osseo to 22 wins and now he's led [program_tooltip program_id='2075485' first='Gain' last='Elite'] to a far better season than expected.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2140552' first='Andrew' last='Aitkin'] of Mounds View (Sr).&nbsp; Scored 17 points a game last season for Mounds View and is playing very well for the Heat.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Second Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2847647' first='Paris' last='Kyles'] of Park Center (Fr).&nbsp; Like I said, the best Minnesota freshman I have seen moving into his high school years in eight or nine years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2352576' first='Moussa' last='Dukuly'] of Champlin Park (Jr).&nbsp; One of the fastest and most explosive players in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2880161' first='Micah' last='Wiskus'] of Roseville (Sr).&nbsp; Scored 19 points a game last year and could be among the metro scoring leaders next year.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2140688' first='Rylan' last='Happel'] of Mounds View (Sr).&nbsp; Another returning double figure MV scorer playing well with the Heat.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126442' first='Bennett' last='Cizadlo'] of Maple Grove (Sr).&nbsp; A forward that plays his role on winning teams 12 months out of the year every single year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Third Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126461' first='Cal' last='Spencer'] of Spring Lake Park (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2418241' first='Joseph' last='Jacobs'] of Park Center (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2848157' first='Reid' last='Defeyter'] of Champlin Park (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2556742' first='Charlie' last='Howe'] of Champlin Park (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2569258' first='Markus' last='O'Reilly'] of Osseo (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fourth Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2402042' first='Akan' last='Berisso'] of Maple Grove (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2225509' first='Dominic' last='Barrett'] of Mounds View (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2416035' first='Ben' last='Banwart'] of Maple Grove (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2140672' first='Nolan' last='Roach'] of Spring Lake Park (Sr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2560481' first='Iye' last='Fuye'] of Maple Grove (Jr)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5AAAA Summary</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maple Grove is the power and that will continue.&nbsp; They have the D1 players (Thelen and Ann), they have Cizadlo back from the rotation, and they have a ton of talent that is about to move from the JV to starting roles or key reserve roles. The Crimson have the edge in coaching, size, depth and talent.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>BUT….. there are a few teams that can make them work for their return to state.&nbsp; Champlin Park has the pieces to be very good. They were disappointing last season but this year they should have Walter for the full year, Dukuly is now older, there are some key players moving in, and some players moving up ready for bigger roles.&nbsp; And then you have Mounds View.&nbsp; The Stangs won't be as big, fast, strong, or explosive as CP or MG, but they have more experience returning and they play great team basketball.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As for the rest, Osseo will still be good but they have a lot of players to replace.&nbsp; Spring Lake Park always seems just short of deep enough but always returning good players and Park Center is going to take a step forward but how big will that step be?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->