Section 7AAA: Three Team Race, is it Hibbing’s turn

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We break down Section 7AAA which might have one of the most interesting races for the section title in the state this season. </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>Hibbing.  The Jackets are a 20-win team from last season and they return all but two players from last year's rotation.  In addition to bring back the most talent from the rotation, Hibbing has their top two guys back and they are the only top contender that can say that.  The hill they need to climb?  They lost all three games to GR last season. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Grand Rapids.  The Hawks went to state last year, they were 24-7, they were a top ten team at the end of the year and they return three starters. In addition to returning three starters, they have two reserves back as well so this should be a team thinking state and top ten again. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Duluth Denfeld. This is an interesting group.  [player_tooltip player_id='2877064' first='Carter' last='Brown'] averaged 28 points and 13 boards a game and he returns along with five other players from the rotation.  And many of the returning players are young up and comers.  That said, only one guy returns that scored more than twice a game as two of those seniors combined to score 28 points a contest.  They will be a good team again, and an up and comer! </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Hermantown .  Hermantown returns all of their rotational players from an eight-win team of last season so you would expect them to take a step forward.  They have three double figure scorers back with size, guards, and a team that all around should be fighting for a top four spot. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Chisago Lakes.  The Cats started last season losing eight of their first team games but they bounced back to lose only eight games the rest of the year.  That said, the top five scorers on the team are now gone and Chisago Lakes has to fill a lot of gaps from a team that went 12-16. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Rock Ridge.  Rock Ridge was a five win team last season that also lost four of their top six guys from their team.  They should improve in the backcourt but will need to develop more depth to take the next big step.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cloquet.  The Lumberjacks won nine games last season but they struggled against section teams including two losses to Rock Ridge.  They are in a new era of basketball but unfortunately there is little information on them yet to dive too deep on what is next for them. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>North Branch.  The Vikings were 2-25 last season and they lost their top four players from a season ago.  There is a lot to rebuild for next winter. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Preseason All Section 7AAA</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>First Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2877064' first='Carter' last='Brown'] of Duluth Denfeld (Sr).&nbsp; Stat wise there is nobody returning in the state that can match the 28 and 13 of Brown last season.&nbsp; Also shot 39 percent at the arc last year and has really high potential.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126126' first='Ray' last='Brau'] of Hibbing (Sr).&nbsp; Brau is the other guy that most players in the state are going to have a tough time matching number wise as Ray averaged 26 points and 11 boards a game last season for a 20 win team.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2979877' first='Jack' last='Bottoms'] of Hibbing (Sr). Bottoms is a 6'2 guard that scored 18 points per game last year and returns to his team giving Hibbing the best 1-2 combination returning in the league.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3679246' first='Logan' last='McNear'] of Grand Rapids (Jr).&nbsp; The 6'5 forward is the top returning scorer for a state at over 13 points a game.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2814304' first='Gavin' last='Wegwerth'] of Grand Rapids (Jr).&nbsp; The 6'2 guard emerged last year and looks like the playmaker to take the team forward.&nbsp; Gavin scored 11/12 a game last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Second Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2810623' first='Sawyer' last='Senst'] of Hermantown (Sr).&nbsp; Senst scored 17 points a game last year and is a 6'6 hard working forward.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2860110' first='Ethan' last='Morgan'] of Grand Rapids (Sr).&nbsp; Morgan is a ball handler and returning starter that scored 9/10 points a game last year.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2860101' first='Noah' last='Schulz'] of Hermantown (Soph).&nbsp; Noah is a 6;4 forward that scored over 13 points a game and was one of the top freshmen scorers in the state last year.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2919686' first='Joseph' last='Dupree Jr'] of Duluth Denfeld (Soph). Dupree is second leading returning scorer for his team and Dupree is the next guy to keep an eye on from this program.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aidan Reini of Hibbing (Sr).&nbsp; The other returning Hibbing starter scored five points a game as a 6'2 wing.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Third Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ben Sundland of Hemantown (Sr).&nbsp; A 5'9 guard that scored 13 points a game as a junior.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Will Pearson of Chisago Lakes (Sr).&nbsp; the 6'7 post is the top returning scorer and rebounder for his team and will be a key piece for next season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3582913' first='Luke' last='Leadholm'] of Chisago Lakes (Jr).&nbsp; Luke is the top returning guard for his team after being a playmaker off the bench last season.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jeremiah Rayton of Rock Ridge (Jr).&nbsp; A junior guard that was the second leading scorer on his team last year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kingston Droz of North Branch (Sr). The top returning Vikings player this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>7AAA Summary</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's pretty clear you can put these teams into two very different groups: the top contenders (Hibbing, Denfeld and GR) and then the teams that are trying to climb to .500 (Little Falls, Cloquet, Rock Ridge, Hermantown, and North Branch).&nbsp; Hermantown seems to have the best chance of the second group to climb to .500 and get to the section semi-finals as they have the most back and they won eight games last year.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As for the favorite, Hibbing won 20 games last year and have their top two guys back which I think gives them the slight edge on Denfeld and Grand Rapids.&nbsp; All three teams look like 20 game winners last season and all three have an angle to learn on: GR might be the deepest, Denfeld will be the more explosive, and Hibbing the veteran squad, but I think it is Hibbing's time this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->