Section 5AAAA: Can the Rebels Get Past Maple Grove?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Section 5AAAA is quite a bit more interesting right now with Champlin Park adding some key transfers and Mounds View returning three double figure scorers. What will it take to win? Let's chat about it! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maple Grove (1). <em>Will people talk too much about "the two Wisconsin commits" as a narrative? </em>That type if stuff can be an odd distraction. Just because you have two really good players heading to a high major does not make you jump all teams in high school hoops. Maple Grove's other rotation guys like [player_tooltip player_id='2126442' first='Bennett' last='Cizadlo'], [player_tooltip player_id='2402042' first='Akan' last='Berisso'], Ben Benwart, [player_tooltip player_id='2560481' first='Iye' last='Fuye'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2397567' first='Brody' last='Cook'] are the depth of the team and will make them quite tough. The depth is the key of this group. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Champlin Park (2). <em>Can the chemistry fit for the Rebels?</em> The Rebels are a team that I think has a chance to be special because not only do they have talent, they have it everywhere. They have size in Iverson and Riziq, they have a pure shooter in Howe, they have playmaking and ball handling talent in Dukuly and Counce, and they have a guy in Walter who can do everything. Pieces of all kinds, but can they mold? </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mounds View (3). <em>Are the up and comers ready for the top role?</em> [player_tooltip player_id='2140552' first='Andrew' last='Aitkin'], [player_tooltip player_id='2140688' first='Rylan' last='Happel'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2848157' first='Reid' last='Defeyter'] are returning double figure scorers and are very good players. To beat the Rebels and Crimson, the Mustangs need their seniors to be who they are AND [player_tooltip player_id='2225509' first='Dominic' last='Barrett'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2324359' first='Will' last='Arnold'] (among others) need to take a good step forward. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Spring Lake Park (4). <em>Is there another go to guy with Spencer?</em> [player_tooltip player_id='2126461' first='Cal' last='Spencer'] scored 13.5 points a game last season and he will be good. This team is always tough to play against. They have three other rotational guys back in Jacob DePoint, [player_tooltip player_id='2140672' first='Nolan' last='Roach'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2447461' first='James' last='Pelkey'] who are all key. Roach scored seven a game last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Roseville (5). <em>How far can the starting backcourt take them?</em> I love the starting backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id='2880161' first='Micah' last='Wiskus'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2126151' first='Marco' last='London']. London the playmaker and Wiskus the scorer, that duo is going to be very tough to stop. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Park Center (6). <em>What is the next step?</em> I think Park Center has some good talent and the Coach that can help them make the next step. But that is quickly countered by, why did they win just five games last season? You know they will take steps forward but how big will those steps be? [player_tooltip player_id='2847647' first='Paris' last='Kyles'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2418241' first='Joseph' last='Jacobs'] are the type of guys who should be leading a top four team in this league and there are others around them too. But it was just five wins last year so that holds me back from listing them fourth. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Osseo (7). <em>Where do they go from here?</em> Osseo had a nice backcourt returning in [player_tooltip player_id='2126472' first='Owen' last='Counce'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2524650' first='Kwatamah' last='Silikpoh'] left for Champlin Park and Hopkins respectively. Ten of the eleven guys in terms if minutes play (approx) from last year are no longer there. Markus Kure-O'Reily should be good and Michael Criswell is a player that should step in. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Irondale (8). <em>Where do the points come from? </em> Irondale won more games than expected last season but everybody on the team that scored more than twice a game graduated. [player_tooltip player_id='2837879' first='Austin' last='Tilden'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2549936' first='Owen' last='Boldt'], guys that averaged 4-5 points per game last year, they will play a big role in what this team does. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top 3 5AAAA Players</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126467' first='Baboucarr' last='Ann'] of Maple Grove</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126108' first='Jack' last='Thelen'] of Maple Grove</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2126450' first='Gavin' last='Walter'] of Champlin Park</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Three Teams That Should Improve Their Record</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Park Center (5-20 last year)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Champlin Park (13-15 last year)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mounds View (16-12 last season)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Three Teams That Might Not Match Last Year's Win Total</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Osseo (22-7 last year)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Irondale (9-18 last year)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>maybe Spring Lake Park (15-12 year)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->