The Big Stage: Preview and Predictions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is our Big Stage Preview with thoughts on who we think will win and why!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Maple Grove (1-2) vs Eden Prairie (1-2).</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quick thought: Both teams just got their first win of the season and did it in blowout fashion. MG beat up PC while EP took down Waconia scoring 99.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Player battle to watch: [player_tooltip player_id='2126467' first='Baboucarr' last='Ann'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1574221' first='Max' last='Lorenson']. These two are the big names of the teams BUT [player_tooltip player_id='1617766' first='Keegan' last='Harney'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1560851' first='Hamze' last='Yusuf'] are the top scoring options so far. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction: I like the Crimson to open this event with a win beating EP by four. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lakeville South (3-1) vs Edina (2-1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quick thought: Good starts for both teams and I think a win in this game really gives these teams confidence and starts people talking about the winner as a top ten teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Player battle to watch: [player_tooltip player_id='1470706' first='Keaton' last='Ressler'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1594744' first='Billy' last='DeMars']. These are the senior scorers for these teams looking to make a big impact. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction: I will go with South by a score, they seem to be a bit bigger team and that could give them the edge on the glass and in defending at the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Waconia (2-1) vs Minnetonka (1-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quick thought: This game could be really big for section seeding. Both teams lost a lot from last year and to try and keep pace this is a big game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Player battle to watch: [player_tooltip player_id='1560741' first='Will' last='Kirsch'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1574218' first='Duke' last='Richardson']. These are guys these teams will rely on to score the ball and make key backcourt plays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction: I think Tonka beat a similar team in East Ridge to what Waconia has so I say Tonka by five.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>St. Louis Park (3-0) vs Park Center (1-3)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quick thought: Having watched PC play DeLaSalle close it amazes me what I have seen come through in the results when Washburn beat PC by 14 and Maple Grove hammered PC by 42. This week St. Louis Park beat Holy Family by 35. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Player battle to watch: [player_tooltip player_id='1589407' first='Marley' last='Curtis'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='2614702' first='Emmanuel' last='Jentzen']. Two athletic, strong guys that can also show off some skill.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction: St. Louis Park by eight or.... 38 I guess? I got no idea, some of these scores are wild. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Richfield (3-1) vs Hopkins (3-0) </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quick thought: The Royals will be too deep but there should be some fun basketball on this court with a lot of good players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Player battle to watch: [player_tooltip player_id='1574223' first='CJ' last='Armstrong'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1574212' first='Anthony' last='Smith']. Both are scores in combo guard frames and games, CJ will score more as his team will need more but Smith is putting up good numbers too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction: Hopkins by 13</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Breck (1-2) vs Totino-Grace (2-2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quick thought: I pair of defending champs playing very difficult schedules and doing having both lost their top two scorers from a season ago. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Player battle to watch: [player_tooltip player_id='1574225' first='Miles' last='Newton'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='1560740' first='Dothan' last='Ijadimbola']. Newton is one of the state's best unsigned players, Dothan is starting to get consistent coming off of injury. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction: TG by seven. Eagles look a little deeper at the moment plus Watley is on a role, he had 33 last night! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Orono (2-0) vs Cretin-Derham Hall (3-0)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quick Thought: A lot of teams are struggling to start this season out but not these two. Both have really good wins to start the year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Player battle to watch: [player_tooltip player_id='1579885' first='Nolan' last='Groves'] vs [player_tooltip player_id='2126094' first='Ty' last='Schlagel']. I don't know that they will both guard each other but I think they will see each other and if one can limit the other that would be huge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prediction: Orono is not as deep but we said that before they played Wayzata. I think CDH wins by six points but it should be fun. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->