Big 12 Classic: Cretin-Derham Hall vs Eden Prairie

<p>This weekend the season kicks off with the Breakdown Big 12 Classic at Champlin Park.  The 6pm game is Eden Praire vs CDH, a game that occurs nearly every year.</p> <p><strong>Last Year</strong>:   The rosters for the CDH vs EP game won't be much different this season but a lot has changed.  The Raiders won 86-78 at Cretin.  The Eagles didn't have Austin Andrews or John Henry meaning they didn't have a huge part of their team.  CDH lost Jaeden King early in the contest to a terrible looking concussion.  Transfers have also changed these rosters as EP lost Ariel Bland to prep school while CDH added J'Vonne Hadley.  Curtis Jones scored 27 for the Raiders while Holloman had 24, Drake Dobbs led EP with 26. </p> <p><strong>PG</strong>: <strong>Tre Holloman</strong> (CDH) vs <strong>Drake Dobbs</strong><b> </b>(EP).   You will have a hard time finding a better match-up of lead guards in the state of Minnesota than when Tre Holloman, a top 30 level national sophomore, takes on Drake Dobbs, a steal of a recruit for Liberty.  Both have faced each other and both had great games while doing it.  </p> <p><strong>SG</strong>: <strong>Curtis Jones </strong>(CDH) vs <strong>Miles Frisch</strong> (EP). Jones is the better all around player, Frisch is one of the state's elite shooters, both can change a game in a second with their 40 plus percent shooting from the arc.  These are guys that have to be located early and have to have hands in their face in seconds. </p> <p><strong>SF</strong>: <strong>Amari Carter</strong> (CDH) vs <strong>John Henry</strong> (EP). This is a game where CDH needs a strong performance from Carter, and he is capable.  Carter scored 13 a game last season and the Raiders will need that to beat EP.  John Henry is one of the best unsigned D1 kids in the state and he will use that court IQ and deep shooting to change this game. </p> <p><strong>PF</strong>: <strong>J'Vonne Hadley</strong> (CDH) vs <strong>Connor Christensen</strong> (EP). This is my favorite match-up.  The fourth guard/wing combo on the floor is two tough players that can shoot at the arc some, handle around the perimeter, attack, and play around the basket.  Hadley was one of the state's top scorers last year, Christensen is one of the state's best defenders .</p> <p><strong>C</strong>: <strong>Will Burke</strong> (CDH) vs <b>Austin Andrews </b>(EP). Austin Andrews is one of the best frontcourt players in the state of Minnesota.  HIs crafty play and consistent results have been a constant for the Eagles for years.  Burke's job? Screen, defend, rebound, and finish wide open lay-ups.  Biggest job?  Defend Andrews. </p> <p><strong>Bench</strong>:   Danny McGraw and Jack Clipper are experienced big bodies that CDH can also use on Andrews counting up the fouls.  McGraw is 6-foot-6 and had a good summer.  What Jack Tauer does for the Raiders could be an ex-factor as the worker off the bench. Eden Prairie's guard/wing bench could include seniors Brenden Donohue and Randy Williams as well as junior Will Foster. They also have Lukas Dunford as a quality post option off the bench. Or EP could start Dunford to go bigger, or use Donohue to start and bring the shooting touch of Frisch off the bench. </p> <p><strong>The Pick.  </strong>I say Eden Prairie by two scores assuming all the players I just listed are available.  Why? I think they have a bit more consistent scoring punch which goes well with having defenders like Christensen and Henry to defend Carter and Hadley.  This will be a close game, and the teams are somewhat rivals, but I think EP is a bit deeper with experience. </p>