Section 4AA Preview

The Playoffs are right around the corner. With small-school section tournaments set to begin in the next few weeks, it’s time to turn our attention to the postseason. Section 4AA opened up in a big way when the sections and classes reorganized last spring and Minnehaha moved up to Class AAA. With the Redhawks out of the section, teams went into the season with a new sense of life and an opportunity to contend. Thus far, one team has jumped right into that chair and dominated, while several others appear poised to make extended runs. Favorite: St. Croix Prep The Lions went into the season with some excitement and hype thanks to the combination of Minnehaha moving up and a great returning core of players. That hype has been realized in a big way, as St. Croix Prep is undefeated through the first 24 games and ranked in the top-five in the state. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/addison-metcalf/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/addison-metcalf/">Addison Metcalf</a></a> and Dan McCarrell form a dynamic duo, combining to average more than 35 points per game. Metcalf is an athletic swingman who can get into the paint, score in transition, knock down shots a little bit from the perimeter and defend at a high level. McCarrell is one of the best pure shooters in the state. He’s long, he’s smart off the ball and has the ability to get his shot off against just about anybody. Zach Doely provides some toughness and athleticism on the wing and he’s been excellent, averaging 13 points per game. And junior guard <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/andrew-howard/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/andrew-howard/">Andrew Howard</a></a> is averaging 11 points per game, giving the team a fourth double-figure scorer. This team has the athleticism, experience, high-end talent and depth to not just win the section, but win multiple games at the state tournament. Contender: Concordia Academy The Broncos will be the No. 2 seed in the section and have a good record on the year (17 wins before the season finale against CHOF). A pair of 20-point losses to St. Croix Prep indicates there’s a clear drop between the top and the second team in the section, but this group has the talent to go a long way. Essay Hagos has been magnificent this year, averaging 21 points per game. Aaron TerHaar and AJ Greene combine to average roughly 25 points per game to give the Broncos viable second and third scoring options. And there’s solid depth and balance throughout the rest of the lineup. Watch Out For: Cristo Rey Jesuit, St. Paul Washington, St. Paul Academy One of the surprises of the season has been Cristo Rey Jesuit. The Pumas were supposed to be one of the 10 best teams in Class AA and that simply hasn’t manifested. They are 13-12 with a game to go against Jordan. With that said, there’s going to be a big gap between the Pumas’ talent level and their seed in the section. That makes them dangerous. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/james-sommer/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/james-sommer/">James Sommer</a></a> is arguably the best player in the section. His numbers are a little down as a senior but he still puts up 21 points and six rebounds. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/erick-burgess/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/erick-burgess/">Erick Burgess</a></a> is having a terrific season, averaging 16 points, six rebounds and nearly five assists. And <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/derek-burgess/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/derek-burgess/">Derek Burgess</a></a> is the team’s best shooter, averaging 13 points while knocking down 37 percent of his 3-pointers. The Pumas need to play fast - they don’t have a great halfcourt offense - and they need to be able to force turnovers and dictate tempo. They don’t have great size and don’t shoot the ball all that well. But they’ve got a solid collection of thoroughbred athletes who can make life miserable for the competition. Don’t be surprised if this group makes a run. St. Paul Washington is another team with a middling record that nobody will want to see in an early-round section tournament game because of its high-end talent. The Eagles can score at will, averaging better than 81 points per game. Senior forward Drewjuan White and senior guard Zaveon Smith form perhaps the best duo in the section, averaging a combined 45 points per game. St. Paul Academy has a terrific No. 1 scoring option in Adam Holod. The junior lead guard averages 21 points per game and does a great job creating his own shot and making his teammates better. The Spartans have strong balance after Holod, with six guys averaging 5-10 points per game.