Recap of Saturday action from 12.21.2024.

D1 HIGH FIVE

Jade Hill, St. Thomas MN, Minneapolis South 24

Gianna Kneepkens, Utah, Duluth Marshall 24

Paige Bueckers, UConn, Hopkins 22

Anna Miller, Drake, Rochester Mayo 22

Nneka Obiazor, Grand Canyon, Eden Prairie 20

Totals: 112

First time all five players are over 20 points. Four are AAAA players, two Lake Conference. Two are 2020 HS grads—Bueckers, Obiazor; the rest are 2021s.

POINT PARADE

Parade starts at 25. If there is a player missing email kja8067@gmail.com

AAAA

Kate Arnold, Chanhassen 25

AA

Addi Mack, Minnehaha 37

Tori Oehrlein, Crosby-Ironton 27

RANKED RESULTS

AAAA

Dowling Catholic, IA 60, #1 Hopkins 53

AA

#2 Crosby-Ironton 82, #6AAA Rock Ridge 64

#3 Minnehaha 101, #3A Cass Lake-Bena 35

Waverly-Shell Rock, IA 49, #6 Caledonia 42

A

#8 Hillcrest Lutheran 72, #6 Kittson County Central 70

ABOUT LAST NIGHT…#3AA Minnehaha v #3A Cass Lake-Bena

Another day, another game that did not live up to the pre-game hype. The Minnehaha Redhawks were a buzzsaw and sliced & diced the visiting Cass Lake-Bena Panthers with hypersonic speed and defense. Minnehaha blitzed CLB generating 39 turnovers leading to a 18/23 transition conversion rate on the way to a century plus one running time victory. When RT kicked in and MA emptied their bench the score was 96-27. CLB “won” the last nine minutes 8-5.

Early on it was obviously close. The game was knotted at four all in the first minute, and then 7-6 with 15 minutes to go. Then the dam broke, or the floor gave way and there was a massive flood or tidal wave of points for the Redhawks. It started with three straight scores all keyed by a steal and then layup with Addie Mack delivering all six of those points, the last two times initiated by her steals. CLB tried to halt the bleeding taking their first time out at 13-8 at the 13:33 mark. Four minutes later the score mushroomed to 26-13. At that stage MA was in the midst of scoring on ten straight possessions. In that run six points came on second chancers, four on transition, 12 from behind the arc with freshman Briana Foster knocking down three. At half the route was on 57-25. Even if the first half score was eliminated for MA, the Redhawks would have won just using the second half 44-35. And furthermore using just the first nine minutes of the second half 39-35.

MA used a rotating player with fresh legs to frustrate Gabi Fineday. She led the Panthers with 19 points.  The Panthers were turning it over with the touches per turnover under five. The Redhawks read the action down like they had a copy of the CLB playbook. When a Panther crossed the timeline, she was swarmed and turned which led to usually a spin dribble which was met by a swooping Redhawk either deflecting a pass or an outright snatch and grab. Here is the difference in transition lay ups: MA 18/23 or a robust 78% conversion to 2/5 for CLB. The paint totals is another extreme difference maker 70-38. Another factor was shot attempts 86-46. And then the lightning pace favored the home team with three touches and less going 34/61 or 55.7% to 10/57 or an anemic 17.5%.

Mack was dominant in all phases of the game getting to the 61 Club with a day’s high (from what I have seen in all Saturday games) of 37 points, 12 d stops of which seven were steals, and a distribution mark of 12/17 good for 70.6%. She was joined in the 31 Club by teammate Sinae Hill with a 37 of which 23 came on points.

CLB has definitely punched up their schedule this season. This game showed the previously undefeated Panthers what needs to improve to reach the pinnacle in A….sharp, crisp decisions, and strong execution. They still have some strong opponents on the list, but two more AA teams—ranked Proctor and a team that made the state last year Perham. The rest of their schedule has four ranked A teams. MA will face #1AA Providence on the road January 7 and then host the Lions on January 24. The rest of their schedule features at least 11 teams that are or have been ranked. They aren’t ducking anyone.

UNBEATEN

Last week 32 teams were left. 15 fell leaving 17. There will be no undefeated champ in AAAA when New Prague, the last remaining unbeaten in AAAA lost at home to Chanhassen on Thursday 70-67. AA lost half of their unbeatens and now have nine left. I saw Spectrum on Monday go down and then Cass Lake-Bena on Saturday leave the list. The list will see further attrition during the upcoming Christmas tournament week.

AAAA-0

None. New Prague, the last team left standing fell at home to Chanhassen on Thursday 70-67.

AAA-3

Austin, Marshall, Monticello

AA-9

JWP, MN Valley Lutheran, New London-Spicer, KMS, Providence, Royalton, Sauk Centre, Crosby-Ironton, Menahga

A-5

Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley, Hillcrest Lutheran, Underwood, Warren-Alvarado-Oslo

STREAKERS

The only changes here are in A with only one team occupying the slot. Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s last week shared it with four others. Three are nipping at the heels at eight.

AAAA: 8 Eden Prairie

AAA:  9 Marshall

AA: 20 Providence (11+9)

A: 9 Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s

QUEST FOR….

The QRF

1-10: 9– .900

1-20: 15– .750

1-30: 18– .600

1-40: 23– .575

1-50: 26–.520

Top 10

AAAA 8/10-.800 Prior Lake & New Prague not charted

AAA 8/10-.800 Marshall and Rock Ridge to be charted

AA 3/10-.300 only top three seen.

A 2/10-.200

#1 in each section/subsection

AAAA 7/8-.875 missing New Prague in 1AAAA.

AAA 4/8-.500 With Fergus Falls replacing Alexandria in 8AAA I got bumped down one.

AA 3/9 .333

A 3/12 .250  improved with Braham & Cass Lake-Bena joining Mayer Lutheran.

SEEDING THE STATE

Change at the top in AAAA & AAA. To me the most wide open class is AAA.

AAAA

1. Maple Grove (5)
2. Eden Prairie (2)
3. Hopkins (6)
4. Eastview (3)
5. Michael-Albertville (8)
6. Centennial (7)
7. Lakeville North (1)
8. Stillwater (4)

AAA

1. Marshall (2)
2. Orono (6)
3. Monticello (5)
4. Alexandria (8)
5. DeLaSalle (4)
6. Austin (1)
7. Rock Ridge (7)
8. Cretin-Derham Hall (3)

AA

1. Providence (5)
2. Crosby-Ironton (7)
3. Minnehaha (4)
4. New London-Spicer (3)
5. Sauk Centre (6)
6. Caledonia (1)
7. Pelican Rapids (8)
8. JWP (2)

A

1. Goodhue (1)
2. Walker-Hackensack-Akeley (5)
3. Mountain Iron-Buhl (7)
4. Mayer Lutheran (4)
5. Hillcrest Lutheran (6)
6. Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s (2)
7. Kittson County Central (8)
8. Central MN Christian (3)

THE WEEK AHEAD

First three days are off. Then the tournament schedule begins. There is only one “real” eight team tournament and that is hosted by Hill-Murray starting on Thursday. Friday will be busy with at least 109 games. Events that day include games at Winona State, Northwestern Roseville, Southwest MN State, Pelican Rapids, Blue Earth, DGF, Moorhead, Hastings, Columbia Heights, Eagan, Monticello, Cloquet, Fergus Falls, Hibbing, St. Thomas. But the mother lode of games include 22 at the Granite City Classic up in the St. Cloud area with sites including St. Benedict, Sauk Rapids, St. Cloud Apollo, St. Cloud Tech, Sartell, and St. Cloud State.