Recap of Monday 1.6.2025 action in MN GBB.
D1 HIGH FIVE
Kierra Wheeler, Norfolk State, Cooper 10
High soloist. Only two D1 games in the COUNTRY. Three were scheduled. The blizzard postponed one.
POINT PARADE
Parade starts at 25. If there is some player missing email kja8067@gmail.com
AA-4
Aria Garrett, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 28
Acelynn Hacker, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg 26
Ava Carlson, New London-Spicer 25
Addy Kath, Minnewaska 25
A-3
Sienna Duininck, Central MN Christian 30
Jensyn Storhoff, Lanesboro 29
Brielle Janssen, MACCRAY 25
RANKED RESULTS
AA
#4 New London-Spicer 67, Annandale 54
#7 Proctor 46, Esko 28
#8 Minnewaska 79, Rocori 22
A
#4 Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s 76, Nicollet 38
#5 Mountain Iron-Buhl 93, International Falls 20
#6 Kittson County Central 80, Northern 49
ABOUT LAST NIGHT…. New London-Spicer v Annandale
There were quite a few story lines packed into this nightcap of a boy/girl double header at Annandale. First it was the battle of two teams on winning streaks: #4AA NLS with 11 and the host Cardinals with 8; Second it was a battle of the Dreier family with patriarch and Minnesota’s all time winningest girls coach Mike going against son Matt. Son Joey is an assistant at NLS for an all in the family fight. Third there was young talent on display. When I mean young I mean eighth graders. Annandale’s leading scorer last night with 18 was 5-10 guard Alysen Purcell. She is a sister of former Cardinal Hannah. She knocked down four 3s on the night. 6-2 forward Korbin Tanner came off the bench and delivered 14 points on 7/9 shooting either at the rim or at the high post. Fourth: 3 point shooting was on display. Annandale won that battle 10-9, but it was NLS that was far more efficient going 9/14 or an eye popping 64.3% to 10/33 or a healthy 30.3 for the Cards. NLS’s Ayla Caskey was perfect at 4/4; leading scorer Ava Carlson was 2/3 and Dakota Rich was 3/6. Besides Purcell’s four, Avery Gagnon nailed four.
In the end it was a matter of more efficient shooting and better ball control that prevailed in adding to Père Dreier’s career win column. A 109.8 pp100 is extremely efficient. Annandale scored at 85.7. The length, wing span also contributed to the win. Right from the first NLS possession it was raining treys. Rich started off with a steal and then came down and connected up top when given space. Annandale did move in front 11-6 after two consecutive 3s. Nine unanswered points capped by a Caskey 3 put the Wildcats up momentarily. The last lead for the Cards came at 18-17. Four straight NLS connections made it 27-18 with about six minutes left in the half. That margin diminished by half with NLS up 37-32. In the second half the margin hovered around six to 13.
Ava Carlson was the only member to join the 31 Club…indeed the 41 Club with 25 points and 8 d stops and 8 distributions. Three NLS starters scored and averaged 138 to 108 pp100s. Two starters did not score. Purcell came closest to the 31 Club for Annandale at 27.
DAY AHEAD
There are 152 games scheduled for today. #1AA Providence is at #3AA Minnehaha in the mega game of the day. And it is part of a double header so that is the reason for the 5:30 start. That isn’t the only game that matters tonight. There are four other high profile contests.
Ranked v Ranked
AAAA
#6 Minnetonka at #8 Wayzata
AAA
#10 St. Peter at #1 Marshall
#4 Orono at #6 Benilde-St. Margaret’s
AA
#1 Providence at #3 Minnehaha (5:30)
A
#8 Cass Lake-Bena at #10 Walker-Hackensack-Akeley