Recap of MN GBB Action from Thursday 2.13.2025

D1 HIGH FIVE

Sophie Hart, Minnesota, Farmington 21

Tiny Lewis, Eastern Illinois, Minnehaha 21

Adalia McKenzie, Illinois, Park Center 19

Amaya Battle, Minnesota, Hopkins 17

Liv McGill, Florida, Hopkins 15

Totals: 93

This is the first time either Hart or Lewis have led the pack (at least on a full five day). Lewis did her scoring off the bench. Lewis was the only one of the four not in the final five for Miss Basketball.

POINT PARADE-18

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

AAAA-2

Cail Jahnke, St. Michael-Albertville 30

Jordan Ode, Maple Grove 26

AAA-1

Zenayzia Crite, Minneapolis Camden 29

AA-8

Chloe Johnson, Duluth Marshall 44

Catherine Walker, Breck 37

Teagan Epema, Montevideo 34

Brooklyn Pettis, Minneapolis North 30

Rachel Bopp, Two Harbors 28

Marta Forsline, Mesabi East 28

Emma Korinek, Concordia Academy 27

Amaya Penn, St. Croix Lutheran 25

A-7

Brielle Janssen, MACCRAY 32

Alya Olson, New York Mills 32

Leah Carter, Westbrook-Walnut Grove 28

Dakota Soltis, Upsala 28

Breeley Galle, Southland 27

Lauren Queensland, Grand Meadow 27

Morgan Mathiowetz, Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s 25

TOP OF THE CLASS (GRAD)

2025: Catherine Walker, Breck 37

2026: Brielle Janssen, MACCRAY 32

2027: Morgan Mathiowetz, Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s 25

2028: Chloe Johnson, Duluth Marshall 44

RANKED RESULTS

Winner High 96 Central MN Christian

Winner Low 41 Murray County Central

Loser High 70 Hopkins & Walker-Hackensack-Akeley

Loser Low 10 Mounds Park Academy

Biggest Margin 77 Central MN Christian v Ortonville

Smallest Margin 3 Two Harbors v Moose Lake/Willow River

Most Combined: 155 Duluth Marshall v Mesabi East

Least combined: 61 Minneapolis South v Minneapolis Roosevelt

Margins 30 or more 32

Margins 5 or less 10

Average 54.04

Winner Average 65.51

Loser Average 42.57

Ranked Average 69.22

Nonranked Average 52.54

Average margin 22.93

Average combined: 108.08

Ranked Upsets: #4AAAA Wayzata beat #2AAAA Hopkins for the second time this season. #6AA Minnewaska fell to unranked AA Barnesville 54-40.

AAAA Ave 57.24 16-18

AAA Ave 55.00 14-12

AA Ave 53.87 27-27

A Ave 52.60 45-48

Right down the line with AAAA winning the point battle by 2.24 over AAA. AAA had the best winning % with two more wins than losses.

RANKED V RANKED

AAAA

#1 Maple Grove 88, Anoka 48

#3 Eastview 65, #9AAA Mahtomedi 50

#4 Wayzata 76, #2 Hopkins 70

#5 Eden Prairie 51, #7 Minnetonka 39

#8 St. Michael-Albertville 85, Edina 56

#10 Elk River 65, Armstrong 49

AAA

#5 Alexandria 70, Sartell 39

AA

#2 Crosby-Ironton 50, #9 Proctor 41

Barnesville 54, #6 Minnewaska 40

#8 Duluth Marshall 90, Mesabi East 63

A

#3 Mountain Iron-Buhl 82, Bigfork 38

#4 Kittson County Central 79, Fertile-Beltrami 59

#5 Breckenridge 75, Park Rapids 54

#6 Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s 61, Martin County West 34

#9 Central MN Christian 96, Ortonville 19

MILESTONES-4

Duluth Marshall freshman Chloe Johnson is now over 2000 points thanks to 44 in a 90-63 win over Mesabi East on Thursday.

Kittson County Central senior Morgan Turn also reached 2000 points in 79-59 win over Fertile-Beltrami.

Brainerd senior forward Mya Tautges scored point 1000 with 24 in a 77-50 victory over Bemidji. She is number eight on the scoring list for the Warriors.

Benson sophomore guard Kaida Helgenset made it to 1000 points with 12 points in a 60-44 loss to Upsala.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT….Wayzata v Hopkins

For the second time this year #4AAAA Wayzata topped #2AAAA Hopkins. In so doing they won a share of the conference title, their first in 15 years. But it came with an extremely steep cost. Trojan senior point guard Sophie Hawkinson went down with what looked like a left knee injury at the 14:41 mark of the first half. Wayzata was off to a smoking hot start with Hawkinson already scoring five points with a 166.7 pp100 mark and the Trojans pitching a shutout up 12-0. Despite losing their senior leader for the rest of the game the Trojans had a surge of energy. Hopkins wasn’t going to remain scoreless forever, but with nine minutes left in the half Wayzata was up 21 points (26-5). Katie Kelzenberg picked up foul number three at the six-minute mark on a charge and had to go to the bench. Wayzata was still ahead substantially 28-10 at that point. Hopkins took advantage of that absence (or absences) to close the gap to 34-24 at the break, a 14-6 swing.

The relentless Hopkins pressure on defense along with an attacking mind set, plus successful bombs from deep cut that lead further to 53-49 with about ten minutes to go. The erosion of that first half lead was playing on the emotions of the Trojan faithful. But again Wayzata responded. In the next four minutes that caught second wind and outscored the Royals 14-3 getting back to a more comfortable 67-52 advantage. Hopkins was hampered by fouls to Erma Walker and Jailyah Diggs in this stretch. The game never got to “crunch/clutch” time technically (five points or less with less than four minutes to go) until the 4 second mark. That is after Maliyah White did her best Caitlin Clark imitation hitting deep deep logo 3s on three consecutive possessions to narrow that lead to 75-70. The problem was there were only four more seconds left. By that time Walker & Diggs were through for the night with five fouls. White had 17 points for the night off the bench and 154.5 pp100.

How did Wayzata maintain that lead and preserve the victory. Adjustments to their defensive plans eliminated a full court press in favor of a 2/3 zone. Wayzata won the battle of the boards 33-26. They had an offensive rebound rate 53.8% way higher than the NBA level of around 23%. Hopkins was lower at 42.4%. With the heat turned up defensively due to the lack of Hawkinson, Hopkins did win the turnover battle 21-20. Both teams improved their handles from the first half. Wayzata turned it over every 12.57 touches in the first half, 16.57 for the game. Hopkins plays grain of rice separation defense and is ready to pounce when ball handlers turn their backs. There are four ways to change hands: 1. Pull back (something most players forget to do) and cross over; 2. Through the legs; 3. Behind the back; and 4 and most favored by ballhandlers without a lot of experience, spin. Back in the day, when I was coaching, we would count it as a turnover if the player did a spin in practice v the defense. I did not want the player to lose sight of the rim or teammates. I also did not want ball handlers to face the sidelines. If that happens the defense has won already. Almost every Wayzata turnover, off the dribble, involved the dreaded spin. Wayzata was also able to take advantage of the free throw line. Hopkins is well known for getting to the rim and getting hit. They made it to the free throw every 20 touches, down from 28.83 touches in the first half indicating a extreme sense of urgency. But Wayzata was even better getting to the line every 13.38 touches for the game. Wayzata won the attempt battle there 26-18 and also the % battle 73 to 61%.

Both teams shot very well. And this is with what I consider top tier defensive efforts. Hopkins shot 13/22 from 2s while the Trojans were 21/37. I already put the spotlight on White, but Hopkins had five players deliver from behind the arc. They attempted 32 for the game. Wayzata only tried eleven, but they cashed in five times led by Annika Kieser who was gold at 3/3. Kieser just missed out on the 31 Club with 30, the best score of either team on the night. She had 18 points and a 105.9 pp100. Hopkins’ best 31 Club score belonged to Diggs with a 24.

For the teams both cleared the century mark in pp100s with Wayzata at 111.8 and Hopkins at 102.9. Starters provided 61 of the Trojans points while Hopkins struggled at 43. The Royal bench won 27-15 with a pp100 of 135 to 115.4. Not shabby numbers on anyone’s part.

As for the 6AAAA tournament soon to arrive—the expectation is Wayzata will be the #1 seed and have hosting duties throughout. Both teams unfortunately have had injuries that have sidelined major players (Woodson, Caputo from Hopkins; Amelotte from Wayzata). Now the Trojans will need to reinvent themselves for March. They will also probably face Hopkins for the third time this season. Three on a match is tough. Wayzata will need another resounding effort like Thursday’s to get to Williams Arena.

THE DAY AHEAD

We are two shy of a century of games today. AAA & AA are the busiest with eight ranked teams in action. AAAA action focuses on the South Suburban. One cross class clash involves HVL powers. Three #1s are in action tonight with AAAA #1 Maple Grove having played last night.

RANKED V RANKED

#3AAAA Eastview at #6AAAA Prior Lake

#8AAA Byron at #1A Goodhue

#6AA Minnewaska at #10A West Central

OTHER RANKED

AAAA: #9 Lakeville North

AAA: #1 Monticello; #2 Orono; #3 Marshall; #4 Benilde-St. Margaret’s; #6 DeLaSalle; #7 Hill-Murray; #9 Mahtomedi; #10 Delano

AA: #1 Providence; #3 New London-Spicer; #4 Minnehaha; #5 Caledonia; #7 Sauk Centre; #9 Proctor; #10 Visitation

A: #7 Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa