MN GBB Saturday action 2.15.2025

D1 HIGH FIVE

Alayna Contreras, Kansas City, Hopkins 33

Gianna Kneepkens, Utah, Duluth Marshall 24

Paige Meyer, South Dakota State, Albany 23

Paige Kindseth, Presbyterian, Farmington 19

Anna Olson, Vermont, Monticello 19

Totals: 118

D2 HIGH FIVE

Emma Miller, UM Crookston, St. Michael-Albertville 41

Lydia Haack, Concordia St. Paul, Elk River 35

Natalie Bremer, MSU Mankato, Lake City 23

Bri Stoltzman, Southwest MN State, Mankato West 23

Vivica Bretton, Winona State, Rochester Lourdes 22

Totals: 144

D2 wins the night by 26. Four of the ten players were from AAAA; two AAA; four AA. Four of the five D1s were State Champs (or finalists); three were state champs at D2. Everyone was in the state tournament at least once in their career except for Olson. Both scoring leaders are from the Lake Conference; the top two scorers from D2 are from section 8AAAA. Section 1AA also had two members (Bremer & Bretton).

POINT PARADE-5

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

AAAA-2

Katie Boulanger, New Prague 35

Lanelle Wright, Minnetonka 29

AAA-2

Ashley Fitzgivens, Big Lake 27

Abbie Pietila, Delano 25

AA-1

Emma Korinek, Concordia Academy 27

A-0

TOP OF THE CLASS (GRAD)

2025: Katie Boulanger, New Prague 35

2026: Lanelle Wright, Minnetonka 29

2027: Ashley Fitzgivens, Big Lake 27

RANKED RESULTS

Winner High 95 Duluth Marshall

Winner Low 52 Kasson-Mantorville

Loser High 81 Minnetonka

Loser Low 24 Minneapolis Camden

Biggest Margin 57 Duluth Marshall v Pillager

Smallest Margin 1 Horace, ND v Minnetonka; Upsala v Pine River-Backus

Most Combined: 163 Horace, ND v Minnetonka

Least combined: 79 Bismarck Century, ND v Moorhead

Margins 30 or more 5

Margins 5 or less 6

This is the first time this year margins of five or less topped margins of 30 or more

Average 57.00

Winner Average 66.63

Loser Average 48.38

Ranked Average 72.08

Nonranked Average 53.26

Average margin 18.25

Average combined: 115.00

Ranked Upsets: In A BOLD edged out #9 Central MN Christian 65-60

AAAA Ave 62.77 8-5

AAA Ave 52.84 8-11

AA Ave 59.13 7-9

A Ave 56.17 7-5

AAAA wins the day both with scoring average and winning percentage. Next closest class was AA with the gap being 3.64. AAA cratered at 52.84 thanks to four teams that did not get to 40.

AAAA

#4 Wayzata 89, Bismarck Legacy 56

Horace, ND 82, #7 Minnetonka 81 OT

#8 St. Michael-Albertville 66, Fargo Davies 57

AAA

#3 Marshall 64, Mankato East 35

#5 Alexandria 77, #10 Delano 61

#6 DeLaSalle 66, Cretin-Derham Hall 43

AA

#2 Crosby-Ironton 76, Fergus Falls 54

#3 New London-Spicer 61, Norwood-Young America 36

#7 Sauk Centre 74, Minneapolis North 52

#8 Duluth Marshall 95, Pillager 38

A

#1 Goodhue 67, St. Peter 65

BOLD 65, #9 Central MN Christian 60

MILESTONES

Alexandria senior forward Hadley Thul hit a three with one second left to reach the 2000 point milestone at home in a 77-61 win over Delano.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT…..New Prague v Owatonna

The New Prague Trojans picked up a key victory in section 1AAAA action and in the process halted a 17-game winning streak. The Trojans tamed the Huskies 61-54 on the road and jumbled up the potential seeds in what appears to be a balanced section. This was the second time I have charted NP this year and both times involved crunch time. In this case the Trojans trailed 51-48 with 3:40 left. They proceeded to score on their last seven possessions on a 13-3 tear. Leading the way was senior Katie Boulanger who had six of her game high 35 points during crunch time. NP took the lead for good on Lily Schoenecker’s 3 from the right corner breaking a 51 all tie. She had five points down that stretch. Owatonna was only able to score once in their last eight possessions and it was with only 9.1 seconds left, meaning they went over three minutes in drought mode.

Boulanger also had a hot start to the contest. She scored twelve of NP’s first 15 points and in the process moved into first place in the all-time leading scorers in NP history. At that point the Trojans led 15-9. They stretched that margin to 28-19 at the 3:30 mark. The Huskies finished the half on a 10-4 run to close the gap to 32-29. After the first 2:30 of the second half Owatonna moved in front 34-32 on a 7-0 run across two halves. It remained a competitive back and forth contest with the daylight tight between both teams. The game was tied at 36, 45, and 47. A hesitation move after a steal by Owatonna freshman Leah Leckner put the home team back in front 49-47. With slightly under four minutes left and in crunch mode timing Husky Soph Jersey Coleman shot in the lane gave them a 51-48 lead. Both teams traded turnover marred possessions when NP turned all their possessions to gold down the stretch. Their pp100 in that time would be 162.5 pp100 compared to Owatonna’s 37.5.

For the game Owatonna relied on pounding the ball inside, a la old school, to their post Ava Olson-Brooks who ended up leading her team with 20 points. She was also the only starter for the Huskies to reach 100 or better pp100. The rest of the starters peaked at 66.7 or less. As stated previously Boulanger led NP in scoring. She had help with Maya Kilian scoring 13 with a 144.4 pp100, the Trojan’s best of the day. She also had a game high 14 d stops. Both teams’ pp100s dropped in the second half. NP was at 97 in the first half which fell to 87.1. Owatonna’s was similar with 87.9 to start the contest but down to 76.1 for the game.

NP won the war on the boards 45-32. NP had an offensive rebound rate of 44.8 to 33.3. Owatonna won the turnover battle 26-12. They could not convert those gifts as their shooting percentages were 34.7% on 2s and 27.8% on 3s. The Trojans were sharper on both counts 47.6% and 37.5%.

Boulanger made the 41 Club by two, the only player on either squad to get to that elevated 31 Club level. She had 8 d stops. Olson was tops for Owatonna but was short with a 27 score for the 31 Club.

Two other points. It was a sea of pink as Owatonna raised money for Breast Cancer research. Both teams were heavily involved. This was also my first time visiting the new Owatonna high school. This school is on the south side of town with a bigger footprint for the gym. In the old location the baseline wall was unforgiving. Now they have four-sided seating. It seemed every section 1AAAA coach not playing Saturday was in the house showing the importance of the game.

SEEDS

AA

1: #1 Caledonia; #2 Dover-Eyota; #3 Rochester Lourdes

A

1: #1 Goodhue; #2 Spring Grove; #3 Grand Meadow

UNBEATEN

There are now just four teams left without a loss. New London-Spicer lost in overtime against New Ulm on Tuesday. Monticello faces three teams in Mississippi 8 action with North Branch, Becker, and Zimmerman. Providence will be tested by Alexandria on a Monday matinee and then will take on a pair of teams in Wisconsin: Hortonville on Friday; and Green Bay Notre Dame on Saturday. Crosby-Ironton’s only game is with Ogilvie on Thursday at home. Royalton will take on class A ranked Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa at home on Tuesday and travels to Pine City on Friday.

AAAA-0

AAA-1

Monticello

AA-3

Providence, Royalton, Crosby-Ironton

A-0

STREAKING

Two new changes to the leaderboard here as New Prague ended Owatonna’s string of 16 in AAAA and Rock Ridge halted Mountain Iron-Buhl’s 13 game streak in A. Providence continues to build their win streak, now out to 34 games. #1 Maple Grove returns to the top with 15 in AAAA. Three teams are vying for the top spot in A with 14 game win streaks: Grand Meadow; New York Mills and Kittson County Central. KCC is the only ranked team in that bunch at #4.

AAAA: 15 Maple Grove

AAA: 23 Monticello

AA: 34 Providence (11 last year +23 this year)

A: 14 Grand Meadow; New York Mills and Kittson County Central.

QUEST FOR..

THE QRF

This week three teams were chopped off the list: #21 White Bear Lake; #25 Owatonna; and #38 Mounds View. That means the top 30 is done and looks somewhat safe. The next level is the Casey Kasem top 40.

1-10 10/10-1.000

1-20 20/20-1.000

1-30 30/30-1.000

1-40 39/40-.975

1-50 45/50-.900

Biggest fish left to fry…. Now is #39 Fergus Falls.

TOP 10s

Up one in A due to the changing roster of top 10 teams

AAAA 10/10-1.000

AAA 10/10-1.000

AA 7/10-.700

A 5/10-.500

overall it is 32/40 or .800.

#1s EACH SECTION

Still have a ways to go to complete this list. And with splits that might not happen. I will probably see the remaining #1s (if they survive sections) at the state tournament.

AAAA 8/8—1.000

AAA 7/8-.875 just missing Rock Ridge from section 7.

AA 5/9-.556 (section 3AA is split) missing JWP in section 2; Jackson County Central section 3 south;  Sauk Centre section 6; DGF section 8

A 5/12-.417 (splits in 3, 5, 6, 8)

Overall, 26/37 or .703

SEEDING THE STATE

The #2 spot in AAAA is precarious with Wayzata’s injury situation. East Ridge jumps Anoka in AAAA. Monticello jumps Orono in AAA. Breckenridge jumps Mountain Iron-Buhl in A. AA stays the same.

AAAA

1. Maple Grove (5)
2. Wayzata (6)
3. Eastview (3)
4. Eden Prairie (2)
5. Michael-Albertville (8)
6. Lakeville North (1)
7. East Ridge (4)
8. Anoka (7)

AAA

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

AA

1. Providence (5)
2. Crosby-Ironton (7)
3. New London-Spicer (3)
4. Minnehaha (4)
5. Caledonia (1)
6. Sauk Centre (6)
7. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (8)
8. Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton (2)

A

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

THE WEEK AHEAD

This is the last full week of the regular season. Sections begin in a handful of sections starting this week—in fact as early as Tuesday. Sections 1, 2 and 3 in the smaller classes tip off sections. Tuesday rules the week with 135 games. No other day tops 100 games. On Saturday there are only five regular season games, 16 section games.