2009 MN Select Classic Preview

The pools for the 2009 MN Select Classic are out. Here are my thoughts

15U Pools
Pool A has MN Southside as my favorite with the Dakota Schoolers 15s, TC Elite White and Tri-City Bulldogs. Tri-City's talent can jump up and bite you at any time though.

Pool B has MN Select, MN Heat Select, Comets White and 43 Hoops. Don't know which 43 Hoops squad this is, but the Daniels squad or Gameli squad would have to be favored here.

Pool C TC Elite Black coming off a win at the Twin City Spring Jam and a good Comets Blue team, Midtown Kings and the Dakota Schoolers 14s are here. Tough to pick but I'll go with the top Comets club.

Quarterfinal winners: MN Southside, Comets Blue, 43 Hoops and TC Elite Black
Semifinals: MN Southside over Comets Blue, 43 Hoops over TC Elite Black.
Championship: 43 Hoops over MN Southside

16U Pools
In Pool A, TC Elite, MSB, 43 Hoops 2nd team, Comets 2nd team and P-Town. Last place finisher doesn't make the brackets. Give me 43 Hoops II to come out of here.

In Pool B, MN Select, TNL, MN Heat Elite and Wizard's Den. Heat Elite have to be the favorite here but this pool is no cakewalk. TNL won the 16U Twin City Spring Jam and the Select Team is no picnic to play against.

Straight 8 team bracket here.
Quarterfinal winners: 43 Hoops II over Wizard's Den, MN Select over TC Elite, MSB over TNL, Heat Elite over Comets II.
Semifinal winners: 43 Hoops II over MN Select, Heat Elite over MSB
Championship: Heat Elite over 43 Hoops II

17U Pools
Pool A: 43 Hoops II is here with Select-James, Prior Lake and Comets Blue. Have to take 43 Hoops II here.

Pool B: The top 43 Hoops 16s of Chris Carr are here. MN Heat Elite, Triple Threat and Comets North also in the pool. Top pool game of the weekend is Heat Elite vs 43 Hoops at 6:20 on Saturday night. Remember that the top kids from that Heat Elite team played for 43 Hoops last year (Duxbury, Brown, Quicksell, Franklin). Should be a great game of size and experience vs athletes and depth. I'll take 43 Hoops here.

Pool C: 94 Ft of Game, MN Select-Kruger and Redhawks are here. The 4th team is TBD, but could it be Al Harris's 43 Hoops team? That would be big. Redhawks are the team to beat here.

Quarterfinal winners: 43 Hoops II, Redhawks unless 43 Hoops Harris is here, 43 Hoops Carr, Select-Kruger or Redhawks (if 43 Hoops Harris attends).
Semifinal winners: Redhawks or 43 Hoops Harris over 43 Hoops Hemmingsen, 43 Hoops Carr over Redhawks or MN Select-Kruger
Championship: 43 Hoops Carr or 43 Hoops Harris