2012-13 Section 3AAA Preview

This is the 16th preview in my 2012-2013 season preview series.  In this preview, we begin our look at the large school sections in the metro.  Its off to the north metro for a look at section 3AAA.  For a list of all the season previews, click here.

Defending Champion: De La Salle

Predicted Seeding

1. De La Salle
2. Spring Lake Park
3. Minneapolis Patrick Henry
4. Columbia Heights
5. Totino-Grace
6. St. Anthony
7. Fridley
8. St. Paul Como Park

De La Salle is a no brainer at 1.  Como Park and Fridley fill the last 2 slots.  Como Park will likely need to be Fridley in Fridley's holiday tournament to steal the 7th seed.  Spring Lake Park gets the nod from the North Suburban coaches here.  Henry can make that decision difficult if they win the Minneapolis City.  Slots 4-6 could go any direction.  Heights has guards and is athletic.  Totino-Grace has a couple of pieces to build around.  Those neighbors only place once at Heights in late January, winner likely to get the higher seed thanks to the unbalanced North Suburban schedule.

Sleeper: Minneapolis Henry.  They have a goto scorer in Darius Hill and they have athletes.  Those can go a long way in this section.

Section Winner: De La Salle.  With basically everything back from last year's state championship crew plus a player like Sacar Anim breaking into the rotation, they are the easy favorite. Not just here but to win state.