2017-18 Section 6AAA Preview

This is the 19th preview in my 2017-2018 season preview series.  Week 5 of this 6 week series begins with a glance at the final metro area section in class AAA, loaded section 6.  For a list of all the season previews and how they are generated, click here.

Section 6AAA (8 teams)
Defending Champion: De La Salle

Tournament Schedule:
Quarterfinals: Wednesday, March 7th
Semifinals: Saturday, March 10th
Finals: Thursday, March 15th at Chanhassen

New teams in the section

• Minneapolis Roosevelt (4AA)
• Robbinsdale Cooper (6AAAA)

Teams that left the section

• Blake (5AA)
• Delano (5AAA)

Predicted Seeding

1. DeLaSalle
2. Orono
3. Waconia 
4. Minneapolis Roosevelt 
5. Robbinsdale Cooper
6. Minneapolis Henry
7. Benilde-St. Margaret's
8. Mound-Westonka

At the top, you have 2 of the state favorites in AAA.  Then a group of solid teams in Waconia, Roosevelt and Cooper.  Waconia has a solid backcourt of Charlie Gove and PJ Hayes to go with Nick Fulford up front.  Cooper and Roosevelt won't be big but their quickness will be a factor.  They'll battle for the last home game.  Henry is in the next group.  Benilde-St. Margaret's is down and Mound-Westonka continues rebuilding.  The brutally tough Wright County East schedule will be great tourney prep for Orono and Waconia.

Sleeper: Robbinsdale Cooper.  They've got a bunch of quick guards that can be very disruptive in Bo Powell system.  In recent years the Hawks have been a bracket buster.  So moving down, even into a tough section, I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen again.

Section Winner: Orono.  So far in my predictions the top pick in each section has been pretty straight forward and clearly above the rest.  Not here.  Barry Wohler has been there and done that.  He has an outstanding backcourt of Colton Codute and Max Bjorklund to go with Jarvis Thomas up front.  Plus they have quality depth behind that.  De La Salle has no good matchup for Thomas and Orono should be strong enough at the guard spots to get into sets.  I'll take this as the year that the Islanders AAA streak ends.