The Border Battle is back and its back in Minnesota with Minneapolis North hosting 6 games. Minnesota has won 5 of the last 6 editions with a record of 29-11 since 2015. That has broke open what was an even series. Minnesota leads the all-time series 51-34 going back to the 1st year at Tartan in 2007. Since attending that 1st Border Battle, this will be now be my 10th Border Battle. Its a loaded Wisconsin crew against a lesser Minnesota group. Records listed are thru Thursday 1/20/22.
Game 1: Rice Lake (8-3) vs Maranatha Christian (9-3)
Junior guard Tyler Orr leads Rice Lake with 24.3 PPG. He matches up with a talented guard crew for Maranatha. Senior Jeremiah LaVelle averages almost 19 PPG. Junior Bailey McDonald averages 16.3 PPG. Maranatha plugs in a bunch of interchangeable pieces around them. MCA will want to play fast and its a very 1 on 1 style. They've won 8 games in a row and sit at the top of the Skyline standings. Rice Lake is 3rd in the Big Rivers behind fellow Border Battle member Eau Claire Memorial who beat them in a close game on opening night. Both teams playing on a quick turnaround with Friday night games.
Matchup to Watch: Tyler Orr vs Bailey McDonald
Czar's Pick: Sleeper game of the day. I'll take Rice Lake here.
Game 2: #6 D1 Eau Claire Memorial (12-2) vs Richfield (4-5)
Memorial forward Will Boser (17.8 PPG) leads a quality trio. He'll play at Concordia-St. Paul next year. 6'8 forward LJ Wells leads the team with 20.8 PPG. Guard Mekhi Shaw adds 12.5 PPG. Richfield has a nice trio of their own with PG Mitchell January (20.7 PPG), PF Jaden Wollmuth (13.9 PPG) and wing Jaedyn Patterson (15 PPG). Too much firepower from Memorial here.
Matchup to Watch: LJ Wells vs Jaden Wollmuth
Czar's Pick: Eau Claire Memorial
Game 3: #2 D2 Pewaukee (9-2) vs Robbinsdale Armstrong (5-6)
Pewaukee is absolutely stacked. They have 2 D2 committed guards in Ashton Janowski (17.2PPG) and Josh Terrian (11.9 PPG). A top 50 national player in Wisconsin's top junior Milan Momcilovic, a versatile forward who averages 17.5 PPG. And ho hum another top 5 Wisconsin sophomore in guard Nick Janowski and his team high 20.9 PPG who could be a high major player too. Senior Peyton (16.9 PPG) and Soph Seth Newbern (8.9 PPG) lead Armstrong along with wing Owen Skram (11.2 PPG). Pewaukee way too much here.
Matchup to Watch: Milan Momcilovic vs Peyton Newburn
Czar's Pick: Pewaukee
Game 4: #1 D2 Wisconsin Lutheran (12-1) vs #4AA Minnehaha Academy (3-4)
Wisconin Lutheran is another loaded squad. Soph Kon Knueppel (16.2 PPG) is the top sophomore in WI and has Minnesota and Wisconsin offers. Prentice Young, Landon Key and Jamiir Allen are 3 talented juniors to go with him. Senior guard Jordan Glenn leads the team with 17 PPG. Prince Aligbe is averaging 24.6 PPG. He might need to average 50 PPG to carry the offense now that Mercy Miller is off to Oak Hill. This one could get ugly.
Matchup to Watch: Kon Knueppel vs Prince Aligbe
Czar's Pick: Wisconsin Lutheran
Game 5: #5 D1 Menomonee Falls (11-2) vs #1AAA Totino-Grace (9-2)
This is the game of the day and not just because of the high profile PG matchup between North Carolina commit Seth Trimble (25.5 PPG) and Taison Chatman.(11 PPG). Steven Clay is a top 10 WI senior who is a D1 talent. He averages 16.6 PPG. His matchup with Demarion Watson and his team high 14.7 PPG is also going to be a joy to watch. How TG responds to the quick turnaround after their big comeback win over #1AAAA Park Center is a question here.
Matchups to Watch: Seth Trimble vs Taison Chatman, Steven Clay vs Demarion Watson
Czar's Pick: Totino-Grace
Game 6: Brookfield East (5-9) at #1AA Minneapolis North (9-3)
North's pressure D vs the Brookfield East screening offense (think Cambridge-Isanti) is going to be a joy to watch. This Joe Rux crew is down from their normal high standards. But they still have a D2 level perimeter player in Dan Gherezgher (17.5 PPG). Guard Matt Schmainda (16.4 PPG) is the other player to watch. Willie Wilson leads a talented squad of guards for North with 15.2 PPG. Gani Stevens anchors the interior with 9.8 PPG.
Matchup to Watch: Dan Gherezgher vs Jacob Butler
Czar's Pick: Minneapolis North
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