2025 Holiday Stocking Stuffers

A holiday week means a light schedule.  Especially since I'll save all the holiday viewing comments for next week.  For this week's review, let's take a higher level overview and look at the teams that have surprised me so far this season.

You Get A Puppy, HOORAY!
Blaine:
The Bengals are my best story so far of the AAAA season with their 7-0 start.  They opened the year with a dominant win at Andover and other section 7 wins.  Then their last 2 games have been a blowout win at Anoka and a good highway 65 win at Spring Lake Park.  That makes me a believer.  Wing Shiloh Ayitey has broken out with 23 points per night.  Soph guard Henry Semans is adding another 15.6 PPG.  Add in fellow wings Tuulla Gemta and Park Center transfer DaRoyce Mills for even more wing productivity.

Eden Prairie: 
The Eagles are 6-0 including 3-0 on the road in always tough section 2AAAA.  Hamze Yusuf has been terrific running the show and attacking the basket.  Carter Pulrang and Cooper Fahning are knocking down shots.  Everybody can score it which makes them tough to guard.  We'll see how their defense stands up when they get into Lake Conference play.

Osseo:
Osseo lost a season opening section game at Irondale.  That's even more surprising now that the Orioles have run off 6 straight wins since then.  Best wins are home wins over Spring Lake Park in a section 5AAAA matchup.  Then they knocked off East Ridge in the final game before the holiday.   You knew Osseo would be much improved over last year with transfer guards Joel Saah and Kwa Silikpoh coming in.  However its holdover guard Owen Counce who has broken out and is leading the team in scoring.  He had the late 3 to win the East Ridge game.

Richfield:
We knew Richfield was good, but the 8-0 Spartans are just throttling people.  Blowout win at section rival Orono plus home wins over Benilde-St. Margaret's and Delano have then dominating the section.  They get out and go as fast as anybody.  Wing Dre Collins is putting up 25.1 PPG.  Richfield took out a solid Minnehaha group without him at the Capital City.  Huge Tri-Metro home matchup vs De La Salle on Saturday afternoon.  Richfield has been a nemesis for the Islanders winning 3 of the last 4 meetings.

Heritage Christian:
The Eagles just lost their 1st game in the Granite City classic.  That was a 1 point loss to St. Croix Prep.  They have good section wins over Hope Acacdemy and a close win at United Christian.  Wing Jesper Synstelien has been outstanding with 15.6 PPG.  Add in 3 others in double figures for a balanced lineup.  This is a group that was looking to rebuild considering they lost 4 1000 point scorers and top returnee Aaron Palmer hasn't returned.  Big test against traditional power Western Christian (IA) looms this weekend as prep for the MCAA season.

Batteries and/or Assembly Required:
Park of Cottage Grove:
The Wolfpack have replaced a ton but are off to a 6-1 start.  They taken advantage of a very soft early schedule though.  The Suburban East is down though so maybe they make a run.

Farmington:
The Tigers are 6-1 with their only loss to Prior Lake.  A good home win over Edina and they knocked off a depleted Rochester Mayo group in the Capital City.  Add in a road win at Lakeville South and Farmington looks like they want to be in the top seed discussion in 1AAAA.  Big games loom at Apple Valley and home vs Eagan in the first week after the new year.

Princeton:
The Tigers are off to a 7-2 start.  They were 6-0 prior to blowout losses to Monticello and Spring Lake Park.  They have a good home win over Zimmerman and then won at upstart St. Cloud Apollo in the Granite City Classic.  Noah Stencel filling his do it all role with 18.5 PPG.  Guard Michael Kincaid having a nice expanded season with 16.8 PPG.

Coal In The Stocking: 
Prior Lake
The Lakers lost 4 of their first 5 but have won 2 road games in a row to improve to 3-4.  Starting the season against top ranked Wayzata and Totino Grace may have set them back.  How do their pieces fit together?  How do you make the Kobby Sam-Brew and Colten Gunderson combo work on the front line?  Kolby Thompson has shot it well to lead them with 13.2 PPG.   Tough games loom against Chaska and archrival Shakopee in the Shakopee tourney this week.

Shakopee:
Yes the Sabers have had to replace a ton,  But I saw a reload, not a rebuild and didn't have winless at Christmas on my list.   3 section losses to start the season.  Then into the break with a blowout home loss to league favorite Apple Valley.  The schedule is brutal coming up too.  Home vs Minnetonka and Prior Lake in their holiday tourney.  Then on the road to Wayzata and Eagan all in the next 8 days.  Luke Schroeder is putting up expected big numbers with 24 points a night.  Involving the rest of a junior laden lineup is the next step.

Anoka:
Anoka is off to a rough 3-7 start but 4 of those losses are by 5 points or less.  The blowout loss at Benilde-St. Margaret's had 3 starters out including Kolden Johnson and Bryce Gaustad.  But losing to Champlin Park and Stillwater plus a blowout loss to Blaine has been unexpected.  The schedule doesn't help either as they have a 3 game road trip against Totino-Grace, Mahtomedi and Osseo coming up starting next week