2019-20 Season in a Nutshell

This is the final preview in the 2019-2020 Season Preview series.  Per normal tradition, it concludes with a season overview for the casual fan.  This is a higher level simplified preview for those who don't eat, sleep and breathe hoops like the rest of us.  Its who and what you need to see and when and where to see it.  If you missed any of the 121 team previews over 13 conferences or the 14 section previews, a full list of them can be found here.

10 Local Events

• Nov 30th - Big 12 Classic at Champlin Park
• Dec 7 - Boys Tipoff Classic at Hopkins
• Dec 14 - Southside Showcase at Minnehaha and Hiawatha Academy
• Jan 3rd and 4th - Sierra Canyon (CA) and Patrick School (NJ) at Minnehaha
• Jan 11th - Basketball Showcase at Minneapolis Henry
• Jan 18th - Hall of Fame Winter Classic at Anoka-Ramsey CC
• Jan 18th - Bragging Rights Classic at Prairie Seeds Academy
• Jan 20th - Dream Classic at Minneapolis Roosevelt
• Jan 25th - South Metro Hoopfest at Burnsville
• Feb 1st - Community Clash at St. Michael-Albertville

As usual the Breakdown Sports USA events kickoff the season with a bang.  A rematch of last season's class AAA title game between De La Salle and Waseca is just one of the notable games on the Big 12 schedule.  Waseca and Mankato East are a couple of outstate teams with tough matchups on the main court in the Tipoff Classic.  All 10 teams in the AAAA Breakdown top 10 will be on the main court along with 4 of the top 6 in AAA and #1AA Waseca.  Lake City and Caledonia are 2 of the top 5 class AA heavyweights playing on the east court.

The Southside Showcase expands to 2 gyms and 14 games.  Minnehaha has all big school games.  Don't sleep on the small school teams just down the street at Hiawatha.  Hiawatha, Cristo Rey, Hope Academy, Blake and Mayer Lutheran plus tradition power Rushford-Peterson are a good group of teams that will all be playing there.

Speaking of Minnehaha, they'll host a monster set of games on the 1st weekend of the new year.  Friday night will feature national powers Sierra Canyon of California and The Patrick School of New Jersey.  Sierra Canyon's roster has Bronny James (Lebron's son) amongst many high profile guys.  The Patrick School is loaded too.  They'll play each other on Friday night along with Minnehaha hosting Park Center.  Then Sierra Canyon sticks around to play Minnehaha on Saturday in the local game of the year.  Rumor says there might be ESPN involvement too.

The usual Tim Williams events dot the rest of the January calendar.  But 1 new event pops up with the Minnesota basketball hall of fame putting on an event at Anoka-Ramsey.  A possible state title preview there with the 2 top preseason favorites, Eden Prairie and Park Center, going at it.  It also includes the best chance for metro fans to catch the Madsen twins in action (Cincinnati commits) as they take on East Ridge.

10 Other Non-Conference Games to Watch

• De La Salle at North St. Paul - Dec 5th 
• Minnehaha at Hopkins - Dec 17th 
• Eden Prairie at East Ridge - Dec 21st
• East Ridge holiday tourney- Dec 27th and 28th
• De La Salle at Hopkins - Jan 10th 
• Prior Lake at Chaska - Jan 30th
• Eden Prairie at De La Salle - Feb 1st 
• De La Salle at Cretin-Derham Hall - Feb 15th
• Eden Prairie at Minnehaha - Feb 18th
• De La Salle at Minnehaha - Feb 22nd

There's nothing like a good grudge match and the first 2 games fit that bill.  North St. Paul went to the island and got everybody's attention with a win there last season.  Minnehaha has lost 3 straight to Hopkins over the last 2 years including their only 2 losses last season.  A tough trio of games for Ben Carlson and East Ridge to end the calendar year.  AAAA favorite Eden Prairie comes calling to start the holiday break.  Then Ben Carlson goes head to head with future Wisconsin teammate Steven Crowl to start their holiday tournament.  They finish that tourney against Minnehaha.  State contenders and powerhouses Hopkins and De La Salle have a return game to start the new year.  Prior Lake's only major solo non-conference matchup is a tough section battle at Chaska right in the middle of the South Suburban season.   De La Salle gets in a couple of rivalry games in February with CDH and Minnehaha.

10 Conference Games to Watch

• Prior Lake at Shakopee - Jan 7th
• Tartan at North St. Paul- Jan 14th
• Eden Prairie at Hopkins - Jan 16th
• Champlin Park at Park Center - Jan 28th
• Cristo Rey at St. Croix Prep - Jan 28th
• Shakopee at Prior Lake - Feb 7th
• Hopkins at Eden Prairie - Feb 11th
• North St. Paul at Tartan - Feb 14th
• St. Croix Prep at Cristo Rey - Feb 18th
• Cretin-Derham Hall at East Ridge - Feb 28th
  

The beauty in this list of games is not just the conference implications, but also the section seeding impacts.  8 of these 10 games are section matchups with the Hopkins vs Eden Prairie games being possible 1 seed matchups and a state title preview.  Great rivalries here too with Prior Lake and Shakopee in the section 2AAAA and a very underrated district rivalry in section 4AAAA between Tartan and North St. Paul.  Cristo Rey and St. Croix Prep had a tight non-conference game last year and are favorites in section 4AA.  Champlin Park vs Park Center is the only meeting between the division favorites in the NW Suburban and 2 of the best teams in section 5AAAA along with Osseo.  The regular season finale between CDH and East Ridge is too good to resist with a league title and top seed in section 4AAAA possibly up for grabs.

10 Upperclassmen to Watch

• Ben Carlson - East Ridge
• Steven Crowl - Eastview
• Dain Dainja - Park Center
• Drake Dobbs - Eden Prairie
• Dawson Garcia - Prior Lake
• J'Vonne Hadley - Cretin-Derham Hall
• Chet Holmgren - Minnehaha 
• Jacob Hutson - Edina
• Jalen Suggs - Minnehaha
• Kerwin Walton - Hopkins

10 Underclassmen You Need to Know

• Prince Aligbe - Minnehaha
• Kendall Blue - East Ridge
• Braeden Carrington - Park Center 
• Chase Carter - Minnehaha Academy
• Taison Chatman - Totino-Grace
• Camden Heide - Wayzata
• Tre Holloman - Cretin-Derham Hall
• Emmett Johnson - Holy Angels 
• CJ O'Hara - Totino-Grace 
• Elvis Nnaji - Hopkins

10 Local Teams to Watch

• Cretin-Derham Hall
• De La Salle
• Eastview
• East Ridge
• Eden Prairie
• Hopkins
• Minnehaha Academy
• Park Center
• Prior Lake
• Shakopee

Current 10 Games or More Streaks In Conference Play

• De La Salle - 40 wins
• Minneapolis North - 39 wins
• Minnehaha Academy - 32 wins (23 in a row overall)
• East Ridge- 23 wins
• St. Paul Central - 17 wins
• Park Center - 15 wins
• Tartan - 14 wins
• Cristo Rey Jesuit - 12 wins (in EMAC, move to Skyline this season)
• Lakeville North - 10 wins
• Hill-Murray - 17 losses
• International School of Minnesota/Eagle Ridge Academy - 14 losses* 
• Richfield - 13 losses (in Metro West, move to Tri-Metro this season)

* The International School of Minnesota/Eagle Ridge Academy streak ends this year as the programs are no longer doing their co-op.  ISM now combines with Chesterton but that will be under an independent banner this year.  Eagle Ridge joins the new era of the MCAA.

Season Thoughts
Its another quality year in class AAAA thanks to a deep 2020 class.  Park Center and Eden Prairie stand out as immediate favorites but the loss of Ariel Bland leaves a hole inside for Eden Prairie.  Hopkins won't be big either but will have lots of firepower on the perimeter with Kerwin Walton leading that crew.  Cretin-Derham Hall will be similar to that with J'Vonne Hadley filling the stat sheet on the wing and Tre Holloman running the show.  There's also plenty to talk about with big guys too.  Dawson Garcia at Prior Lake, Steven Crowl at Eastview and Ben Carlson at East Ridge will all make their teams forces to be reckoned with.  Can't forget Jacob Hutson of Edina in that group of outstanding bigs either.  I'm also looking forward to how Osseo and Champlin Park reload with young talent. 

Minnehaha moves up to AAA and is the heavy favorite thanks to a roster that may be as talented from top to bottom as we've seen in Minnesota.  De La Salle has talent but lacks experience and an obvious high level guy on the offensive end.  But Cade Haskins may be the guy to fill that role. Don't expect Holy Angels to go away, they were very good at all levels last year and have turned around in a hurry.  Soph Emmet Johnson is a big reason for that.  Totino-Grace has a group of very talented freshmen that will be a fun story to follow in the tough NW Suburban schedule.  St. Croix Lutheran has a nice junior class that can make a run this year and next.

As to the small schools, I think the races in the new Skyline conference and the renewed/revamped EMAC be really fun to watch.  St. Croix Prep and Cristo Rey have outstanding guard play that will make them very dangerous all season.  Those 2 look to be on a collision course in section 4AA.  Section 4A will once again be an entertaining mess figure out with Hope Academy, CHOF and the EMAC elite going after a trip to state.  Thomas Conroy won't put up the same crazy stats he did last year for Liberty thanks to an upgrade in competition but he's still an inside threat to be dealt with.  Hope's Caleb Hoilien will play all 5 spots and have a big year trying to get beyond last year's section final loss.  Hiawatha's freshman make them appealing to follow over the next few years.

So now that all the predictions and off season work are in, its time to let the season play out on the court.  Good luck to all and I hope everyone will #ShockTheCzar.