Top 25 Minnesota high school boys basketball rankings (1/8/2024)
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The Wayzata Trojans remain the top team in Minnesota high school boys basketball after a win over No. 5 Lakeville North. Star Jackson McAndrew scored 28 points to keep the Trojans undefeated.
Waconia jumped into the Power 25 this week at No. 23. The Wildcats are 7-2 and on a six game winning streak. Eagan joins Waconia in the Power 25, jumping to the No. 24 spot.
Here is the Minnesota high school boys basketball Power 25.
Minnesota high school boys basketball Power 25
No. 1 Wayzata (10-0)
Last week’s ranking: 1
This week’s games: Jan. 8 at East Ridge (4-6), Jan. 12 vs. No. 22 Buffalo (8-2)
Ranking rationale: Lakeville North (6-4) losing earlier in the week to previous No. 10 Farmington took some of the luster away from a top-five matchup when Wayzata came to town, but the Trojans still have to feel good for going on the road and dominating in a 94-76 win vs. previous No. 5 Lakeville North. It was only 43-37 Wayzata at halftime before the Trojans pulled away.
Jackson McAndrew continues to look like a Mr. Basketball candidate after notching a game-high 28 points. Isaac Olmstead added 25. This was the Trojans’ second best victory after a neutral court win vs. No. 2 Totino-Grace (7-3).
No. 2 Totino-Grace (7-3)
Last week’s ranking: 2
This week’s games: Jan. 10 at Elk River (3-6), Jan. 12 vs. Anoka (5-5)
Ranking rationale: The Eagles went 2-0 last week. They began with a 78-41 win vs. Andover (3-5) to improve to 4-0 in the Northwest Suburban Conference. Tian Chatman led with 17 points. Another big NSC win came earlier in the season over No. 3 Park Center (11-1).
Totino-Grace stepped out of conference to pick up a 72-68 win vs. previous No. 24 Benilde-St. Margaret’s (3-5). B-SM is a talented, but desperate team that was desperate to snap what’s now a five-game losing streak.
No. 3 Park Center (11-1)
Last week’s ranking: 3
This week’s games: Jan. 9 vs. Edina (4-5), Jan. 12 at Champlin Park (5-6)
Ranking rationale: Park Center owns the most wins of any Power 25 team, for what that’s worth. The Pirates have an incredible resume with four Power 25 wins and just one slip-up to No. 2 Totino-Grace (7-3). Their win streak is up to five after going 2-0 last week. Park Center rolled by Moorhead (3-7) 94-60 and won at Blaine (2-7) 97-75 in a game that was a bigger blowout than the final score indicates.
Casmir Chavis and Ari Gooch put in 23 points and Chiang Ring had 22 vs. Moorhead. Jackson Fowlkes led with 31 vs. Blaine.
No. 4 Minnetonka (7-1)
Last week’s ranking: 4
This week’s games: Jan. 12 at St. Michael-Albertville (7-3), Jan. 13 at Brainerd (5-4)
Ranking rationale: The Skippers took care of business in their only game last week, winning 77-71 at previous No. 21 DeLaSalle (4-5).
Greyson Uelmen led with 27 points. That improved Minnetonka’s record to 4-1 against current Power 25 teams with the only loss coming 92-89 on neutral court vs. No. 3 Park Center (11-1).
No. 5 Breck (10-0)
Last week’s ranking: 6
This week’s games: Jan. 10 vs. Holy Family (7-4), Jan. 12 at St. Paul Academy (6-3)
Ranking rationale: The first shakeup in this week’s Power 25 comes with Breck sliding into the top-five for the first time. The Mustangs had no issues keeping their perfect record intact last week with three easy wins. Breck won 95-55 vs. Blake (7-3) and 79-44 at Providence Academy (2-7) for a pair of Independent Metro Athletic Conference wins.
It then stepped out of conference to win 79-58 vs. Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial (7-2) at the Southern Minnesota Hoops Fest in Rochester. LCWM is ranked No. 10 in Class 2A per Minnesota Basketball News. Breck will test itself against another 2A power this week when Holy Family comes to town.
No. 6 Hopkins (8-2)
Last week’s ranking: 7
This week’s games: Jan. 9 at No. 21 Benilde-St. Margaret’s (3-5), Jan. 12 at Eden Prairie (5-7)
Ranking rationale: The Royals rolled in their only game last week, winning 102-75 at South St. Paul (2-8). This was the third time already this season Hopkins eclipsed 100 points. This team may need to tighten up on defense if it wants to make a deep run in March, but clearly it can put the ball in the basket at a championship level.
No. 7 Shakopee (7-2)
Last week’s ranking: 8
This week’s games: Jan. 9 vs. Apple Valley (5-4), Jan. 11 vs. Chanhassen (4-5), Jan. 12 vs. Rosemount (5-5)
Ranking rationale: Shakopee’s on a three-game win streak and went 2-0 last week. The Sabers defended home court by trouncing current No. 24 Eagan (6-4) 76-50 and border rival and previous No. 20 Eden Prairie (5-7), 96-59. Shakopee’s previous season high point total was 80, so things are really clicking offensively.
It’s also held all three opponents under 60 on the win streak. Eli Schroeder led with 22 points vs. Eagan. Jalen Langsy’s 16 points led a whopping six Sabers in double figures vs. Eden Prairie. The Sabers’ two losses were to top-12 teams. If they can pick up a big-time win, they could be a top-five squad.
No. 8 Mankato East (10-1)
Last week’s ranking: 9
This week’s games: Jan. 9 vs. Rochester Mayo (3-4), Jan. 11 vs. Mankato West (8-3), Jan. 13 at Marshall (7-4)
Ranking rationale: Mankato East is on its second five-game win streak of the season. The Cougars won both games last week in differing ways. They demolished a Power 25 team from a couple weeks ago, 78-45 at Owatonna (6-3).
East then stepped out to win a huge non-conference game against fellow Class 3A power and No. 18 Stewartville (6-3), 64-63 at the Southern Minnesota Hoops Fest at Kasson-Mantorville High School. Brogan Madson led with 19 points vs. Stewartville. He was two assists shy of a double-double.
No. 9 Farmington (9-2)
Last week’s ranking: 10
This week’s games: Jan. 9 vs. Eastview (2-6), Jan. 11 vs. Burnsville (2-7)
Ranking rationale: It was quite the interesting week for Farmington. Coming off its first loss of the season in a surprising 90-80 neutral floor result to Robbinsdale Armstrong (4-6) two weeks back, the Tigers responded with their best win of the season.
They knocked off previous No. 5 Lakeville North (6-4) 77-67 in Lakeville. Farmington had a bit of a hangover a few days later by falling 75-71 vs. Chaska (4-7) in Chanhassen. Brandon Hrncir scored 49 points on the week.
The bright side is the Tigers are still unbeaten in the South Suburban Conference. They’ve also proven they can hang with top competition. However, they’re learning they need to bring it each and every night or else they’re prone for an upset.
No. 10 Lakeville North (6-4)
Last week’s ranking: 5
This week’s games: Jan. 9 at Rosemount (5-5), Jan. 12 at No. 17 Lakeville South (7-4)
Ranking rationale: It was a tough week for Lakeville North, which not only snapped a four-game win streak, but started its first losing streak of the season. The Panthers don’t drop too far, though, considering the level of competition they faced.
Last week, North fell 77-67 vs. Farmington, which moved up a spot to No. 9, and 94-76 to the top team in the state all season, No. 1 Wayzata (10-0). Farmington was a fired up bunch after losing its first game a couple weeks ago. Wayzata was one who didn’t want to see a zero leave the loss column.
Jack Robison still had a big week, dropping 32 against Farmington and 26 against Wayzata. He was two points shy of fellow Mr. Basketball candidate, Wayzata’s Jackson McAndrew. The Panthers were within six vs. Wayzata before things got out of hand in the second half.
No. 11 Minneapolis Washburn (9-1)
Last week’s ranking: 11
This week’s games: Jan. 8 vs. Minneapolis Henry/FAIR School (3-7), Jan. 10 at Minneapolis South (8-1)
Ranking rationale: Minneapolis Washburn continues to be one of the toughest teams to get a grip on. I considered placing the Millers as high as No. 9. The case could be made to have them closer to No. 20 given their relatively weak schedule thus far.
Washburn continues to beat the teams in front of it, including both its games last week to extend its win streak to eight. The Millers won 75-60 at Minneapolis Southwest (6-4) and 68-50 at St. Louis Park (5-7).
Blake Bergren led with 25 points vs. Southwest to remain perfect in Minneapolis City Conference play. Kyle Jorgenson had 24 points vs. SLP, a game Washburn led by 21 at halftime.
No. 12 Delano (9-2)
Last week’s ranking: 13
This week’s games: Jan. 9 vs. No. 23 Waconia (7-2), Jan. 12 vs. Sartell (3-7)
Ranking rationale: A five-point win over a team well under .500 doesn’t stand out on purpose, but going on the road to beat a pesky team like Richfield (3-7) is still a solid non-conference win. Richfield owns a win over No. 19 DeLaSalle (4-5), lost by two at No. 13 Orono (6-3) and has only two other losses to Minnesota schools.
Will Strandemo led all scorers with 32 points. Max Iversen added 28 points in the Tigers’ 89-84 victory. That was their only game of the week. Delano will take a five-game win streak into perhaps its toughest game left on the schedule against Waconia.
No. 13 Orono (6-3)
Last week’s ranking: 14
This week’s games: Jan. 9 at Mound Westonka (4-4)
Ranking rationale: Orono picked up its second straight win against Power 25 foes last week. The Spartans knocked off previous No. 12 Alexandria (6-3) 77-68 in Orono. They led just 39-38 at the break before pulling away in the second half. Nolan Groves led with 29 points and nine rebounds to go with 21 and 13 for Brady Wooley. Orono’s three losses have all been to top-15 teams.
No. 14 Osseo (8-3)
Last week’s ranking: 15
This week’s games: Jan. 8 vs. Champlin Park (5-6), Jan. 23 at Coon Rapids (6-3), Jan. 13 vs. Minneapolis Southwest (6-4) at Minnehaha Academy
Ranking rationale: Osseo’s matched its season long win streak of three games after going 2-0 last week. The Orioles won 73-65 at a Roseville (5-3) team threatening to re-enter the Power 25 had it wound up on top in this one.
They added a 75-54 win at Centennial (4-9) to remain unbeaten in Northwest Suburban Conference play. De’Maari Larkins poured in 29 points in the latter.
No. 15 Alexandria (6-3)
Last week’s ranking: 12
This week’s games: Jan. 9 at Rocori (4-5), Jan. 11 vs. Detroit Lakes (9-1), Jan. 13 at No. 21 Benilde-St. Margaret’s (3-5)
Ranking rationale: Alexandria has lost two in a row and dropped its only game last week. The sky is hardly falling for the Cardinals, whose three losses have all come to Power 25 competition by a combined 18 points. Last week, they dropped 77-68 at Orono (6-3), which moved up to No. 13 this week. Alexandria was down just 39-38 at halftime.
It owns two Power 25 wins and another against a Sauk Rapids-Rice (7-3) team that has fallen out but is still a solid squad.
No. 16 Cretin-Derham Hall (7-2)
Last week’s ranking: 16
This week’s games: Jan. 10 vs. Woodbury (7-3), Jan. 12 at White Bear Lake (0-9)
Ranking rationale: The Raiders are winners of three in a row after winning their first game of 2024. They knocked off a team that entered last week with just one loss, thumping Roseville (5-3) 75-47 at home. Joe Mitchell had 17 points to lead four Cretin-Derham Hall players in double figures. CD-H led by 10 at halftime before hitting the gas in the second half.
CD-H’s one-point loss to Eden Prairie (5-7) a couple weeks ago is a bit puzzling considering how poorly EP has looked since then, but CD-H’s resume is fairly solid otherwise.
No. 17 Lakeville South (7-4)
Last week’s ranking: 17
This week’s games: Jan. 9 vs. No. 24 Eagan (6-4), Jan. 12 vs. No. 10 Lakeville North (6-4)
Ranking rationale: Lakeville South has been inconsistent this season. Thankfully for the Cougars, the highs have mostly outweighed the lows. Last week was exemplary of the team’s volatility. It began with a solid 68-56 conference win at Apple Valley (5-4) for South’s fourth straight win. DaMarcus Banks led with 20 points.
Playing the next day against a rested Chanhassen team that came in as winners of three of its last four was the recipe for an upset. The Cougars lost 74-69 at the Storm (4-5). This was their first loss to a team outside this week’s top 10.
No. 18 Stewartville (6-3)
Last week’s ranking: 18
This week’s games: Jan. 9 at Kasson-Mantorville (4-7), Jan. 11 at Rochester Lourdes (3-7)
Ranking rationale: The Tigers have lost three of their last four after a 5-0 start to the season, but last week showed that they’re still capable of hanging with tough competition.
Last week began with an 87-50 dismantling of Goodhue (6-5) before suffering a 64-63 loss at the Southern Minnesota Hoops Fest at Kasson-Mantorville High School to Mankato East (10-1), which climbed a spot to No. 8 this week. Two of Stewartville’s three losses are by a combined four points. All three losses are to top-15 teams.
The Tigers own a Power 25 win over No. 12 Delano.
No. 19 DeLaSalle (4-5)
Last week’s ranking: 21
This week’s games: Jan. 9 vs. Bloomington Kennedy (3-8), Jan. 12 at Brooklyn Center (2-6)
Ranking rationale: DeLaSalle has been snake bitten in close games this season. The Islanders moved to 0-5 in games decided by single digits after giving No. 4 Minnetonka (7-1) all it could handle in a 77-71 loss at DeLaSalle.
The Islanders were up 42-32 at the break. Jaedean Udean’s 15 points led five DeLaSalle players in double figures. It was still a 2-1 week with a 69-51 win vs. St. Anthony (4-5) and a 79-41 win at Holy Angels (2-8). Two of the Islanders’ losses were to South Dakota teams and two more were to Power 25 foes.
DeLaSalle doesn’t have a ton of great wins, but it’ll still be a team to watch in the Class 3A playoffs come March.
No. 20 Columbia Heights (7-0)
Last week’s ranking: 22
This week’s games: Jan. 9 vs. Brooklyn Center (2-6), Jan. 13 vs. New Ulm (5-5) at Anoka Ramsey Community College
Ranking rationale: Columbia Heights continues to make buckets by the bushel. They’ve scored over 90 in four straight games. The Hylanders went 2-0 last week, winning 99-69 vs. Holy Angels (2-8) and 95-65 at Bloomington Kennedy (3-8).
Randy McClendon scored 30 points in the first one followed by 20 for Jency Davis. McClendon put in 29 vs. Kennedy to go with 21 for Davis. Columbia Heights has yet to face a Power 25 foe, but that will change when it heads to No. 19 DeLaSalle (4-5) next week.
No. 21 Benilde-St. Margaret's (3-5)
Last week’s ranking: 24
This week’s games: Jan. 9 vs. No. 6 Hopkins (8-2), Jan. 13 vs. No. 15 Alexandria (6-3)
Ranking rationale: One of these days, Benilde-St. Margaret’s is going to need to win some of these games. They’re on a five-game losing streak. However, B-SM has played arguably the toughest schedule in the state so far.
It’s hard to knock the Red Knights out of the Power 25 when their only game last week saw them go on the road and take No. 2 Totino-Grace (7-3) to the brink in a 72-68 loss. Four of their five losses have come away from home.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier this week, but B-SM should be able to rack up wins when it gets into the meat of its Metro West Conference slate.
No. 22 Buffalo (8-2)
Last week’s ranking: 25
This week’s games: Jan. 12 at No. 1 Wayzata (10-0)
Ranking rationale: The Bison went 1-0 last week and also improved to 1-0 against the state of Wisconsin. Buffalo knocked off La Crosse Central 71-54 at the Southern Minnesota Hoops Fest at Kasson-Mantorville High School.
LCC is a 4-5 unranked squad. This wasn’t the most impressive win, but it was a nice response after a 74-49 shellacking at Sauk Rapids-Rice (7-3) in the last game. Grady Guida led with 19 points. The computers love the Bison perhaps a bit more than I do.
The QRF ranking produced by Minnesota-Scores.net has Buffalo as the No. 9 team among all classes in the state in games played through Jan. 5.
No. 23 Waconia (7-2)
Last week’s ranking: N/R
This week’s games: Jan. 9 at No. 12 Delano (9-2), Jan. 13 vs. Eastview (2-6)
Ranking rationale: Waconia has been a team that’s been on the periphery of the Power 25 for a couple weeks now. The Wildcats’ only losses came in the first three games of the season to Power 25 teams Shakopee (7-2) and Lakeville South (7-4).
Since then, Waconia has won six straight and has gone 3-0 against bigger schools from the Lake Conference. Its last win came 70-68 at home against previous No. 20 Eden Prairie (5-7). Four of the six victories on this streak have come by double digits.
Two were in South Dakota against a squad from Wyoming and one from South Dakota.
No. 24 Eagan (6-4)
Last week’s ranking: N/R
This week’s games: Jan. 9 at No. 17 Lakeville South (7-4), Jan. 12 vs. Eastview (2-6)
Ranking rationale: After the top 20 in this week’s Power 25, it was tough deciphering the hodge podge of teams all who had cases for, and against, making their way into the last five spots. I give Eagan the nod due to some high-quality wins the Wildcats have compiled.
Their 75-70 win back on Dec. 9 on neutral court vs. Minneapolis Washburn (9-1) has continued to appreciate in value. So has a 61-51 neutral court win vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong (4-6), a team that went out and upset current No. 9 Farmington (9-2) the next day. Eagan had a three-game losing streak a few weeks ago with a pair of losses to non-Power 25 foes.
It also got rolled by 26 last week to No. 7 Shakopee (7-2). Eagan bounced back to pick up a 61-45 win at Rochester Century (6-4), which is the only team that’s beaten No. 8 Mankato East (10-1).
No. 25 Fridley (7-1)
Last week’s ranking: 19
This week’s games: Jan. 9 vs. Holy Angels (2-8), Jan. 12 vs. Bloomington Kennedy (3-8)
Ranking rationale: All good things must come to an end. At least that’s what Fridley is telling itself after its perfect record was vanquished last week.
The Tigers successfully walked the tightrope in a 72-67 win at Robbinsdale Cooper (4-5). That was their fourth win by single digits. All seven have come by 14 or fewer. The luck wore out a couple nights later in a 90-87 loss at St. Louis Park (5-7). Fridley was able to forget about it quickly with an 87-74 win the next night at St. Anthony (4-5).
The Tigers have yet to beat a Power 25 opponent, which is a reason they’re not ranked higher despite their lofty record.
