Top 25 Minnesota high school boys basketball rankings (1/15/2024)
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The top 10 in Minnesota high school boys basketball remains the same this week, but Waconia is knocking on the door after jumping from No. 23 to No. 13.
The Wildcats started 2-1 in this season with losses to No. 7 Shakopee and No. 17 Lakeville South. Since, they've won eight in a row with upcoming games against New Prague and Bloomington Jefferson.
Here is the Minnesota high school boys basketball Power 25.
Minnesota high school boys basketball Power 25
No. 1 Wayzata (12-0)
Last week’s ranking: 1
This week’s games: Jan. 16 at Eden Prairie (6-8), Jan. 19 at Edina (5-6)
Ranking rationale: Wayzata doesn’t just beat teams. It dominates them. All but one of the Trojans’ wins this season have come by double digits, including each of the last nine. Wayzata went 2-0 last week, beginning with a 74-64 win at an East Ridge (6-7) team that’s had its struggles, but is talented enough to hang with anyone.
Wayzata led by seven at halftime. It was led by 16 points from Wyatt McBeth. That was the Trojans’ fourth straight game on the road. In their first home game in 19 days, they hammered previous No. 22 Buffalo (8-3) 83-54. Now, it’s back on the road for three more.
No. 2 Totino-Grace (9-3)
Last week’s ranking: 2
This week’s games: Jan. 16 at No. 23 Maple Grove (7-5), Jan. 18 vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong (7-6)
Ranking rationale: Totino-Grace is still perfect in Northwest Suburban Conference play after picking up a couple victories last week. The Eagles’ overall win streak is up to four now thanks to a 69-47 win at Elk River (3-8) and an 87-60 win vs. Anoka (6-6). Chace Watley led with 17 points vs. Elk River. Totino-Grace only has one loss to a Minnesota team, which came by two points to No. 1 Wayzata (12-0).
No. 3 Park Center (13-1)
Last week’s ranking: 3
This week’s games: Jan. 16 at Coon Rapids (6-5), Jan. 18 at Elk River (3-8), Jan. 20 vs. Eau Claire Memorial (10-2), Wisconsin at Benilde-St. Margaret’s
Ranking rationale: The Pirates are now on a season long seven-game win streak after posting a 2-0 record last week. Park Center opened with a 70-39 win at Edina (5-6) before stepping back into Northwest Suburban Conference play where it dispatched Champlin Park (5-7) 87-69.
Champlin Park recently had a five-game win streak and hung within nine of No. 12 Osseo (11-3) in its previous outing. Casmir Chavis led with 29 vs. the Rebels. Ari Gooch led with 20 against Edina. The Pirates ran away from the Hornets in the second half after leading 29-21 at the half.
No. 4 Minnetonka (9-1)
Last week’s ranking: 4
This week’s games: Jan. 19 vs. No. 22 Buffalo (8-3), Jan. 20 vs. Grafton, Wisconsin (8-4), at Benilde-St. Margaret’s
Ranking rationale: Minnetonka likely didn’t play its best best basketball of the season this week, but the Skippers do what good, if not great, teams do. They won on the road.
Minnetonka had six days off prior to a Jan. 12 75-66 win at St. Michael-Albertville (7-5) in the Lake Conference opener. The Skippers then had to take a road trip the next day to play a matinee against a rested Brainerd (5-7) squad. The Warriors hung within two at halftime before the visitors asserted themselves.
This week, they take on a Power 25 Minnesota squad, as well as Graffton, Wisconsin, which was ranked No. 6 in Wisconsin’s Division II in the Jan. 2 coaches poll.
No. 5 Breck (12-0)
Last week’s ranking: 5
This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. Minnehaha Academy (7-7), Jan. 19 at Blake (8-4)
Ranking rationale: It’s not inconceivable that Breck could run the table this season. There are still some testers on the docket, but the Mustangs continue to dominate.
Breck went 2-0 last week, beginning with a 95-63 thrashing of one of its fellow Class 2A heavyweight Holy Family (7-7). Daniel Freitag went off for 37 points. The Mustangs went on the road a couple nights later to score a season high in a 107-75 win against St. Paul Academy (7-4). Hanif Muhammad led with 26. Breck was up just 10 at half before running away with a 61-point second half.
No. 6 Hopkins (10-2)
Last week’s ranking: 6
This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. Bloomington Kennedy (3-10)
Ranking rationale: The Royals may have lost earlier this season to the Class 3A and 2A title contenders, but they remain perfect against their Class 4A brethren. Hopkins moved to 5-0 against its class with a 91-88 win at an enigmatic Eden Prairie (6-8) squad. Hopkins led 46-39 at the break.
Perhaps it was a bit of a letdown after the Royals went on the road to speed by previous No. 21 and 3A power Benilde-St. Margaret’s (4-6), 94-75. Jayden Moore led with 27 points and J.J. Semanko added 22.
No. 7 Shakopee (9-2)
Last week’s ranking: 7
This week’s games: Jan. 18 at Prior Lake (6-6)
Ranking rationale: The Sabers’ win streak is up to six after a 3-0 record last week all at home. They handled a solid Apple Valley (5-6) team 76-62, fended off pesky Chanhassen (4-6) 71-66 and improve to 4-1 in the South Suburban Conference with a 93-64 win vs. Rosemount (5-7).
That sets up a key game between 4-1 South Suburban Conference squads when Shakopee goes on the road this week for the first time since Dec. 22. Jalen Langsy led with 18 points vs. Apple Valley in a game Shakopee led by just five at halftime. He also led with 20 points against Chanhassen, another game Shakopee led by five at the half. Yet again, it was a five-point halftime lead against Rosemount and, yet again, Langsy led with 25 points.
No. 8 Mankato East (12-1)
Last week’s ranking: 8
This week’s games: Jan. 19 vs. Austin (4-8)
Ranking rationale: Mankato East’s win streak is up to seven after posting a 2-0 week. The Cougars picked up their eighth 30-plus point win in an 87-48 result at Rochester Mayo (3-6). East followed it up a couple nights later with an 80-68 rivalry win vs. Mankato West (9-4). The Cougars’ Jan. 13 game at Marshall (7-5) was postponed.
No. 9 Farmington (11-2)
Last week’s ranking: 9
This week’s games: Jan. 20 at Apple Valley (5-6)
Ranking rationale: After dropping two of its last three, Farmington posted a 2-0 record last week. The Tigers weren’t caught overlooking sub-.500 opponents, winning 82-54 vs. Eastview (2-9) and 84-65 vs. Burnsville (2-10). The Tigers were on the Lightning from the jump, leading 45-20 at halftime against a state tournament team from a year ago.
Brandon Hrncir continued his torrid scoring pace of late, putting in a game-high 19 points. Farmington led just 39-32 against the Blaze before putting on the afterburners in the second half. Hrncir led all scorers with 26.
No. 10 Lakeville North (8-4)
Last week’s ranking: 10
This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. Rochester Century (8-4), Jan. 18 at Eastview (2-9)
Ranking rationale: Lakeville North picked up its second win over a Power 25 opponent with a rivalry victory last week. The Panthers went on the road and knocked off previous No. 17 Lakeville South (8-5) 76-71. Jack Robison had a big game with 32 points.
North won both games last week, which began with a 64-51 win at Rosemount (5-7). Robison led with 15. This was the type of week the Panthers were looking for after dropping a pair of ranked contests.
No. 11 Minneapolis Washburn (12-1)
Last week’s ranking: 11
This week’s games: Jan. 17 vs. Minneapolis Edison (2-9)
Ranking rationale: I had Minneapolis Washburn on upset watch with a couple tough matchups last week. The Millers passed the tests. The week began with an 82-46 warmup vs. Minneapolis Henry (3-8). Kyle Jorgenson led with 29 points. Next up was a pivotal game in the Minneapolis City Conference standings that Washburn took 60-54 at Minneapolis South (10-2).
Jorgenson led with 25 as his team battled back from a 29-28 halftime deficit. The Class 4A Millers capped a 3-0 week by laying the hammer down on one of the top Class 2A teams, 73-41 vs. Holy Family at the Southside Super Showcase at Minnehaha Academy. Jorgenson’s stellar week ended in a 24-point outing.
The Millers are primed to crack the top 10 if one of their neighbors in the ranking slips up.
No. 12 Osseo (11-3)
Last week’s ranking: 14
This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. Elk River (3-8), Jan. 19 at No. 23 Maple Grove (7-5)
Ranking rationale: Osseo is riding a six-game win streak. None of those came against Power 25 foes, but almost all of them were against solid competition. The Orioles went 3-0 last week, starting with a 59-50 win vs. Champlin Park (5-8), which snapped the Rebels- five-game win streak. That was Osseo’s only home game on the win streak.
The Orioles next roughed up a Coon Rapids (6-5) team that had won two if its previous three, 91-56. Jaymeson Travis’ 17 points led the way for the team’s season-high point total. Osseo capped the week with a 57-56 win vs. Minneapolis Southwest (7-5) at the Southside Super Showcase at Minnehaha Academy.
The Orioles held off an inspired effort against a team coming off of four days rest. De’Maari Larkins paced with 22 points.
No. 13 Waconia (9-2)
Last week’s ranking: 23
This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. New Prague (3-8), Jan. 19 vs. Bloomington Jefferson (3-9)
Ranking rationale: Waconia is one of the hottest teams in the states. The Wildcats continue to impress since their 1-2 start to the season. Now they’re on a seven-game heater. Waconia won both its contests last week with the first going down as an instant classic.
Gavin Olson’s 41-point effort ended with his game-winner at the buzzer to stun previous No. 12 Delano (10-3), 77-75 in Delano. Waconia battled back from an 11-point halftime deficit. The Wildcats used another second-half surge to pull away from a 36-34 halftime lead vs. Eastview (2-9) in an 80-68 win.
Eastview took previous No. 24 Eagan (7-5) to overtime the previous night. William Kirsch led Waconia with 26 points vs. Eastview and Olson had 21.
No. 14 Delano (10-3)
Last week’s ranking: 12
This week’s games: Jan. 18 at Southwest Christian (8-2), Jan. 20 at New Ulm (8-5)
Ranking rationale: Delano has won six of its last seven, but the one loss was a tough one to swallow. The Tigers were downed 77-75 vs. current No. 13 Waconia (9-2). They fell at the buzzer on a game-winner by Gavin Olson, who finished with 41 points.
Delano led 37-26 at halftime. The Tigers were led by 25 points from Max Iversen and 24 from Will Strandemo. Delano took out its anger on Sartell (3-8) a few nights later with an 80-42 victory, its largest margin of the season. Iversen had 19 and Strandemo 18.
All three of Delano’s losses have come to Power 25 teams. It has one Power 25 win.
No. 15 Orono (7-3)
Last week’s ranking: 13
This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. Chanhassen (4-6), Jan. 19 vs. New Prague (4-8), Jan. 20 vs. La Crosse Central (5-5) at Benilde-St. Margaret’s
Ranking rationale: Orono took care of business in its one matchup last week. The Spartans improved their win streak to three with a 79-55 victory at Mound Westonka (5-6). Nolan Groves led with 18 points, followed by 12 for Lucas Knudson and 11 for Brady Wooley. Orono remains 2-3 vs. Power 25 opponents with the three losses coming to top-15 squads.
No. 16 Cretin-Derham Hall (9-2)
Last week’s ranking: 16
This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. Mounds View (10-3), Jan. 19 vs. Stillwater (7-5)
Ranking rationale: There’s still a lot of season left, but Cretin-Derham Hall is in great position to win the Suburban East Conference. The Raiders improved to 6-0 in the SEC after winning 73-49 vs. Woodbury (7-6) and 73-56 at White Bear Lake (0-12).
Every other SEC team has at least two losses. Cretin-Derham Hall beat two of those three in the first meeting and can make it three if it can win a big one this week vs. Mounds View. Joe Mitchell’s 20 points led the way vs. Woodbury.
No. 17 Lakeville South (8-5)
Last week’s ranking: 17
This week’s games: Jan. 18 vs. Rosemount (5-7)
Ranking rationale: Lakeville South had one of those weeks where it just as easily could have gone 0-2 or 2-0. So, a 1-1 split seems fair. The Cougars erased a seven-point halftime deficit to win 58-55 vs. previous No. 24 Eagan (7-5). Ryan Johnson led with 18 points. South was hoping to carry that momentum into its crosstown rivalry with No. 10 Lakeville North (8-4).
The Cougars were down just one at halftime but couldn’t come out on top after 36 minutes, falling 76-71. On the bright side, it was their first time eclipsing 70 points in the last five games. DaMarcus Banks led with 18 points.
No. 18 Stewartville (9-3)
Last week’s ranking: 18
This week’s games: Jan. 16 at Pine Island (7-4), Jan. 19 vs. Caledonia (10-2) in Rochester
Ranking rationale: The Tigers had a busy week going 3-0, even with a game getting postponed. Stewartville opened with a 75-47 win at Kasson-Mantorville (4-8). It stayed unbeaten in Hiawatha Valley League play with a 72-30 win at Rochester Lourdes (3-10). The Tigers were scheduled to play a pair of games at the Midwest Players Classic in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Their Jan. 12 opener vs. Prescott, Wisconsin (9-4), was postponed due to weather. They got their game in the next day, thumping Holmen, Wisconsin (2-11), 77-41. It was Stewartville's sixth 30-plus point margin of victory.
No. 19 DeLaSalle (6-5)
Last week’s ranking: 19
This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. No. 21 Columbia Heights (8-0), Jan. 19 at Minneapolis North (10-3)
Ranking rationale: It’s hard to believe, but the Islanders are above .500 for the first time this season. They’ve been given some grace in the ranking due to their brute of a schedule, which lightened up last week for them to roll in both games.
DeLaSalle won 84-55 vs. Bloomington Kennedy (3-10) and 85-32 at Brooklyn Center (2-8). Dorian Pruitt led with 19 points vs. Kennedy and Jaeden Udean added 18. Andrew Apiagyei’s 15 points paced four Islanders with 13 or more against the Centaurs.
No. 20 Benilde-St. Margaret's (4-6)
Last week’s ranking: 21
This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. Bloomington Jefferson (3-9), Jan. 19 vs. St. Louis Park (5-7), Jan. 20 vs. Homestead, Wisconsin (9-3)
Ranking rationale: Benilde-St. Margaret’s is starting to play up to its potential. The Red Knights took No. 2 Totino-Grace (9-3) to the brink a couple weeks ago in a 72-68 road loss. Last week opened with a 94-75 home loss to No. 6 Hopkins (10-2) that looked ugly at the end, but the Red Knights were within nine and able to do some good things offensively.
Benilde-St. Margaret's finally snapped a six-game skid with a 72-45 stomping of previous No. 15 Alexandria (8-4). It was 49-20 at halftime. Jalen Wilson’s 17 points led five Red Knights in double digits. B-SM has a good chance to get back to .500 for the first time since mid-December before ending this week with a tough opponent ranked No. 3 in Wisconsin in the Jan. 2 coaches poll.
No. 21 Columbia Heights (8-0)
Last week’s ranking: 20
This week’s games: Jan. 16 at No. 19 DeLaSalle (6-5), Jan. 19 vs. No. 25 Fridley (9-1)
Ranking rationale: Columbia Heights drops a spot, but not by its own volition. The Hylanders won their lone contest last week, 85-49 vs. Brooklyn Center (2-8). Randy McClendon led with 31 points. Julian Manjo (16) and Jency Davis (15) combined for another 21. Their Jan. 13 neutral site game vs. New Ulm (8-5) was canceled.
That zero in Columbia Heights’ loss column looks pretty, but it will really mean something if it’s still there by the end of this week with two Power 25 foes on the docket. The Hylanders can retroactively claim a ranked victory with their season opening opponent, Maple Grove (7-5), cracking the Power 25 this week at No. 23.
No. 22 Buffalo (9-3)
Last week’s ranking: 22
This week’s games: Jan. 16 at St. Michael-Albertville (7-5), Jan. 19 at No. 4 Minnetonka (9-1)
Ranking rationale: Buffalo stays stagnant in the Power 25 with its only game last week an 83-54 loss at No. 1 Wayzata (12-0). It would’ve been nice to see the Bison put up a little bit more of a fight, but they’re far from the first good team to be blown out by the defending Class 4A champs. Ty Torgrimson and Mitchell Friesz co-led with 11 points. Buffalo has lost two of its last three and may need to at least split this week’s games in order to keep a number in front of its name.
No. 23 Maple Grove (7-5)
Last week’s ranking: N/R
This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. No. 2 Totino-Grace (9-3), Jan. 19 vs. No. 12 Osseo (11-3)
Ranking rationale: Maple Grove has been a team on the periphery of the Power 25 at various points this season. The Crimson finally break through after their third straight win and fourth in the last five. Last week, Maple Grove started with an 85-60 win vs. a solid Coon Rapids (6-5). It followed with a 65-40 win vs. Elk River (3-8).
The Crimson also own a win vs. current No. 20 Benilde-St. Margaret’s (4-6). Four of their five losses this season were to current Power 25 teams. Maple Grove has a stingy defense holding teams to 58.2 points per game.
No. 24 Alexandria (8-4)
Last week’s ranking: 15
This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. Fergus Falls (5-5), Jan. 19 vs. Sartell (3-8)
Ranking rationale: Alexandria still doesn’t have a bad loss this season. All four came against Power 25 foes. However, this latest one sends the Cardinals tumbling in the ranking. They fell 72-45 at Benilde-St. Margaret’s (4-6), which entered on a six-game losing streak.
Granted, Benilde-St. Margaret's has played several ranked teams close in that stretch, but this was still a bit of a surprising final score. Talan Witt led with 18 points and Mason Witt had 11. It was still a 2-1 week for Alexandria. It won 69-60 at Rocori (5-6) and 68-42 at St. Cloud Apollo (2-10) to stay perfect in Central Lakes Conference play.
No. 25 Fridley (9-1)
Last week’s ranking: 25
This week’s games: Jan. 16 at Brooklyn Center (2-8), Jan. 19 at No. 21 Columbia Heights (8-0)
Ranking rationale: The Tigers bounced back with an upset loss a couple weeks ago with a three-game win streak. They went 2-0 last week, winning 70-51 vs. Holy Angels (2-10) and 78-61 vs. Bloomington Kennedy (3-10) to remain perfect in Tri-Metro Conference play heading into a big one to end this week. Gideon Cooper led with 18 points vs. Holy Angels.
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