Top 25 Minnesota high school boys basketball rankings (3/11/2024)
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The section tournament championships in Minnesota boys high school basketball begin this week, and we've already had Power 25 teams knocked out.
The No. 13 East Ridge Raptors, No. 15 Washburn Millers and No. 16 Osseo Orioles were all knocked out of their respective tournaments, among others.
Here is the final Minnesota boys high school basketball Power 25.
Minnesota boys high school basketball Power 25
No. 1 Wayzata (26-1)
Last week’s ranking: 1
This week’s games: Class 4A, Section 6 finals March 12 vs. No. 6 Hopkins (23-5)
Ranking rationale: The reigning Class 4A champions have gone wire-to-wire holding down the No. 1 spot in the Power 25. The Trojans are top dogs in the final edition of the ranking after blitzing Edina 86-66 at home in the section semifinals.
Wayzata looked fresh after a first-round bye, getting out to a 41-32 halftime lead and continuing to add on. Jackson McAndrew has the goods in the post to take this team all the way. He led all scorers with 24.
This was an impressive showing against Edina, which played Wayzata to a pair of single-digit losses in the regular season. Now, the Trojans must win a rubber match against the one team that knocked it off in 2023-24. Fortunately, Wayzata gets to host the section title game.
No. 2 Minnetonka (21-6)
Last week’s ranking: 2
This week’s games: Class 4A, Section 2 finals March 14 vs, No. 7 Shakopee (23-5)
Ranking rationale: A Minnetonka team coming off over a week of rest and a first round bye in the section playoffs rolled past Prior Lake (12-16) in the semifinals. The Skippers looked solid after a few shaky games to close the regular season.
They were up 52-35 at the half and were in control throughout. Six 'Tonka players hit double-digit scoring led by 20 points from Greyson Uelmen.
Minnetonka has not lost to an unranked team all season and has big wins over current No. 3 Totino-Grace (23-5) and its upcoming opponent, Shakopee.
No. 3 Totino-Grace (23-5)
Last week’s ranking: 3
This week’s games: Class 3A, Section 5 finals vs. Fridley (19-7) at St. Michael-Albertville
Ranking rationale: Totino-Grace has found no pushback thus far in the section playoffs. The top-seeded Eagles won on home court for the final time in the quarterfinals with a 109-49 rout of Zimmerman (6-21). Tian Chatman and Isiah Johnson-Arigu each had 20 points.
The tournament concludes at STMA High School with T-G winning its semifinal 106-63 vs. Becker (14-14). Johnson-Arigu led five Eagles in double-figure scoring with 19. Now, it’s a battle for the city of Fridley coming up for a trip to the state tournament on the line.
No. 4 Park Center (24-3)
Last week’s ranking: 4
This week’s games: Class 4A, Section 5 finals vs. No. 12 Maple Grove (20-8) at Rogers
Ranking rationale: With each playoff round passing, we’re getting closer to a potential 2023 4A state tile game rematch between Wayzata and Park Center.
These two teams have not met in 2023-24. The Pirates are doing their part with a 100-44 win in the section quarterfinals vs. Irondale (4-23) and a 66-58 win vs. Mounds View (19-9) in the semifinals. Both were at Park Center.
Casmir Chavis led with 22 points in the latter, followed by 17 for Ari Gooch. The Pirates got out to an eight-point halftime lead. It may be a bit concerning that they didn’t create more separation in the second half, but the Mustangs are a solid team and were one of the first teams left out of last week’s Power 25.
No. 5 Breck (26-1)
Last week’s ranking: 5
This week’s games: Class 2A, Section 5 semifinals March 13 vs. Blake (19-9) at St. Michael-Albertville. With win, March 15 vs. winner of Minneapolis North (15-10) vs. Holy Family (18-9)
Ranking rationale: Breck had nothing to gain and a lot to lose in its opening postseason game as far as the Power 25 goes. The Mustangs did what they were supposed to do against overmatched competition to remain in the top five. Breck won 97-61 at home vs. Jordan (11-16). The Mustangs had the Hubmen outscored for the game by halftime leading 62-31. Daniel Freitag poured in 28 points followed by 21 for Hanif MUhammad and Miles Newton.
Had the Power 25 continued past this week, it would’ve been hard for Breck to climb much higher given the lack of ranked competition in Class 2A, but it was still a remarkable season for a team that carried on the tradition of a dominant team in the class similar to what Minnehaha Academy accomplished for several years.
No. 6 Hopkins (23-5)
Last week’s ranking: 6
This week’s games: Class 4A, Section 6 finals at No. 1 Wayzata (26-1)
Ranking rationale: Hopkins isn’t known for being a defensive juggernaut, but it showed it can guard when the chips are down. The Royals held previous No. 12 Minneapolis Washburn (25-4) to 19 first-half points en route to a commanding 75-55 home victory in the section semifinals. Colorado State commit Kyle Jorgensen got 22 points, but the rest of the Millers were stymied. Anthony Smith led the Royals with 26 points.
Hopkins won at home in the quarterfinals 98-65 vs. St. Louis Park (12-15). Smith led with 28 points. The Royals have the misfortune of being in top-ranked Wayzata’s section for the upcoming championship. With that said, Hopkins split the season series and lost by one on the road. If it can win the rubber match, the path is there for a state title.
No. 7 Shakopee (23-5)
Last week’s ranking: 7
This week’s games: Class 4A, Section 2 finals March 14 at No. 2 Minnetonka (21-6)
Ranking rationale: Shakopee was a team on upset alert last week. The Sabers had a tough draw having to go up against a top-20 team in the section semifinals. Head coach Jake Dammann’s squad handled it in stride by routing then-No. 16 Waconia (22-6) 74-51 in Shakopee.
The Wildcats’ record may be a bit inflated playing in a Class 3A-heavy conference, but they still had a solid resume. Shakopee doesn’t have the deep postseason success to show for it, but with five 20-plus wins in the last six years, it’s blossomed into a highly respectable program.
No. 8 Lakeville North (23-5)
Last week’s ranking: 8
This week’s games: Class 4A, Section 1 finals March 15 vs. No. 9 Farmington (22-6) in Rochester
Ranking rationale: There’s still no shake-up in this week’s Power 25 thus far as it was mostly chalk in the big school section playoffs. Lakeville North got a bit of a scare from No. 23 Rochester Century (20-8) but hung on to win 78-71 in Lakeville. Matt Drake led with 26 points followed by 21 for Jack Robison. That was the team’s 10th straight win.
The ninth straight came in the section quarterfinals 85-38 vs. New Prague (5-22). Ten Panthers found the scoresheet, led by 16 for Tyler Christianson. Lakeville North has gained steam as the season has gone on and has the talent and coaching to make a deep run at state.
No. 9 Farmington (22-6)
Last week’s ranking: 9
This week’s games: Class 4A, Section 1 finals March 15 vs. No. 8 Lakeville North (23-5) in Rochester
Ranking rationale: The Tigers had one of the more impressive showings last week in their 69-52 home win vs. previous No. 19 Lakeville South (18-10). Farmington got out to a 30-20 halftime lead and kept up the solid defense to cruise to victory. Tyler Beckwith led with 24 points.
The Tigers had some questionable non-conference losses that hurt their ranking, but they beat everyone in the South Suburban Conference at least once and won’t be afraid against traditional conference and section power, Lakeville North, coming up next.
No. 10 Cretin-Derham Hall (23-4)
Last week’s ranking: 10
This week’s games: Class 4A, Section 4 finals March 14 vs. No. 19 Tartan (24-4) at Hastings
Ranking rationale: Cretin-Derham Hall may have been a bit rusty playing for the first time in a week and a half, but the Raiders did enough to advance in the postseason with a 79-68 home win vs. St. Paul Central (20-7) in an all-St. Paul matchup. C-DH led 35-27 at the break.
Joe Mitchell went off for 33 points. That makes nine straight wins leading into a matchup featuring teams with two of the best records in the state.
No. 11 Mankato East (25-2)
Last week’s ranking: 13
This week’s games: Class 3A, Section 2 finals vs. New Ulm (21-7) March 14 at Gustavus Adolphus
Ranking rationale: The first movement in the Power 25 this week comes with previous No. 11 East Ridge ceding its spot due to an upset loss to previous No. 24 Tartan (24-4), as well as No. 12 Minneapolis Washburn (25-4) taking a slight drop with a blowout loss to No. 6 Hopkins (23-5).
Mankato East did its part by crushing Hutchinson (17-11) 87-44 in its opening postseason game. It was 52-20 at halftime. Carson Schweim poured in 32 points to lead the way for one of southern Minnesota’s top squads. The Cougars haven’t had the chance to take on the lone 3A team above them, No. 3 Totino-Grace (23-5), but they’ve notched wins against other ranked teams it could see at state like No. 14 Stewartville (25-3), No. 23 Orono (18-10) and No. 24 Alexandria (23-5).
No. 12 Maple Grove (20-8)
Last week’s ranking: 17
This week’s games: Class 4A, Section 5 finals vs. No. 3 Park Center (24-3) at Rogers
Ranking rationale: Maple Grove had an identical record and split its season series with conference and section mate, previous No. 18 Osseo (19-9). Maple Grove got the nod for the higher seed in the section playoffs, which may have made the difference as Maple Grove beat Osseo in the semifinals, 61-60, in Maple Grove.
It was a captivating finish with both teams tied at 58. Osseo’s De’Maari Larkins, who led all scorers with 30 points, hit a mid-range jumper to go up two with under 10 seconds left. Maple Grove raced down court and the ball wound up in Baboucarr Ann’s hands.
He coolly rose up and hit the corner three before the buzzer. Ann had 15 points on four made threes to go with 18 points for Keegan Harney and 12 for Henry Stang.
The Crimson got to that game by winning 96-73 vs. Roseville (15-12). Stang went nuclear in that one, posting 45 points alongside 22 for Harney.
No. 13 East Ridge (20-8)
Last week’s ranking: 11
This week’s games: None
Ranking rationale: East Ridge appeared to be getting hot at the right time, but all it takes is one loss in the postseason to be sent home packing. The Raptors fell 72-69 in the Class 4A, Section 4 semifinals to Tartan (24-4), which climbed five spots to No. 19 this week. It spoiled a 25-point night by Charlie Theis. The future is bright, though, for the Raptors, with talented guard Cedric Tomes coming back for two more seasons.
No. 14 Stewartville (25-3)
Last week’s ranking: 14
This week’s games: Class 3A, Section 1 finals March 15 vs. Byron (21-7) in Rochester
Ranking rationale: The Tigers haven’t played a game closer than 30 points since Feb. 8, which was a 61-55 win at Class 4A Mankato West (20-8). You have to go back to Feb. 3 since its last such game against 3A competition, which was a 70-68 neutral court win vs. current No. 18 Benilde-St. Margaret’s (19-9).
Stewartville hasn’t met its match in the section playoffs. It won at home 89-44 vs. Red Wing (6-21) and 72-42 vs. Faribault (13-14). It already swept its next opponent 68-55 on the road and 65-29 at home.
No. 15 Washburn (24-5)
Last week’s ranking: 12
This week’s games: None
Ranking rationale: One of the best seasons in school history has come to a close. Minneapolis Washburn had the misfortune of being in the deepest section in Class 4A. The Millers ran into No. 6 Hopkins (23-5) in the Section 6 semifinals where they fell 75-55 on the road.
Washburn did well to hold its high-scoring opponent to 30 points at halftime, but its offense was also dry to the tune of 19 points in the opening 18 minutes. The Millers will miss Kyle Jorgensen, who ended his prep career with 22 points before departing next school year to Colorado State.
Washburn went unbeaten against its fellow city schools en route to a conference title. It picked up one final bragging rights win with a 68-53 home victory against Minneapolis Southwest (16-11).
No. 16 Osseo (19-9)
Last week’s ranking: 18
This week’s games: None
Ranking rationale: Osseo went from elation to heartbreak in under 10 seconds. De’Maari Larkins had one of the best games of his career with 30 points for the Orioles. Two of those points came on a clutch mid-range jump shot with under 10 seconds remaining that gave his team a 60-58 advantage on the road against rival Maple Grove in the Class 4A, Section 5 semifinals. Maple Grove hurried the ball down court and nailed a corner three to flip the script.
The two teams had identical records going in and were neck and neck for the section’s No. 2 seed. Osseo won its final game on home court in 2023-24, defeating Champlin Park (14-13) 75-50 in the quarterfinals. Larkins had 22 points. The Orioles hardly had a bad loss all season and overcame a mid-season cold spell to play great basketball down the stretch.
Osseo climbs up the Power 25 this week due to a strong performance juxtaposed by some blowout losses by other neighboring teams in the ranking.
No. 17 DeLaSalle (19-9)
Last week’s ranking: 15
This week’s games: Class 3A, Section 4 finals March vs. Columbia Heights (18-6) at Stillwater
Ranking rationale: The Islanders drop a couple spots this week at no fault of their own. Rather, it was a jump by previous No. 17 Maple Grove (20-8) up to No. 12 that did the damage. Osseo also climbed past DeLaSalle due to a head-to-head win.
DeLaSalle cruised in its first two home playoff games. It won 81-55 vs. Minneapolis Edison (8-20) and 85-68 vs. Mahtomedi (16-12). Justin Johnson’s 16 points led five Islanders in double figures vs. Edison. Jaeden Udean’s 31 points paved the way vs. Mahtomedi.
No. 18 Benilde-St. Margaret's (19-9)
Last week’s ranking: 20
This week’s games: Class 3A, Section 6 finals March 14 vs. No. 23 Orono (18-10)
Ranking rationale: The Red Knights are a win away from the state tournament with the only team standing in their way being a foe they swept by a combined 46 points in the regular season. Benilde-St. Margaret’s gets the privilege of hosting throughout the section playoffs.
It downed Bloomington Kennedy (4-23) 87-38 and Richfield (16-12) 91-72. Abu Keita led with 19 points vs. Kennedy. Jayden Daisy was tops with 24 vs. Richfield to go with 23 from Jalen Wilson.
B-SM is battle-tested with several of its losses coming to teams from Class 4A, from out of state and/or who are ranked.
No. 19 Tartan (24-4)
Last week’s ranking: 24
This week’s games: Class 4A, Section 4 finals March 14 vs. No. 10 Cretin-Derham Hall (23-4) at Hastings
Ranking rationale: The knock on Tartan all season was it lacked a season-defining win. That’s no longer the case. The Titans went in to previous No. 11 East Ridge (20-8) and halted the Raptors’ 16-game win streak with a 72-69 upset victory. Tartan led 33-30 at the half. For the game, it was led by 24 points from Cedric Banks. The Titans’ win streak is up to eight.
This came on the heels of a 73-47 section quarterfinals win vs. Woodbury (9-18). Head coach Mark Klingsporn has had some solid teams over the years, but this could be the one to get over the hump and qualify for the state tournament for the first time since 2014.
No. 20 Lakeville South (18-10)
Last week’s ranking: 19
This week’s games: None
Ranking rationale: The Cougars’ season came to a close with a 69-52 loss at No. 9 Farmington (22-6) in the Class 4A, Section 1 semifinals. Lakeville South was still in striking distance down 30-20 at halftime but could not close the gap. DaMarcus Banks led with 16 points followed by 14 for Ryan Johnson.
South dropped four of its last eight games to close out 2023-24. It was a bit of a disappointing finish after a 12-6 conference season and a non-conference slate that featured wins over current No. 21 Waconia (22-6) and No. 22 Edina (16-12).
No. 21 Waconia (22-6)
Last week’s ranking: 16
This week’s games: None
Ranking rationale: On paper, it seemed like Waconia had a decent shot at pulling off an upset in the Class 4A, Section 2 semifinals. Host and No. 7 Shakopee (23-5) had other ideas. The Sabers rolled 74-51 to end the Wildcats’ season.
Waconia still hangs on to top-20 status in the final Power 25 thanks to significant wins at current No. 22 Edina (16-12) and a split vs. No. 23 Orono (18-10), to name a couple.
No. 22 Edina (16-12)
Last week’s ranking: 21
This week’s games: None
Ranking rationale: The Hornets are likely wondering how far they could’ve gone had they not been in the toughest section in the state, Class 4A, Section 6. Alas, to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. Edina failed to do so in the section semifinals, falling 86-66 at No. 1 Wayzata (26-1). The Hornets were within striking distance down 41-32 at the half, but they could not pull closer.
Edina will be glad to get another season out of 6-foot-8 forward Daniel Molhoek, who led the team with 20 points. He won’t have to clash with a man of similar height, senior Jackson McAndrew, who led Wayzata with 24 points.
The Hornets went out as champions in their final game on home court, beating Robbinsdale Armstrong (14-13) 56-52 in the quarterfinals. A key departure for Edina will be 6-foot-3 guard Josiah Coleman, who led with 16 points.
No. 23 Orono (18-10)
Last week’s ranking: N/R
This week’s games: Class 3A, Section 6 finals March 14 at No. 18 Benilde-St. Margaret’s (19-9)
Ranking rationale: The Spartans make a long-awaited return to the Power 25 after climbing inside the top 15 early in the season. Orono has won four straight games and is a victory away from the state tournament after destroying previous No. 25 Delano (22-6) 77-53 in the section semifinals in Delano. Nolan Groves and Brady Wooley each had 23 points to lead all scorers.
The Spartans won 113-92 in the previous round vs. Robbinsdale Cooper (11-13). Groves was two assists shy of one of the more absurd triple-doubles you’ll see. He had 53 points with 12 rebounds and eight assists.
Orono is a team that’s better than it record may indicate. Half of its losses were to Class 4A teams and the rest to ranked 3A competition. Orono vaults past Alexandria for the No. 23 slot due to a head-to-head victory.
No. 24 Alexandria (23-5)
Last week’s ranking: 22
This week’s games: Class 3A, Section 8 finals vs. St. Cloud Tech (19-9) at Willmar
Ranking rationale: The Cardinals drop a couple spots by no fault of their own. Previous No. 24 Tartan (24-4) is up to No. 19 due to a win vs. previous No. 11 East Ridge (20-8). Orono went from just outside the Power 25 to No. 23 due to its dominating win over previous No. 25 Delano (22-6), as well as a head-to-head win vs. Alexandria earlier this season.
The Cardinals won big in their section semifinals matchup, rolling 89-49 vs. Fergus Falls (14-14). They also routed Willmar (3-24) 86-33 in the previous round. Alexandria struggled in the non-conference to beat some of the metro 3A schools, but it’s on a 12-game win streak and could be ready to pounce if it gets another crack at these teams the state tournament.
No. 25 Rogers (20-8)
Last week’s ranking: N/R
This week’s games: Class 4A, Section 8 finals March 14 vs. St. Michael-Albertville (14-14) at Monticello
Ranking rationale: Rogers all season has been one of the “best of the rest” type teams. The Royals struggle to beat Power 25 competition, but they almost always beat up on unranked competition.
That’s continued to be the case in the postseason where Rogers dispatched Sartell (6-22) 60-44 and Moorhead (14-14) 96-83.
A 23-point night from Blake Dalluge helped the Royals win the second half 37-21 vs. a plucky Sartell squad. Dalluge led again with 21 points the next game against the Spuds to pace six Royals in double figures.
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- Jack Butler | butler@scorebooklive.com | @Butler917
