By Matt Krumrie
MaxPreps.com
Starting Five
1. Five Unbeatens Remain: As the 2008-09 Minnesota high school boys’ basketball season heads towards the postseason there are now only four teams remaining that are undefeated. Those teams are: Hopkins (20-0), St. Cloud Tech (20-0) in 4A; Pelican Rapids (20-0) and MACCRAY (20-0) in 2A, and Granada-Huntley-East Chain (18-0) and Bertha-Hewitt (20-0) in 1A. Of those five teams Hopkins and Pelican Rapids are ranked No. 1 in the state. Of the 40 teams ranked in all four classes, there are seven teams with one loss and nine with two losses.
2. Staying Undefeated – Barely: St. Cloud Tech remained undefeated this season with some last game heroics from Nate Wolters. Wolters made a tough 18-foot shot with 1.2 seconds remaining to help Tech defeat city rival St. Cloud Apollo Thursday night. Wolters was the star of the night, scoring the game-winner and 36 total points, with 24 coming in the final 20 minutes. Alex Harris added 12 points for Tech, while Andre Garth had 18 points and 11 rebounds and Tim Bergstraser 15 points and 10 rebounds in the loss for Apollo. Apollo is now 20-3 on the season.
3. Century Mark For Washburn: Minneapolis Washburn is ranked No. 4 in the state in Class 4A. Thursday night the Millers defeated Minneapolis Henry 100-65, marking the second straight game the Millers went over 100 points. On Tuesday, Washburn defeated Edison 104-61. In that win over Henry, Washburn was led by Cedric Martin’s 24 points and DeAaron Hearn’s 16 points. Also in double figures were RaShede Hageman (13 points), and Jay Edwards (10). Washburn is 15-5 overall and at 9-0, has clinched the Minneapolis City Conference title.
4. Milestones: A couple of talented Twin Cities players went over the 1,000-point mark in their careers recently. Chris Breuer scored 22 points Tuesday in a win over St. Anthony and totals 1,012 points in his career. Breuer is the son of former NBA player Randy Breuer. Meanwhile, Chisago Lakes big man Josh Figini, who has been among the state’s leading scorers and rebounders the last two seasons, became the school’s all-time leading scorer this week and has 1,506 points. He has two triple-doubles in his last three games and averages over 25 points and 14 rebounds a game.
5. Leroy-Ostrander’s Dynamic Duo: Josh Rowe and Michael Knight said good night to Alden-Conger Tuesday in a 74-66 win. Rowe scored 28 points and Knight as L-O came back from a 14-point deficit to defeat AC by 8. Knight tied his school record of 8 three-pointers in the game.
Three to Watch
1. Kenny Schofield, Cotton: Schofield is among the leading scorers in the northeast region of the state, averaging 21.8 points per game. He’s just as effective on the boards, averaging 14.2 rebounds per game.
2. Jordan Christianson, Sauk Rapids: The senior had 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, just missing a triple double, in a 74-63 loss to Sartell this week.
3. Deondre White, St. Paul Arlington: White is averaging 23.6 points per game for the Phoenix, and is among the leading scorers in the St. Paul City Conference.
Two Hot Too Handle
1. Damon Andrews, Triton: Andrews led Triton to a 73-68 win over Cannon Falls this week, scoring 23 points, grabbing eight rebounds and blocking four shots in the win. Also contributing were Garett Schaefer (19 points, 10 rebounds, 5 steals) and Coleton Thiemann (14 rebounds and seven assists).
2. Kyle Mareck, Sartell: Mareck scored 28 points, 9 on 3-pointers, to help Sartell defeat Sauk Rapids and overcome Christianson’s stellar game.
Inside the Numbers
2,200 – Fans watching that dramatic game between Tech and Apollo in St. Cloud Thursday night. It was a sellout.
1,066 – Rebounds for Minneapolis Transitions Charter School this season – which leads the state. Kevin Noreen, who leads the state in scoring at 33.9 points per game, has 317 of those rebounds.
151 – Free throws made by T.J. Oakes of Jordan this season – tops in the state. Oakes averages 23.3 points per game. He scores just over seven points per game on free throws.
74 – Years ago that was the last time a St. Cloud Tech basketball team won 21 games in a row. This year’s Tech team tied that record with the win over Apollo. That team back in 1935 went 21-0.
