As big a favorite as Hopkins is in Class AAAA, DeLaSalle is almost as big a favorite to repeat in Class AAA. The Islanders are loaded.
Bigs--You've got 4 6-footers or near-6 footers inside, starting with 6-foot senior Nurjei Weems (16 ppg, 9 rebounds); 6-foot Nora Francois, now a junior (12 ppg); and super sophomores Savanna White and Mya Williams. Both are listed at 5-10, but I'm told White is now 6-2. She is the sister of Royce White.
Point Guard--Kiani Lockett, also just a sophomore, 5-foot-6, runs the show. The Hub shows her scoring 4 ppg last year, the Breakdown Guidebook says 10. Who knows? But, she doesn't need to score for DeLaSalle to be successful, though she can and she will.
Combo Guard--Sydney Runsewe, a 5-8 sophomore, scored somewhere between 5 and 9 ppg. She is a capable point guard but will start alongside Lockett.
Shooting Guards--Senior Alexis Cochran-Starr is a streaky 3-point shooter (6 ppg last year) while 5-10 freshman Kennedy Klick is very highly regarded. Leah Dengerud scored 6 ppg last year as a freshman, but is not listed in the Guidebook, so I'm not sure of her status.
So the Islanders have an awesome collection of talent, inside and out. They are perhaps the #2 team in all of Minnesota after Hopkins. Only Wayzata is in the running for #2 along with De. They are a heavy favorite to win Section 4AAA.
The other state tournament entries look to be:
Section 1--Red Wing (#6) or Austin (#7). 4th seed Austin shocked #1 seed Red Wing last year.
Section 2--Marshall (#8) or Waconia (#11).
Section 3--St. Paul Como Park (#3) moves over from Section 4AAA and is a heavy favorite against perennial contender Simley (#10).
Section 5--Becker, last year's runner-up to DeLaSalle (losing 56-40 in the final), is rated #2 again. The Bulldogs return almost everybody led by juniors point guard Julia Bengtson and shooting guard Courtney Nuest, and sophomore wing Adeline Kent.
Section 6--Holy Angels (#4) moves over from Section 4AAA and is the obvious favorite.
Section 7--There are no ranked teams from 7AAA. Hermantown, Princeton, Hibbing and Grand Rapids can all contend.
Section 8--Alexandria (#5) is the obvious favorite as defending section champ Fergus Falls moves down to Class AA.
If all goes according to Hoyle, DeLaSalle will get Holy Angels in the semis again, same as last year; while Becker will get St. Paul Como, whom they defeated 101-86 during the last regular season.
Class AAA All-State
Julia Bengtson, Becker, junior, point guard
Ysareia Chevre, Simley, senior, forward
Jordyn Hilgemann, Marshall, junior, forward
Frankie Vascellero, Holy Angels, junior, shooting guard
Nurjei Weems, DeLaSalle, senior, post
Second 5
Kaylynn Asberry, St. Paul Como Park, sophomore, combo guard
Ella Grove, Alexandria, senior, wing
Kiani Lockett, DeLaSalle, sophomore, point guard
Anna Olson, Monticello, senior, power forward
Patience Williams, Benilde-St. Margaret's, senior, post
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