That would be Class AAAA and Class AAA. And, hey, time is tight. As some of you know, I've just digested the girls tournament at all and now here come the boys on Tuesday no less.So my preview will be somewhat summary.
Class AAAA
The real question, maybe the only question, is will the real Park Center please stand up? I remember back in December, before I'd seen them myself, smart people saying Park Center was unbeatable. I mean, Park Center 102 DeLaSalle 71? Serious? They started out 7-0, scoring 97 points per game. On Feb. 21 they were 22-0.
But, it does seem that the NW Suburban was a little down this year, and then Andover gave them a scare before losing 97-91. Then they lost 2 out of 3 to Elk River 73-70 and Maple Grove 67-64. Chiang Ring didn't play in the Maple Grove game.
Then it seems that they've gotten it back together in the post-season, winning 3 games by an average of 72-51. They've played 2 AAAA tournament teams, beating Lakeville North early 78-71 and Andover late. Somehow they dropped to #4 in QRF but cooler heads prevailed and they got the #1 tournament seed.
I think that Park Center is not unbeatable, and it's going to be a tight tournament with lots of close games. I also think Park Center is OK and that they'll win 3 games and repeat as state champions, but its not impossible that all 3 games will be decided by single digits, say 89-81 over Andover, 75-68 over Eastview and 77-73 over Lakeville North.
It is also not at all unlikely that Wayzata might knock off Lakeville North in the semis. Wayzata started 0-3 but they're 24-1 since. This could be the best game of the tournament, though if the final is indeed 77-73, that sounds like a pretty good game too. If there's a dark horse, it is indeed Andover, the first team to really show Park Center to be merely mortal. They like to run. But of course who doesn't, but Andover just does it really well. So does Park Center. Tournament MVP will be C.J. O'Hara of Park Center.
Class AAA
As in AAAA, the defending champion is the #1 seed, and that's a pretty good recipe for success. Their 21-8 record is a little misleading with 3 losses against Wisconsin teams and the other 5 against AAAA teams. At 16-3, they tied for 2nd in the NW Suburban with Andover just one game behind Park Center against mostly AAAA teams. Not too shabby. So they'll get by St. Francis and 6-9 stud Matthew Bothun in the 1st round and either Alex and Mankato East in the semis.
Meanwhile DeLaSalle and the eminently deserving Metro Player of the Year Nasir Whitlock will get by Stewartville in the 1st round. Orono will be a tough semi-final opponent, but the Islanders will win that one too.
A Totino-DeLaSalle final will be a doozy. Totino is deeper with 5 players scoring in double figures--6-9 Patrick Bath 17, 6-7 Isaac johnson 13, 6-4 Tommy Humphries 12, point guard Taison Chatman 11 and sophomore Tommy Wagner 10, plus Chiang Ring averaging 7 points and 6 boards. But DeLaSalle has Whitlock and his 27 ppg and he could be a difference maker. But, in the end I'll have to take Totino 68 DeLaSalle 67. Still, Whitlock is the AAA MVP.
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