SBLive's Minnesota high school boys basketball Power 25 (Jan. 16)

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1. Park Center (8-0)

Last week’s ranking: 1

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at Centennial (2-9), Jan. 20 at Robbinsdale Armstrong (6-6)

Ranking rationale: It’s hard to go through the regular season undefeated, especially in Class 4A, but the Park Center Pirates have gotten through a lot of the upper echelon of their schedule with ease. They remained atop the Northwest Suburban Conference with a win in the first of two meetings with previous No. 4 Totino-Grace (5-3), 76-62, Thursday in Brooklyn Park. 

Park Center led 35-28 at halftime. JJ Ware poured in 19 points and was joined in figures with 17 for CJ O’Hara and 14 for Casmir Chavis, who helped the team score eight more points on Totino-Grace than any other opponent this season. The Pirates limited Ohio State commit Taison Chatman to six points. Park Center also beat Spring Lake Park (1-10) 100-68 on Tuesday and 91-85 on neutral floor at the Midwest Players Classic in La Crosse, Wisconsin, against the top-ranked team in Wisconsin’s Division 3, West Salem (11-1).

2. Hopkins (11-1)

Last week’s ranking: 5

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at No. 5 Wayzata (7-3), Jan. 20 at No. 16 Minnetonka (8-2)

Ranking rationale: Not even No. 1 Park Center (8-0) has a longer winning streak than Hopkins. It’s a shame these two won’t meet in the regular season, but we can hope these two meet at the state tournament. The Royals look like a team that can get to Target Center. After an early-season hiccup to current No. 7 Orono (6-1), Hopkins has been tough to beat. 

New faces to the varsity level are meshing to replace a decent amount of talent that departed after last season. 

Last week, the Royals gained more top-25 wins 94-84 Friday at previous No. 6 Eden Prairie (7-3) in a game that could prove impactful in the Lake Conference. Three were in the 20-point club with Anthony Smith scoring 25, Vincent Hillesheim with 24 and Jayden Moore with 22. No other team’s scored more than 86 on Eden Prairie. 

The next day at Anoka Ramsey Community College, Hopkins downed previous No. 17 Andover (7-5), 87-81, for the second time this season. There were a lot of candidates for the No. 2 slot this week and Hopkins will get the chance to show it deserves the big jump with more ranked opponents on deck this week.

3. Eastview (7-2)

Last week’s ranking: 7

This week’s games: Jan. 18 vs. Minneapolis South (2-8), Jan. 19 vs. Rosemount (3-6), Jan. 21 at Rochester John Marshall (4-5)

Ranking rationale: The Lightning make a big jump in the power rankings this week thanks in large part to a 79-77 overtime win at previous No. 2 Lakeville North (9-2) on Tuesday. 

No. 1 Park Center (8-0) is the only other team to down North this season, and that was a close one, too. Eastview erased a three-point halftime deficit at South Suburban Conference rival North. Jonathan Mekkonen’s 19 points led four Lightning in double figures. 

They made it three wins in a row on Thursday by routing Apple Valley (1-9) on the road 78-49. The Lightning should be able to fatten up on a few sub-.500 opponents and could rise to No. 2 if Hopkins (11-1) stumbles.

4. Lakeville North (9-2)

Last week’s ranking: 2

This week’s games: Jan. 19 vs. Burnsville (4-7)

Ranking rationale: Lakeville North falls out of the top two of the power rankings for the first time all season, but last week wasn’t entirely a lost cause. The Panthers dropped their only other game this season except vs. No. 1 Park Center (8-0) on Tuesday, 79-77 in overtime vs. current No. 3 Eastview (7-2). 

Even without WIsconsin commit and starting guard Jack Robison, the Panthers led by three at halftime and received a 27-point effort by senior post and Wisconsin commit Nolan Winter and 22 for senior guard Hudson Vaith. No one got to 20 points for Eastview, but it’s a deep team that was able to be the last one standing in a close one.

The Panthers responded a couple days later with a 75-63 win at Eagan (6-5), a team that’s been in or around the top 25 in recent weeks. Robison returned to the lineup to score 16 points, but North was without Winter, who was injured vs. Eastview. The next day, North won again without Winter, beating a top-10 Eden Prairie (7-3) squad 86-75 in Anoka. North led 47-28 at halftime and got 32 points from Vaith and 23 from Robison. Having a one-game week coming up comes at a good time for the Panthers.

5. Wayzata (7-3)

Last week’s ranking: 11

This week’s games: Jan. 17 vs. No. 2 Hopkins (11-1), Jan. 20 vs. Champlin Park (4-4)

Ranking rationale: The Trojans are another team to vault up several spots in the Power 25. Wayzata’s 0-3 start can’t be forgotten, but it’s playing some of the best ball in the state right now in the midst of a seven-game win streak. 

The Trojans spoiled previous No. 3 Benilde-St. Margaret’s (8-1) undefeated season on Wednesday with a 73-62 road win. Hayden Tibbits (28 points) and Jackson McAndrew (22) were key pieces in a victory in which Wayzata led 39-26 at halftime. 

The Trojans added a 76-58 win at a solid St. Michael-Albertville (6-4) team. Wayzata’s three losses are by a combined 17 points with one in overtime and all to teams currently in the top 10. The Benilde-St. Margaret's win was the second over a team previously or currently in the top 10.

6. Orono (7-1)

Last week’s ranking: 8

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at Chanhassen (4-7), Jan. 19 at Richfield (4-8), Jan. 20 at New Prague (3-9)

Ranking rationale: The Spartans check in as the No. 1 team in Class 3A by a thin margin over Tri-Metro Conference and Section 6 rival Benilde-St. Margaret’s (8-1). Those two teams will get a couple chances to match up and see who deserves to be higher ranked. 

The Spartans have one of the best wins in the state, a 95-84 win in the season and home opener over current No. 2 Hopkins (11-1). I’d take Hopkins in a rematch on neutral floor the way the Royals are gelling, but Orono still deserves credit for the win. 

The Spartans are 6-0 against Minnesota teams and have won every game by nine or points and four by 27 or more. Last week, Orono took care of business with an 81-47 win vs. Mound Westonka (3-7). 

The Spartans were up 20 at halftime and Isaiah Hagen led with 22 points. The Spartans have three sub-.500 opponents this week, but all are on the road and Class 4A Chanhassen and 3A Richfield could be peskier than their records may indicate.

7. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (8-1)

Last week’s ranking: 3

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at Bloomington Jefferson (4-5), Jan. 20 at St. Louis Park (2-8), Jan. 21 vs. Middleton (Wisconsin) in Prescott, Wisconsin

Ranking rationale: I wasn’t sure how long Benilde-St. Margaret’s was going to remain undefeated and stay in the top three of the power rankings, but the Red Knights can still lay claim to being the top Class 3A squad in the top 25. There’s not much shame in their 73-62 home loss on Wednesday to red-hot Wayzata (7-3), which moves up to No. 5 this week. 

A veteran team like Wayzata overcame the young talent of Benilde-St. Margaret's, which was led in scoring by Jalen Wilson with 14 points. The Red Knights avoided a more precipitous tumble in the rankings by squeaking out a 69-66 victory at current No. 23 Edina (6-5), a team that’s stronger than its record may hint. Abu Keita led with 20 points, followed by 17 for Wilson.

8. Totino-Grace (5-3)

Last week’s ranking: 4

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at Rogers (4-7), Jan. 19 vs. Osseo (6-6), Jan. 21 vs. Pewaukee (Wisconsin) in Prescott, Wisconsin.

Ranking rationale: It doesn’t seem to fair to drop Totino-Grace four spots after a 1-1 week with the lone loss coming to No. 1 Park Center (8-0). However, I should point out the margins between No. 2 and the rest of the 10 are pretty thin. It’s been Park Center and everyone else through the first half of the season. The Eagles still held their own against their conference rivals the Pirates, falling 76-62 Thursday in a seven-point game at halftime. 

Isaiah Johnson led with 15 points. Totino-Grace kept any one player for Park Center from going off, but the Pirates starting lineup as a whole was too much. It snapped a three-game winning streak for the Eagles, who were coming off a 63-53 win vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong (6-6) on Tuesday. Totino-Grace’s only other losses were to previous No. 2 Lakeville North (9-2) and an Arizona prep academy. 

Speaking of out of state competition, Totino-Grace can climb back up in the power rankings with a good showing this weekend in Prescott, Wisconsin against a Pewaukee (Wisconsin) team that boasts a pair of Division I talents.

9. Eden Prairie (7-3)

Last week’s ranking: 6

This week’s games: Jan. 17 vs. No. 25 Buffalo (9-1), Jan. 18 at No. 24 Prior Lake (6-5), Jan. 20 at St. Michael-Albertville (6-4)

Ranking rationale: It’s hard not to fall more than three spots after a 1-2 week, but the two losses came to top-five teams who could make deep runs in march. The Eagles began the week with a 90-81 win Tuesday vs. Brainerd (8-2), a team I unofficially have at No. 26 this week. 

This was the Warriors’ first loss of the season. Later in the week, they gave Eden Prairie’s conference rival, current No. 16 Minnetonka (8-2), a run for its money in an 80-73. 

The Eagles led by two at halftime and were led in the game by Luke Rapp’s 23 points. Adam Mertens added 20. Eden Prairie’s five-game win streak was snapped in a 94-84 loss to current No. 2 Hopkins (11-1). Rapp upped his performance to 25 points, but it wasn’t enough to cool off the Royals, who are winners of nine in a row. 

The next night on neutral floor in Anoka, the Eagles were downed 86-75 in a game that they trailed by 19 at the break. On paper, it’s not the worst loss, but considering the Panthers were without 6-foot-10 Wisconsin-bound post senior Nolan Winter, this was one they maybe could have stolen.

10. Lakeville South (8-3)

Last week’s ranking: 10

This week’s games: Amidst a lot of shakeup in the rankings above and below them in the Power 25, the Cougars hold serve at No. 10. It wasn’t the prettiest, but Lakeville South went 2-0 last week with a 47-36 win at Rosemount (4-6) and 66-57 vs. No. 24 Prior Lake (6-5). 

The Rosemount win was the second time this season Lakeville South’s won a game scoring under 50 points. The other was a 47-45 overtime slugfest over current No. 5 Wayzata (7-3). 

Lakeville South is fifth in Class 4A in points allowed per game (54.7) and are tops among teams in the top 20 of the Power 25. Nine players scored in the Rosemount win and seven did vs. Prior Lake. In the absence of a star, the Cougars are getting it done with depth.

11. Shakopee (7-3)

Last week’s ranking: 12

This week’s games: Jan. 19 at No. 10 Lakeville South (8-3), Jan. 20 at Apple Valley (1-9)

Ranking rationale: A 2-0 week at home for the Sabers bumps them up a spot. On Tuesday, Shakopee downed No. 24 Prior Lake (6-5) 69-60. Jalen Langsy dropped a game high 31 points. A couple days later, the Sabers earned their largest margin of victory of the season in an 83-58 win against Burnsville (4-7). Shakopee led by 14 at halftime and kept building. Issac Snell led the way with 21 points. The Sabers could potentially climb back in the top 10 if they can pick up a big road game coming up.

12. Mahtomedi (7-2)

Last week’s ranking: 13

This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. North St. Paul (2-8), Jan. 18 vs. Hastings (2-10), Jan. 20 at Hill-Murray (1-8)

Ranking rationale: The Zephyrs are on a four-game win streak with a slew of winnable games on the horizon. Mahtomedi tacked on a couple wins to its run last week, 69-41 vs. St. Thomas Academy (6-5) and 77-63 at Minnehaha Academy (8-4). 

Owen Carlson’s 17 points led four Zephyrs in double figures against STA. Carlson led with 24 against Minnehaha Academy in a game his squad led by 10 at halftime. Mahtomedi’s two losses are to top-25 teams and it also has a win over current No. 14 Farmington (8-3).

13. Alexandria (8-1)

Last week’s ranking: 13

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at Sartell-St. Stephen (2-9)

Ranking rationale: The Cardinals have plenty of time to get fresh legs with just one game last week and one this week. Alexandria is on an eight-game win streak and just recorded its largest margin of victory of the season in a 64-20 win at Fergus Falls (4-7). 

That was also a season-low allowed, as well as its sixth win of 25-plus points. The Cards own a top-25 victory this season over current No. 18 Holy Family (9-1) and will get another crack against No. 6 Orono (7-1) next month.

14. Farmington (8-3)

Last week’s ranking; 15

This week’s games: Jan. 18 vs. Rosemount (3-6), Jan. 21 at No. 25 Prior Lake (6-5)

Ranking rationale: Farmington’s on a five-game win streak after losing two straight. Last week at home, the Tigers beat Apple Valley (1-9) 70-56 on Tuesday and Chaska (2-8) 76-69 on Thursday. Farmington led by eight at halftime versus the Eagles and was led by a 19-point night by Tyler Backwith. 

In an old Missota Conference matchup, Farmington led the Hawks by six at halftime and received 20 points from Brandon Hrncir. The Tigers could have won a little more handily, but they’ve handled just about everyone they’re supposed to this season with no bad losses and a win over current No. 9 Eden Prairie (7-3).

15. Maple Grove (9-2)

Last week’s ranking: 18

This week’s schedule: Jan. 17 vs. Blaine (7-4), Jan. 20 at Coon Rapids (4-6)

Ranking rationale: Maple Grove doesn’t have a bad loss this season, but the Crimson now finally have a top-25 win under its belt after downing previous No. 17 Andover (7-5), 68-58 Tuesday on the road. Raoul Vaidya led with 20 points as Maple Grove overcame a three-point halftime deficit. 

The Crimson went 3-0 on the week with home wins 63-35 Thursday vs. Centennial (2-9) and 71-46 Friday over Esko (7-2). Esko is ranked No. 10 in Class 2A by Minnesota Basketball News. The Crimson are getting it done with defense this season, ranking second in Class 4A at 51.6 points per game allowed.

16. Minnetonka (8-2)

Last week’s ranking: 19

This week’s games: Jan. 20 vs. No. 2 Hopkins (11-1)

Ranking rationale: The Skippers move up a few spots after knocking off two previously unbeaten teams. First, they beat Chanhassen (4-7) at home, 85-82 on Wednesday. Maxwell Woods led with 26 points as Minnetonka held on after leading by 18 at halftime. 

Eight of the Skippers’ 10 games this season have been decided by single digits, including the last five in a seven-game win streak. On Thursday, they won 59-57 at Buffalo (9-1) and Saturday at Brainerd (8-2) 80-73. Minnetonka came back from five down at the half against Buffalo and held on despite 26 points by the Bison’s Nate Dahl.

Minnetonka led by 14 at Brainerd and again held off a big effort, this time 24 points by Johnny Pecarich. The Skippers can vault up the rankings next week if they can come away with a border battle victory.

17. DeLaSalle (8-4)

Last week’s ranking: 9

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at Columbia Heights (4-6), Jan. 18 at St. Anthony Village (7-3)

Ranking rationale: It may be a bit steep to drop the Islanders eight spots, but there isn’t a team above it that’s lost to a Class 2A squad this season. Granted, Minneapolis North (6-3) is No. 7 in the Minnesota Basketball News 2A rankings, but DeLaSalle wants that matchup back after a 70-64 loss at home on Thursday. 

Nasir Whitlock’s 24-point night wasn’t quite enough. The Islanders sandwiched the loss with an 83-38 win Tuesday at Bloomington Kennedy (2-7) and 86-58 vs. Brooklyn Center (3-5). 

The 45-point drubbing of Kennedy was DeLaSalle’s largest margin of victory this season with Isreal Moses V leading with 23 points. Whitlock had his turn for 23 against the Centaurs.

18. Holy Family (9-1)

Last week’s ranking: 16

This week’s games: Jan. 16 vs. Minnehaha Academy (8-4), Jan. 19 at Hutchinson (1-8)

Ranking rationale: Some big wins by teams around it in the rankings drops Holy Family a couple spots this week, but the Fire are rolling on a four-game win streak. Last week, the lone Class 2A team in the Power 25 beat Breck (5-4) 78-63 Tuesday at home, Watertown-Mayer (7-3) 76-49 Thursday at home and 93-51 vs. Minneapolis South (2-9) Saturday at Minnehaha Academy. 

The win over W-M was particularly impressive as it entered ranked No. 11 in 2A by Minnesota Basketball News and was unbeaten vs. 2A competition. The Fire led that one by 13 at halftime and had big scoring nights from Kole Hanson (30 points) and Braylon Cummings (24).

19. East Ridge (7-4)

Last week’s ranking: 23

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at Park of Cottage Grove (2-5), Jan. 20 vs. Woodbury (3-9)

Ranking rationale: The Raptors are on a four-game win streak and will look to keep it rolling against a pair of sub-.500 squads this week. 

They picked up two of their best victories of the season last week, 76-62 vs. previous No. 20 Stillwater (8-4) on Wednesday and 62-50 at previous No. 21 Mounds View (8-2) on Friday. 

East Ridge’s Charlie Theis scored 21 points and nearly went pound for pound with one of the top scorers in the state, Stillwater’s Max Shikenjanski, who had 25. Mounds View was 4-0 at home and led East Ridge by three before the Raptors closed strong. Alex Mattes led with 16 points.

20. Andover (7-5)

Last week’s ranking: 17

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at Champlin Park (4-4), Jan. 20 vs. Centennial (2-9)

Ranking rationale: Four of the Huskies’ five losses are to teams currently in the top 25 and two of them were by single digits to current No. 2 Hopkins (11-1). Andover’s comeback bid from 12 down at halftime came up just shy on Saturday on neutral floor vs. Hopkins. 

Sam Musungu scored 25 points and Landyn Nelson had 23. A couple nights prior, they scored a season-high 114 points in a 34-point home win Thursday vs. Coon Rapids (4-6). Ben Kopetzki’s 20 points led 11 other teammates on the score sheet. The week began Tuesday with a hard-fought 68-58 home loss to current No. 15 Maple Grove (9-2). 

Andover led by three at halftime but couldn’t get the game up in the 70s and 80s as preferred against a salty Crimson defense. 

The Huskies picked up a big win in the season opener vs. current No. 10 Lakeville South (8-3), but they’ll need to start picking off some more top teams to stay in the top 25.

21. Stillwater (8-4)

Last week’s ranking: 20

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at Roseville (8-4), Jan. 20 at Irondale (5-5)

Ranking rationale: The Ponies own two top-25 wins this season, but they couldn’t make it three in a 76-62 loss Wednesday at East Ridge, which has won four straight. Max Shikenjanski scored a game-high 25 points. 

Stillwater bounced back Friday with an 84-51 home romp of Park of Cottage Grove (2-5) for the Ponies’ biggest margin of victory of the season. It was just a seven-point game at halftime until Stillwater hung 53 on the board in the second half. Shikenjanski scored 32. 

Stillwater will now look to fend off a Roseville team with a strong record but without a signature win.

22. Mounds View (8-2)

Last week’s ranking: 21

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at Cretin-Derham Hall (7-5), Jan. 20 vs. White Bear Lake (6-4)

Ranking rationale: The Mustangs went 1-1 last week and saw their perfect home record come to an end. Starting with the good, Mounds View dispatched Roseville (8-4) 68-66 Wednesday on the road. 

It led by two at the half and was guided by 23 points for Joey Fretheim and 21 for Jacob Becher. After starting 7-0 the Mustangs lost their second in three games Friday, 62-50 vs. current No. 19 East Ridge (7-4). 

Mounds View led by three at the half, but couldn’t fend off an East Ridge team that’s on a four-game win streak. If the Mustangs can go 2-0 against a pair of above .500 squads, they could be back in the top 20 next week.

23. Edina (6-5)

Last week’s ranking: 22

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at St. Michael-Albertville (6-4), Jan. 19 vs. No. 5 Wayzata (7-3)

Ranking rationale: Edina couldn’t quite pull off its second three-game win streak of the season, but the Hornets went 2-1 last week to stay in the top 25. On Tuesday, Edina upended Daniel Freitag and Bloomington Jefferson (4-5), 65-62 on the road. Freitag had 27 but the Hornets did a good enough job on the supporting cast.

Josiah Coleman and Daniel Molhoek led five Edina players in double figures with 12 points. 

They picked up a second straight road win Friday at Waconia (1-9), 75-56. Eddie Sandven led with 24 points. The Hornets nearly pulled off the upset of previous No. 3 Benilde-St. Margaret’s (7-1), falling 69-66 at home after leading by one at halftime. Molhoek had 19 in the loss. 

Now, the top defense in Class 4A looms next at St. Michael-Albertville (49.6 points per game) as well as the reigning 4A runner up, Wayzata.

24. Prior Lake (6-5)

Last week’s ranking: 24

This week’s games: Jan. 18 vs. No. 9 Eden Prairie (7-3), Jan. 21 vs. No. 14 Farmington (8-3)

Ranking rationale: The Lakers went 1-2 last week and squeak back into the top 25 this week. They gave current No. 11 Shakopee (7-3) a good game, falling 69-60 Tuesday on the road. 

A 19-point effort for Joe Ofori wasn’t quite enough. Prior Lake went 2-2 on a four-game road stretch with the second win coming 74-60 vs. Burnsville (4-7) on Thursday.

Ofori nearly doubled his output with 35 to go with 20 for Luke McCullough. The Lakers couldn’t stave off a hot No. 10 Lakeville South (8-3) team the next night, losing 66-57. Prior Lake could use a signature victory and has a couple chances to pick one up this week.

25. Buffalo (9-1)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: Jan. 17 at No. 9 Eden Prairie (7-3), Jan. 19 at Irondale (5-5), Jan. 21 vs. Moorhead (10-2)

This week’s games: Buffalo has been on the radar for a while after starting the season 9-0, but I was waiting to see how the Bison could hold up when Lake Conference play got underway. 

Although they lost the conference opener, they stood toe-to-toe with a top-20 Minnetonka (8-2) squad Thursday at home. Buffalo’s defense was on point with a 23-18 halftime lead, but the Skippers came back to steal it 59-57. Nate Dahl nearly had half of Buffalo’s points with 26. A couple days prior, Buffalo won 62-53 at Sartell-St. Stephen (2-9). Dahl scored 22. 

The Bison are the sixth Lake team in the top 25 and the only team left out is St. Michael-Albertville, a 6-4 squad narrowly on the outside looking in that boasts Class 4A’s top defense at 49.6 points allowed per game. The Bison will have loads of opportunities to pick up the big victory they lack.