SBLive's Minnesota boys basketball Power 25 (Feb. 13)

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Minnesota high school sports scores

1. Park Center (19-0)

Last week’s ranking: 1

This week’s games: Feb. 15 vs. Champlin Park (5-12), Feb. 17 vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong (7-13)

Ranking rationale: For the first time, all season, a Park Center opponent finished the game within fewer than three possessions of the Pirates. 

Park Center is in no threat of relinquishing its long-held spot atop the rankings, but it at least showed it may not be impenetrable when it clinched the season sweep of its Northwest Suburban Conference rival and No. 4 Totino-Grace (14-6), 68-65, Feb. 9 in Fridley. 

You know your offense is humming when 68 points is a season low for a game, down from 74. This was two nights removed from Park Center reaching the century mark for the seventh time in 2022-23 in a 101-65 win vs. Rogers (6-14). Chaing Rang’s 20 points led five Pirates in double figures in that one.

2. Lakeville North (17-2)

Last week’s ranking: 2

This week’s games: Feb. 14 at No. 6 Eastview (14-5), Feb. 16 vs. Rosemount (6-13), Feb. 17 at Burnsville (9-10)

Ranking rationale: The Panthers continue to be the clear cut No. 2 team after a 2-0 week. They’ve won 10 in a row, all by eight or more points and nine by double digits. On Feb. 7, Lakeville North downed rival and previous No. 9 Lakeville South (13-7) 81-60 on the road. It was just a 33-32 halftime lead before North created separation. Nolan Winter was unstoppable, shooting 11-for-17 from the field with 32 points. 

The Panthers beat some more cats on Feb. 9, downing the current No. 21 Farmington Tigers (10-9) 92-77 in Lakeville. Farmington has had a lot of losses but almost all have been down to the wire, so North did well to get up by six at halftime and adding to it. Winter went off for 47 and Hudson Vaith added 22. 

The Panthers will now seek to get revenge on Eastview, the only team besides No. 1 Park Center to knock them off this season. First place in the South Suburban Conference is on the line.

3. Wayzata (16-3)

Last week’s ranking: 3

This week’s games: Feb. 14 vs. No. 21 Edina (12-8), Feb. 16 vs. Eden Prairie (8-10)

Ranking rationale: Wayzata is relentless. The Trojans have not only won 16 straight, but most of these victories are blowouts. Last week, they remained perfect in Lake Conference play by downing St. Michael-Albertville (8-11) 76-46 on Feb. 7 at home and previous No. 10 Hopkins (14-7) 89-61 on Feb. 10 on the road. 

Wayzata led 27-19 at halftime vs. STMA before finding the shooting stroke. Hayden Tibbits led with 22 points. That hot shooting continued to hand Hopkins its worst loss of the season. Tibbits led again with 23.

4. Totino-Grace (14-6)

Last week’s ranking: 6

This week’s games: Feb. 15 vs. Rogers (6-14)

Ranking rationale: Totino-Grace earned the title of the team to give No. 1 Park Center (19-0) its toughest test of the season. In a battle of the reigning Class 3A vs. 4A state champions on Feb. 9, Park Center got out to a 29-22 halftime lead before several lead changes in the second half. 

The Eagles had a 3-point attempt in the closing seconds miss the mark in their hard-fought 68-65 home loss. Future Ohio State Buckeye Taison Chatman led Totino-Grace with 22 points. The Eagles won their other two games last week, 76-55 Feb. 7 at Robbinsdale Armstrong (7-13) and 71-43 Feb. 11 vs. Elk River (9-10). 

Isaiah Johnson led with 25 against Armstrong and Tyler Wagner led with 13 against Elk River. Three of T-G’s losses are to out-of-state teams, two are to Park Center and the other to No. 2 Lakeville North. The Eagles are undefeated against 3A competition.

5. Minnetonka (16-4)

Last week’s ranking: 4

This week’s games: Feb. 15 at No. 15 Hopkins (14-7), Feb. 18 vs. No. 21 Edina (12-8)
Ranking rationale: The Skippers drop a spot after a 2-1 week. It started with an 81-75 Feb. 7 home loss vs. an upstart Buffalo team (17-3) that broke into the top 10 for the first time this week. 

Andy Stefonowicz dropped 27 points but it wasn’t enough to keep Minnetonka’s perfect home record intact. The Skippers bounced back the next day with a 73-57 win over a solid Cretin-Derham Hall (10-9) squad. 

It was only a one-point Tonka advantage at the break before Stefonowicz (21 points) and company created separation. On Feb. 11, the Skippers won 69-63 at previous No. 14 Shakopee (11-7). Ibrahim El-Amin led with 29. That was their eighth win over a current top 25 team.

6. Eastview (14-5)

Last week’s ranking: 5

This week’s games: Feb. 14 vs. No. 2 Lakeville North (17-2), Feb. 15 vs. No. 21 Farmington (10-9), Feb. 17 at Rosemount (6-13)

Ranking rationale: It was a topsy turvy week for Eastview that results in a one-spot drop in the rankings. The Lightning looked dominant in an 88-54 win Feb. 7 vs. a top-20 Eagan (12-8) team. Jonathan Mekonnen led with 26 points in a game Eastview led by 17 at the break. 

The Lightning were caught perhaps overlooking their next opponent with a rematch of a win over Lakeville North on the horizon this week. 

Eastview lost its fourth game to a team currently outside the top 25 on Feb. 10, falling 76-64 at Burnsville (9-10). Dylan Omweno led with 20 points. It’s a big week coming up next with North, battle-tested Farmington and Rosemount, which also beat Eastview in the first conference matchup. The South Suburban Conference title is on the line vs. North.

7. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (17-3)

Last week’s ranking: 8

This week’s games: Feb. 14 vs. St. Louis Park (2-18), Feb. 17 at Chanhassen (10-10)

Ranking rationale: The Red Knights climb up a spot after a 3-0 week. Things were a little too close for comfort in a 71-67 Feb. 7 overtime win at New Prague (4-16). Benilde-St. Margaret’s led by five at halftime but needed a few extra minutes to pull out the victory. 

Jalen Wilson’s 17 points led four Red Knights in double figures. B-SM got back to its usual self on home floor with a 76-58 Feb. 9 victory over Bloomington Jefferson (10-9). 

This was another close one for a while before the Red Knights added separation. Wilson scored 23. On Feb. 11, B-SM made it six wins in a row with a 78-72 triumph at Hermantown (15-6), which has been flirting with the top 25 for a while now. The Red Knights improved to 9-2 in games decided by seven or less.

8. Buffalo (17-3)

Last week’s ranking: 13

This week’s games: Feb. 13 vs. Minnehaha Academy (14-6), Feb. 16 at St. Michael-Albertville (8-11), Feb. 18 vs. No. 19 Brainerd (15-3)

Ranking rationale: One of the best seasons in school history continues to play out for Buffalo. The Bison are threatening a top-five spot in the rankings after winning both games last week. It started with an 81-75 victory Feb. 7 at previous No. 4 Minnetonka (16-4). 

Nate Dahl led all scorers with 38 points and helped the Bison pull out the nip and tuck game. Buffalo next faced a former top-10 team in Eden Prairie (8-10) that was hungry to finally win its first conference game. 

The Bison had none of that, squeaking out an 81-80 overtime home win on Feb. 10. It was a thrilling overtime period won 11-10 by the Bison. Dahl lit it up with 34. The Bison have a couple tough non-conference games this week after playing a somewhat uninspiring early-season schedule.

9. East Ridge (14-5)

Last week’s ranking: 11

This week’s games: Feb. 14 at Forest Lake (7-13), Feb. 17 at Stillwater (12-7)

Ranking rationale: The Raptors have been a new team in 2023. With players stepping up into new, larger roles, East Ridge went 3-4 in the 2022 portion of the season. Since the New Year, it’s gone 11-1 with the lone blemish coming at No. 3 Wayzata (16-3). 

Last week, the Raptors knocked off one of the top Class 2A teams, Minneapolis North (12-7), 63-58 in overtime Feb. 7 in Woodbury. Charlie Bern led East Ridge with 17 points. Staying at home, East Ridge all but sealed the Suburban East title, improving to 12-0 in conference play with a 75-63 win Feb. 10 over second-place White Bear Lake that’s at 9-3 in the SEC, 11-7 overall and No. 24 in this week’s top 25. 

East Ridge battled back from a 35-30 halftime deficit. Cedric Tomes led with 24 points and joins Bern (18) and Alex Mattes (17) as viable scoring threats for this team.

10. DeLaSalle (17-4)

Last week’s ranking: 12

This week’s games: Feb. 13 at Brooklyn Center (5-13), Feb. 17 vs. Columbia Heights (11-9), Feb. 18 at Cretin-Derham Hall (10-9)

Ranking rationale: The Islanders continue their rise back up the rankings after a 2-0 week to extend their win streak to 10. Each win has been by double digits. On Feb. 7, DeLaSalle won big at Holy Angels (6-13), 82-56. Nasir Whitlock led with 29 points to help his squad pull away from a nine-point halftime advantage. 

Two nights later, the Islanders won 78-47 vs. Bloomington Kennedy (6-14). Once again, it was just a nine-point game at the break, but the Islanders weren’t going to let the Eagles hang around. Whitlock had 23 in this one. DLS has four more unranked foes next before a big-time matchup to close the regular season Feb. 28 at No. 3 Wayzata (16-3).

11. Mahtomedi (16-3)

Last week’s ranking: 7

This week’s games: Feb. 14 at Hudson, Wisconsin; Feb. 17 vs. Hastings (5-16)

Ranking rationale: The Zephyrs’ 12-game win streak came to an end. It’s hard to beat the same team twice in a season, a lesson Mahtomedi learned after it beat St. Thomas Academy (15-5) 69-41 Jan. 10 at home and lost the return matchup 72-58 Feb. 7 in Mendota Heights. 

Mahtomedi led 31-27 at halftime and on the night had nice scoring outputs from Will Underwood (22 points) and Owen Carlson. The rest of the supporting cast couldn’t do enough to prevent Class 3A Mahtomedi from losing its first game to Class 3A competition. Mahtomedi got a new win streak going with a 99-43 win Feb. 9 vs. Hill-Murray (1-18). 

Carlson scored 31 and Underwood added 21. Mahtomedi crosses the border this week to take on a Wisconsin team that is unranked in its state coaches poll.

12. Hopkins (14-7)

Last week’s ranking: 10

This week’s games: Feb. 15 vs. No. 5 Minnetonka (16-4)

Ranking rationale: Hopkins has lost its mojo a bit in recent weeks with four losses in the last six games, but the Royals still have not fallen to an unranked opponent. 

Last week got off on the right foot with a 92-69 win Feb. 7 vs. Eden Prairie (8-10). Vincent Hillesheim and Anthony Smith each scored 20. On Feb. 10, Hopkins welcomed in the buzz saw that is No. 3 Wayzata (16-3). 

The Trojans won their 17th straight game, knocking off the Royals 89-61. A 20-point night by Jayden Moore wasn’t enough to keep it close. Hopkins has another chance at a top-five victory when it tries to salvage the season split with rival Minnetonka this week.

13. Andover (15-5)

Last week’s ranking: 18

This week’s games: Feb. 15 vs. Elk River (9-10), Feb. 17 at Coon Rapids (5-15)

Ranking rationale: A five-spot jump may seem like a bit much, but a 2-0 week and some losses by teams around it means Andover is on the rise. The Huskies opened a three-game homestand with an 84-79 win Feb. 8 vs. Anoka (10-9). 

Ben Kopetzki led the team with 24 points and Sam Musungu had 23 as they helped overcome a 43-40 halftime deficit. Things also may have been a bit too close for comfort on Feb. 10 with a 93-89 win vs. Champlin Park (5-12). Musungu put up 35 and Kopetzki 25. 

That completed the season sweep of Champlin Park and earned Andover its eighth straight win this season. The Huskies have two wins over current top-25 teams and await a pair of top-five teams later this season with No. 1 Park Center (19-0) and No. 4 Totino-Grace (14-6) each coming to town.

14. Orono (15-5)

Last week’s ranking: 15

This week’s games: Feb. 14 vs. New Prague (4-16), Feb. 16 at Waconia (8-11)

Ranking rationale: Orono is getting its groove back. After three straight losses to end January, the Spartans are 5-0 in February with 74-plus points in each win. Last week, they won 74-64 Feb. 7 at Chaska (8-12), 76-60 Feb. 9 vs. a team not far from the top 25 in Hermantown (15-6) and 78-68 Feb. 10 vs. another team in consideration for a ranking, Chanhassen (10-10). 

Isaiah Hagen led with 18 points vs. Chaska, 23 vs. Hermantown and 22 vs. Chanhassen. The Spartans will look to climb back toward their old spot in the top-10 by extending their season-long win streak this week against a pair of sub-.500 teams.

15. Lakeville South (13-7)

Last week’s ranking: 9

This week’s games: Feb. 14 vs. Rosemount (6-13), Feb. 16 at No. 18 Shakopee (11-7)

Ranking rationale: The Cougars were able to stop the bleeding with a win to end the week, but they have struggled in recent weeks with a three-game losing streak and losses in four of the last seven. 

Last week, they kept it close for a half hosting No. 2 Lakeville North (17-2), but they didn’t have the offensive firepower to go all 36 minutes in an 81-60 loss on Feb. 7. DaMarcus Banks scored 20. 

On Feb. 9, Lakeville South lost 70-63 to Chanhassen (10-10). The Storm were in consideration for a top-25 spot this week, but this was still one the Cougars likely felt they should have had at home. Keaton Ressler had 14 points. South got a much-needed win 61-47 Feb. 10 at Apple Valley (2-17) with Ressler leading with 13.

16. Holy Family (18-2)

Last week’s ranking: 17

This week’s games: Feb. 14 vs. Providence Academy (5-14), Feb. 17 at Jordan (10-9)

Ranking rationale: Holy Family’s up to seven wins in a row after two more blowouts last week. It began with a season-high offensive output in a 109-69 win Feb. 7 at Southwest Christian (6-14). 

The Fire scored 60 in the second half. Boden Kapke had a game-high 35 points and Collin Mulholland added 27. Holy Family remained perfect against unranked competition with a 71-48 win Feb. 10 vs. Hutchinson (5-14). The Fire led 30-22 at halftime. Kole Hanson led with 28 points. The Fire continue to be the only Class 2A team in the top 25.

17. Eagan (12-8)

Last week’s ranking: 20

This week’s games: Feb. 14 vs. Burnsville (9-10), Feb. 16 at Apple Valley (2-17)
Ranking rationale: There’s no dishonor in losing on the road at a top-10 team like Eastview (14-5), but it would have been nice to see Eagan hang around. An 88-54 defeat on Feb. 7 spelled the Wildcats’ fifth double-digit loss of the season. 

Eagan didn’t let it linger as it bounced back two nights later to win 76-64 at previous No. 14 Shakopee (11-7). The Wildcats led just 26-24 at halftime before exploding for 50 in the second half. 

Jack Hansen’s 16 points led four in the green and blue in double figures. Eagan can match its largest win streak of the season if it can beat a couple opponents at the bottom of the South Suburban Conference standings this week.

18. Shakopee (11-8)

Last week’s ranking: 14

This week’s games: Feb. 14 at No. 23 Prior Lake (11-9), Feb. 16 vs. No. 15 Lakeville South (13-7)

Ranking rationale: Aside from No. 2 Lakeville North, which is unbeaten in conference play, almost everyone in the South Suburban Conference has shown flashes of brilliance while also suffering some bumps in the road. 

Shakopee’s suffering the later with three losses in their last four and in two of three games last week. The Sabers have been good this season at taking care of the teams they’re supposed to. All eight losses have come to teams currently in the top 25 or that were ranked at game time. That trend continued when Shakopee downed Rosemount (6-13) 64-46 on Feb. 7. The Sabers led by eight at the half. Jalen Langsy led with 16 points on the night. 

Shakopee has just two wins against teams in this week’s top 25. They fell 76-64 Feb. 9 vs. current No. 17 Eagan (12-8) and 69-63 at a top-five Minnetonka squad (16-4) Shakopee was within two at the break in the first game. Termaine Fulton Jr. had one of his top games with a team-high 21 points. Langsy led with 22 vs. Minnetonka.

19. Brainerd (15-3)

Last week’s ranking: 22

This week’s games: Feb. 14 at Fergus Falls (6-14), Feb. 16 at Rocori (12-7), Feb. 18 at No. 8 Buffalo (17-3)

Ranking rationale: Brainerd opened the season 7-0 and is on the cusp of another seven-game win streak. The Warriors are up to five in a row after winning both games last week. 

On Feb. 7, they won 82-62 at St. Cloud Apollo (1-18). John Pecarich led with 21 points on over 50% shooting. On Feb. 9, Brainerd hosted Sauk Rapids-Rice (8-11) and cruised to an 87-46 victory. 

Pecarich led in scoring again, this time with 24. These games didn’t tell us a whole lot, but the Warriors have a big-time opportunity looming with a non-conference game at Buffalo this week.

20. Maple Grove (14-5)

Last week’s ranking: 19

This week’s games: Feb. 13 vs. No. 24 White Bear Lake (11-7), Feb. 15 vs. Coon Rapids (5-15), Feb. 17 at Champlin Park (5-12)
Ranking rationale: The Crimson keep sliding after a 13-2 start, but they did salvage last week with a win. Maple Grove likes to keep games low scoring, but not to the tune of a 37-36 loss Feb. 7 at Centennial (4-15). 

Its other four losses have all come to ranked teams and/or .500 or better squads, but this was less excusable. Centennial led 21-14 at the half. No one on Maple Grove scored in double figures. 

Maple Grove regained its shooting stroke in a big way a couple nights later. The Crimson picked up an 88-67 bounceback win at a good Blaine (11-8) team. More points were scored in the second half (53) than in the previous game with Henry Stang leading with 22. We’ll see if that momentum can carry over into another tough game to start the week.

21. Edina (12-8)

Last week’s ranking: 24

This week’s games: Feb. 14 at No. 3 Wayzata (16-3), Feb. 18 at No. 5 Minnetonka (16-4)

Ranking rationale: Edina’s up to a season-long three-game win streak. All three came last week, beginning with an 80-45 blitzing Feb. 7 at Woodbury (4-16). Billy DeMars led 12 Edina scorers with 16 points. 

The Hornets defended home court the next two games 57-46 Feb. 10 vs. St. Michael-Albertville (8-11) and 72-54 vs. previous No. 24 White Bear Lake (11-7). 

Josiah Coleman led with 11 vs. STMA and Alex Rubin had 18 vs. White Bear Lake. Edina doesn’t have a can’t-miss player, but it usually plays good defense and shares the ball to find success. We’ll see if that’s enough to pull off a top-five road victory this week.

22. Alexandria (13-4)

Last week’s ranking: 16

This week’s games: Feb. 13 vs. Willmar (8-13), Feb. 14 at Rocori (12-7), Feb. 17 vs. St. Cloud Apollo (1-18)

Ranking rationale: The Cardinals went 1-1 last week. That’s not always a recipe for dropping six spots, but it can be when the loss comes against unranked competition. 

Alexandria’s first three losses are all to current top-20 teams, but it fell 67-57 Feb. 9 vs. St. Cloud Tech (11-8) in what could be a Class 3A, Section 8 championship game preview. The Cards bounced back with a solid 79-73 win the next night at home against Bemidji (13-8).

23. Prior Lake (11-9)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: Feb. 14 at No. 18 Shakopee (11-8), Feb. 17 at No. 24 Farmington (11-9)

Ranking rationale: The Lakers are back in the top 25 after a 2-0 week. They’re winners of four of their last five thanks to an 82-69 victory Feb. 7 vs. Apple Valley (2-17) and 52-48 victory Feb. 10 at Rosemount (6-13). 

Gavin Pierce led with 20 points vs. the Eagles and Vince Deluca headed a balance effort with 11 vs. the Irish. Prior Lake can prove it belongs in the top 25 by at least pulling off a split this week.

24. Farmington (10-9)

Last week’s ranking: 21

This week’s games: Feb. 14 at Apple Valley (2-17), Feb. 15 at No. 6 Eastview (14-5), Feb. 17 vs. No. 24 Prior Lake (11-9)

Ranking rationale: If there was an advanced statistics or analytics site for Minnesota high school basketball a la KenPom.com, I’m prone to believe that Farmington would be the team with better metrics than its record would indicate. 

Aside from a couple games vs. No. 2 Lakeville North (17-2), Farmington has not been blown out this season. All nine losses are to teams in this week’s top 25, seven coming by six or fewer points. Against inferior competition, the Tigers are winning, and usually by a big margin. 

The road has been tough late, though, with six losses in the last seven. Farmington started last week with a 60-59 win Feb. 3 at current No. 17 Eagan (12-8). The Tigers ended a five-game skid over Burnsville (9-10) on Feb. 7. 

Baiden Bean led with 22 points. That turned out to be a good win considering Burnsville upset previous No. 5 Eastview (14-6) in the next game. Farmington dropped its next one 92-77 at Lakeville North. There’s not much shame in that, especially considering it was just a six-point deficit at halftime.

25. St. Thomas Academy (15-5)

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

This week’s games: Feb. 13 vs. Park of Cottage Grove (6-11), Feb. 15 at Tartan (14-6), Feb. 17 vs. Two Rivers (8-12)

Ranking rationale: Welcome to the top 25, St. Thomas Academy! There were a number of teams I wanted to squeeze into the rankings this week (White Bear Lake and Stillwater, among them), but I decided to give the nod to the red-hot Cadets. 

St. Thomas Academy now controls its own destiny for at least a share of the Metro East Conference title after salvaging a season split against previous No. 7 Mahtomedi (16-3) with a 72-58 home win on Feb. 7. STA overcame a 31-27 halftime deficit. 

Michael Kirchner led the Cadets with 28 points and Luke Dobbs had 20. The win streak extended to 10 with a 70-47 win Feb. 9 at North St. Paul (5-15). Dobbs led with 25. STA fifth in Class 3A in scoring defense at 57 points per game.