Week #4 offered plenty of drama and a lot of excellence
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When you watch as many basketball games as we do you witness a lot of duds. Our focus is always on the individual performances anyway, but sometimes I can’t even recall the outcome of the game by the next morning.…
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Continue ReadingWhen you watch as many basketball games as we do you witness a lot of duds. Our focus is always on the individual performances anyway, but sometimes I can’t even recall the outcome of the game by the next morning. And then there are stretches like week #4 of the high school season, which featured a series of outstanding games that included stellar individual performances and dramatic endings. Here’s a look at four of those contests and the individuals whose play made them special.
Most entertaining game
Providence Academy 51 at Minnehaha Academy 48
This game was billed as battle of the prodigies, and they did not disappoint. We gave you an overview of how 8th grader Addison Mack Addison Mack 5'9" | PG Minnehaha Academy | 2025 State MN and 7th grader Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN did in their head-to-head matchup in our weekly recap on Sunday. (You can read it here) The first half was all about Mack. She was flying from the get-go, at one point nailing triples on three consecutive possessions midway through the half. Meanwhile, Greenway was on lockdown and held scoreless. Addi had 21 by halftime and the Redhawks were up two.
The Lions came out hot in the second half recording the first 6 points, and Greenway found some time and space and started to score. The teams battled back and forth in a foul-filled half with PA up by three entering the final two minutes. Aniyah Reuben Aniyah Reuben 5'10" | SF Minnehaha Academy | 2023 State MN tied the game 48-48 for Minnehaha off an inbounds play with just under a minute remaining. Senior Olivia Klammer banked one home with 40 seconds left to put Providence up by two before Marie Heyda, who had played less than a minute in the game, made a free throw with 7.1 seconds on the clock. Mack’s long-distance attempt at the buzzer bounced off the front rim and stayed out giving Providence the 51-48 victory.
Top performers
- Addison Mack Addison Mack 5'9" | PG Minnehaha Academy | 2025 State MN (29 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals) & Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN (10 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists)
Best defender
- Anisa Longs Anisa Longs 5'8" | PG Mpls South | 2024 State MN of Minnehaha – The top 10 prospect from the class of 2024 is long and athletic, and has great lateral movement. She used those attributes and more to defend Greenway who is an absolute handful when she has the basketball. Longs scored the first Redhawks basket of the game in transition off her own steal. That sums up what she is all about.
Best rebounder(s)
- Grace Counts Grace Counts 6'1" | PF Providence | 2023 State MN of Providence Academy – The big sophomore had 12 rebounds and 16 points in this one. Her sister, junior Maria Counts Maria Counts 5'11" | PF Providence | 2022 State MN , had 10 points and 8 rebounds. The two are a force up front for the Lions and their size, strength and energy inside have a huge impact every game.
Top newcomer
- Brooke Hohenecker of Providence Academy – Beyond Greenway’s remarkable impact, Brooke’s arrival has been huge. Following in the footsteps of her now-graduated sister Hailey Hohenecker Hailey Hohenecker 5'2" | PG Providence | 2020 State MN (St. Thomas), the freshman can shoot it from distance and plays with zero fear. She had 12 points and 4 rebounds against Minnehaha and is averaging nearly 14 ppg.
Most dramatic finish
Chanhassen 67 vs Benilde-St. Margaret’s 66
This one also featured a marque match-up, an encounter between Nebraska commit Callin Hake Callin Hake 5'8" | PG Chanhassen | 2022 State #64 Nation MN of Chanhassen (#7 in the class of 2022) and 2024 #1 Olivia Olson Olivia Olson 6'1" | CG Benilde-SM | 2024 State MN of Benilde-St. Margaret’s. The battle started early as they traded threes and spectacular drives and terrific displays of one-on-one prowess, and it continued to the bitter end. BSM entered the final minute ahead by one when Olson slipped by Hake at the top of the key, split two more defenders and elevated to the hoop before being fouled. She made two free throws and the lead was three.
Chanhassen closed the gap to one on a pair of free throws by top-50 freshman Lauren Arnold Lauren Arnold 5'9" | CG Chanhassen | 2024 State MN leaving it up to Olson to seal the deal on the next possession. Olivia took advantage of a pick and turned the corner hard, navigating past the defenders and landing a perfect floater in the process. She elevated so high on her way to the hoop, however, that her mid-section made contact with the defender’s upper body, knocking the Storm player to the floor and earning Olson a foul. It looked terrible in the moment, like highway robbery of the worst kind, but the replay seemed to confirm it was the correct call. BSM was clearly deflated, and Hake scored at the rim with 18 seconds remaining to give the Storm a 67-66 win.
Top performers
- Olivia Olson Olivia Olson 6'1" | CG Benilde-SM | 2024 State MN finished with 28 points while Callin Hake Callin Hake 5'8" | PG Chanhassen | 2022 State #64 Nation MN had 23. Watching two high-major prospects go head-to-head at this level is something to behold.
Best comeback of the week
Kasson-Mantorville 58 at Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 55
LCWM was punching above its weight class in this one, a quality class AA team hosting a quality AAA team. On paper that’s a tough ask. In reality it was a dog fight. These are two hard-nosed, well-coached units with plenty of veterans and excellent team cultures. The game went back and forth throughout the opening 18 minutes before sophomore Olivia Harazin Olivia Harazin 5'8" | PG LCWM | 2023 State MN (ranked #52 among the 2023s) launched a buzzer-beating three from long range to give the home team a 33-27 lead.
The story of the second half can be summarized in two words: Mya Suess Mya Suess 6'1" | PF Kasson-Mantorville | 2021 State MN . The big senior post for the Komets was a monster as K-M was able to work the ball inside on one possession after another. Combining with standout guards Aby Shubert Aby Shubert 5'8" | CG Kasson-Mant. | 2023 State MN (#10 in 2023) and Navy commit Ashlyn Bigelow Ashlyn Bigelow 5'9" | PG Kasson-Mantorville | 2021 State MN (2021 #49), Suess could not be stopped. She tied the game at 40 apiece midway through the half before scoring four buckets in the game’s final five minutes to give Kasson-Mantorville the win.
Top performers
- Mya Suess Mya Suess 6'1" | PF Kasson-Mantorville | 2021 State MN of Kasson-Mantorville – She finished with 18 points and 20 rebounds.
- Lakesha Carter Lakesha Carter 5'6" | CG Lake Crystal-Welcome | 2021 State MN of LCWM – The scrappy forward has been the heart and soul of the Knights for the last four years. She had 16 points in what would turn out to be her final high school game. Carter, the #88-rated senior, suffered an excruciating knee injury with under four minutes left. It was diagnosed on Monday as a torn ACL. She’ll play next winter at Gustavus.
Best prospect
- Aby Shubert Aby Shubert 5'8" | CG Kasson-Mant. | 2023 State MN of Kasson-Mantorville – It’s not even close. Shubert is a top-10 talent who has put in a tremendous amount of work to improve every year. She’s an outstanding shooter and terrific ball-handler who has emerged as a vocal leader. Aby had 19 points in this one, including a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line. D1 coaches who haven’t pursued Shubert as of yet need to get on it.
Proven winner vs promising upstart
Orono 78 at Hutchinson 72
On paper the anticipated outcome in this one was clear. Hutchinson, the defensive juggernaut coached by Tim Ellefson, is a proven winner. Year after year they suffocate opponents, produce college-level talent and fill their cupboard with victories. Since winning the state championship in 2017 Orono has been in a tailspin with a 4-win season, a 6-win season and a revolving door of coaches. Although the Spartans have talent, nobody was quite sure what to expect from first-year head coach Chris Bjorgaard’s team.
Last week’s win at Hutchinson revealed a lot as Orono came from 12 down at the break to score 48 points in the 2nd half and triumph by 6 in one of the state’s toughest places to win a game. Hutch seldom gives up 48 points in a 36 minutes of play never mind a half. It was an impressive display by Orono’s combination of veteran leaders and young talent.
Top veterans
- Haley Paulson Haley Paulson 5'9" | CG Orono | 2021 State MN – The 5’9 senior scored 19 points in this one, showing the skill and agility that has earned her the #68 ranking in the class of 2021 and a scholarship to Division 2 Upper Iowa. She and 6’0 junior Kaila Youngs Kaila Youngs 6'0" | SF Orono | 2022 State MN (ranked #55) are the steadying hand for the Spartans, combining for 25 points per game.
Top youngster
- Lauren Knudson Lauren Knudson 5'6" | PG Orono | 2023 State MN – The crafty guard, ranked #47 in the class of 2023, is a special player. She is among the quickest sophomores in the state and possesses one of the highest basketball IQs. The 5’6 floor general had 24 points against Hutchinson to lead all scorers. She’s averaging 12 on the season and has been crucial in the absence of her senior sister Julia Knudson Julia Knudson 5'5" | PG Orono | 2021 State MN (UW-River Falls) who is out with a long-term knee injury.
Rising star
- Kayla Kallenbach Kayla Kallenbach 5'6" | CG Orono | 2023 State MN – This is the single best performance we have seen from Kallenbach, a dynamic guard who is ranked #88 in the class of 2023 but played like she was #18. She’s athletic, she’s fast, she’s explosive, and Kayla has emerged as a vital piece in Orono’s resurgence. She’s averaging 11.6 ppg and has now raised our expectations going forward.
Top photo: The gym at Lake Crystal is one of the nicest in Minnesota.