AAU State Prelims Predictions: 2022 Division
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This weekend is one of the biggest tournaments in Minnesota and one of my favorites. For the first time all year you get to see everyone stay home and compete in their designated classes. For the juniors this will be…
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Continue ReadingThis weekend is one of the biggest tournaments in Minnesota and one of my favorites. For the first time all year you get to see everyone stay home and compete in their designated classes. For the juniors this will be the last state prelims of their basketball career, which means there will be some fierce competing going on. There are 36 teams playing in this division. Come state tournament time, 16 of them will be playing in division 1 and the others in division 2. If your team is not ranked in the top 8 you have to win out your pool to make it to the top division. This can be a negative and a positive for some teams. This gives teams who may be ranked lower a chance to beat out one of the better teams in their pool.
The top 8 teams will automatically move on to the top division of the state tournament. Who will get that number #1 seed going in? Both pool A and B have teams that can win it all.
Pool A
Metro Stars 2022 3SSB
Minnesota Fury 2022 UAA
Minnesota Fury 2022 Premier
North Tartan 2022 Elite
Predictions –
The biggest game will be on Sunday when Metro Stars 3SSB plays Minnesota Fury UAA. This will be the quote on quote championship game and a preview of the AAU State Championships in two weeks. It will be a close game and come down to the wire, but I think the Fury will take the W, for the simple fact that Fury has been playing the last four weeks and the Metro Stars have not. They also have a team stacked full of division one athletes who know what is means to compete, like Mallory Heyer Mallory Heyer 6'1" | PF Chaska | 2022 State #36 Nation MN who is coming off of a Minnesota State high school title, where she battled against most of the kids on the Metro Stars in the state semifinals. Look for others like, Lilly Meister Lilly Meister 6'2" | PF Rochester John Marshall | 2022 State #55 Nation MN and Callin Hake Callin Hake 5'8" | PG Chanhassen | 2022 State #64 Nation MN to step up big. Metro Stars will be playing for the first time this weekend so we get a chance to see the 8th grader Aaliyah Crump Aaliyah Crump 6'1" | SF Minnetonka | 2025 State MN play with the big dogs like Amaya Battle Amaya Battle 5'10" | PG Hopkins | 2022 State #29 Nation MN , Nunu Agara Nunu Agara 6'1" | PF Hopkins | 2023 State #32 Nation MN and Taylor Woodson Taylor Woodson 6'0" | PF Hopkins | 2023 State #28 Nation MN but I’m sure she’s a vet now after having to battle against them in practice every day at Hopkins. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard to count out the amazing coach Tara Starks. I think they will win it all at the championships. The nice thing about the Metro Stars is that most of them play together in high school so team chemistry is already there.
For third and fourth place, I’m going with North Tartan Elite taking third over Minnesota Fury Premier. I watched these two teams play in the Spring Showdown tournament, North Tartan had a big win over them by 10. The three point shooting and quick transition by CJ Adamson CJ Adamson 5'9" | CG Rochester Lourdes | 2022 State MN and Brylee Iverson Brylee Iverson 6'0" | SF Triton | 2023 State MN seemed to be too much for Fury. Look for Zoie Centers Zoie Centers 5'5" | PG Mahtomedi | 2022 State MN to lead the pack for the Fury and Kyla Overskei Kyla Overskei 5'11" | SG Maple Grove | 2022 State MN to step up big and knock down shots.
Pool B
North Tartan 2022 EYBL
Minnesota Stars Nilsen 2022
Minnesota Stars Bjorgaad 2022
Southern Minnesota Fury 2022
Predictions –
North Tartan EYBL will have an easy route to the championship in their pool. There’s just too much fire power on the team including future college teammates Mara Braun Mara Braun 5'11" | CG Wayzata | 2022 State #21 Nation MN and Nia Holloway Nia Holloway 6'0" | PF Eden Prairie | 2022 State #45 Nation MN who seem to be clicking on the court. The biggest game in this pool will be North Tartan EYBL vs Minnesota Stars Bjorgaard. The Stars have some kids who can really ball out like Ava Stier Ava Stier 5'10" | PF Waconia | 2022 State MN , Leah Dengerud Leah Dengerud 5'9" | SF Totino Grace | 2022 State MN , and Audrey Swanson Audrey Swanson 5'11" | SF Waconia | 2022 State MN and I think if they click on all cylinders they will be hard to beat.
For third and fourth place in pool B, I’m going with the Minnesota Stars Nilsen for the win over Southern Minnesota Fury. The Stars may have too much fire power for Southern Fury. With Desiree Ware Desiree Ware 5'8" | CG Minnetonka | 2022 State MN leading the pack and the sharp shooter Maddie James Maddie James 6'0" | SG Princeton | 2022 State MN they will be a force to reckon with. Players like Hope Dudycha Hope Dudycha 5'6" | CG Austin | 2022 State MN and Taya Jeffrey Taya Jeffrey 5'10" | CG Albert Lea | 2022 State MN from Southern Fury will have to play big to stay in it against the Stars.
If my predictions are correct the top four seeds for the AAU State Championships will be Minnesota Fury taking the #1 seed, followed by North Tartan EYBL at the #2 seed, Metro Stars #3 and Minnesota Stars Bjorgaad taking the #4 seed.
After the completion of the prelims I will swing back around on my predictions. Stay tuned!