No. 8 Robbinsdale Armstrong at No. 4 Osseo
7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 5

The top of the Northwest Suburban Conference is just about as good as it gets in boys’ basketball, with three powerful teams vying for the league title. Champlin Park is in first place with a 12-1 mark, but both Osseo (12-2) and Robbinsdale Armstrong (10-2) are hot on its heels. Armstrong has hit a snag after a terrific start, though, losing its last two games to Champlin Park (95-76 on Jan. 24) and Minnetonka (82-56 on Jan. 30) by big margins. It’s up to players such as Jerome Dixon (14.4 ppg), Evan Nolan (14.7 ppg), Sean Burns (12.3 ppg), Ryan Casperson (11.3 ppg) and Tre Tate (4.7 ppg) to reverse that trend. They’re certainly capable, although it will be tough against Osseo, which has won 10 straight games despite an injury to big man Ian Theisen (16.2 ppg) that has kept him out since Jan. 17. Senior Wheeler Baker (25.0 ppg) has stepped up his game in Theisen’s absence. The last loss for Osseo? An 84-79 defeat at Armstrong on Dec. 20.