With about 12 minutes to play in the first half of Eden Prairie’s Lake Conference game with Minnetonka on Friday, Eagles coach David Flom went with the old five-in, five-out substitution.

Flom didn't make the move because of poor play or foul trouble, but rather because he could. Eden Prairie is simply that deep. 

The Eagles’ solid bench was evident as nine players scored in a 98-72 win over the Skippers.

Grantham Gillard scored 21 points and Josh Lansana finished with 20 points and eight rebounds for Eden Prairie (20-2), ranked No. 5 in Class 4A by Minnesota Basketball News.

Blake Cashman had 10 points and 13 rebounds, while Brady Rudrud and Carter Coughlin each scored nine points for the Eagles.

Eden Prairie's depth stems from a love of each other and a great work ethic, Lansana said.

"I think the reason we're so deep is that we don't focus on the main eight guys," Lanasa said. "Everyone works hard at practice ... we're not focusing on individuals, we're focusing on the final goal as a team."

Gillard said every level of the Eagles' basketball program has talented players, even guys on the junior varsity team, and that gives Eden Prairie the advantage of a deep bench, which makes it easier for the varsity team to keep its legs fresh.

"(Our depth) is helping us a lot," Gillard said. "If we get tired, you get a sub...knowing you don't have to stay in because you have a good player right next to you, it's good."

However, Flom said he isn't sure depth is as much of a factor as it seems. He said his past teams have had similar depth and have lost to opponents with shorter benches.

"I'd like to think (depth) makes a difference," Flom said. "If one guy isn't playing very well, you can go to the next guy, so that's certainly one advantage. But in the end, the best team - whether they play five or nine - I don't know that it makes a lot of difference."

Whether it's due to its depth or talent, Eden Prairie looks like one of the top teams in the state.

The Eagles responded to their first losses of the season - tough defeats at DeLaSalle on Jan. 13 (66-58) and at Hopkins on Jan. 16 (75-67) - with a six-game winning streak that includes a one-point victory at Chaska on Jan. 24 (66-65), a three-point win at Bloomington Jefferson on Jan. 27 (56-53) and the victory over Minnetonka.

Flom said the DeLaSalle and Hopkins games weren't bad losses and his players used the situation to identify areas of their game needing improvement.

Lansana said the Eagles initially got down on themselves after the losses but did not stay down for long. 

"We just decided we needed to focus on the next play and the next game," he said. "Just forget what happened and keep focusing on that final goal."

That final goal is a state championship for Lanasa and Gillard, who are familiar with winning titles. Gillard was the quarterback and Lanasa the tight end on Eden Prairie's Class 6A state championship football team.

Is the double championship on their minds?

"Yeah, for sure it is," Gillard said. "That's how I wanna end my senior year."

Seniors Grantham Gillard and Josh Lanasa combined for 41 points in Eden Prairie’s 92-78 victory over Lake Conference foe Minnetonka at Eden Prairie High School on Friday night.

Gillard scored 21 points had Lanasa finished with 20, while senior Blake Cashman posted 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Eagles, ranked No. 5 in Class 4A by Minnesota Basketball News.

The victory extended Eden Prairie’s winning streak to six games and was the second over the Skippers this season. The Eagles defeated Minnetonka 106-86 on Dec. 19.

Eden Prairie is 20-2 on the season and second in the Lake Conference standings with a 4-1 record.

Juniors Seth Coatta and Amar Miller had 21 points apiece for the Skippers, who fell to 16-6 on the season and dropped into a tie with Wayzata for third place in the Lake with a 2-4 mark.

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