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Apple Valley depth wears down boys' basketball foes

By Ron Haggstrom, Star Tribune, 12/16/14, 6:13PM CST

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The top-ranked team in the large school classification has opened the season with six consecutive wins, and done so impressively. Its average margin of victory is 20 points.

With point guard Tyus Jones off to Duke this season, it was natural to assume that Apple Valley’s boys’ basketball program would slide back to pack in Class 4A.

Not so fast.

The top-ranked team in the large school classification has opened the season with six consecutive wins, and done so impressively. Its average margin of victory is 20 points.

“I’m really pleased with the way we are playing this season,” Eagles coach Zach Goring said. “We are playing nine guys on a consistent basis and wearing teams down with our depth. There are many kids on our team who have waited their turn within our program, and now are seizing the opportunity.”

Apple Valley just faced its toughest in-state test in the opening four weeks of the season and was up to the challenge. The Eagles defeated Class 3A, No. 1 DeLaSalle 83-69 in the final game of the Breakdown Classic on Saturday. The Islanders are the three-time defending state champion.

Sophomore guard Gary Trent Jr. had 31 points to lead the way. The Eagles had four players, none of them seniors, score in double figures. Junior forward Cameron Kirksey, who is one of four players averaging double digits, chipped in with eight points. Trent is averaging a team-best 24.3 points per game.

“We need to continue to improve throughout the season, especially on the defensive end of the floor,” Goring said. “We want to play fast, score a lot of points, and be loose offensively. When we are on the defense, we want to grind teams out and make them work to score.”

Injured player returns

The Eastview girls’ basketball team, ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, is starting to gradually increase the playing time of senior forward Hana Metoxen. She is coming off knee surgery last spring.

Metoxen recently scored a season-best eight points in a 66-30 victory over Park of Cottage Grove in a nonconference matchup. She played a pivotal role in helping Eastview to the Class 4A state championship a year ago, averaging 8.4 points per game while also being the squad’s leading rebounder.

Top performances

• Northfield sophomore Kaylyn Kidd is off to an outstanding start to the girls’ basketball season. She scored 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the Raiders’ 64-54 victory over Red Wing in a Big Nine Conference matchup. That came after a 29-point performance in a 78-48 season-opening triumph over Albert Lea in another conference tilt. Kidd is averaging 26.8 points per game after scoring at a nine-point per game clip a year ago.

• Prior Lake junior Connor Clemons had a hat trick and one assist in the Lakers’ 5-2 victory over Bloomington Jefferson in a boys’ hockey nonconference battle. He has eight goals and five assists in the Lakers’ first six games.

 

Ron Haggstrom • 612-673-4498

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