From nearly closing in 2010 to winning its first state championship in 13 years last season, defending Class 1A champion Minneapolis North’s motto this season has centered around the camaraderie that brought the Polars their success a year ago.

“Circle the wagons,” coach Larry McKenzie said. “Nobody in. Nobody out. We got to stay together as family.”

The Polars’ caravan was in unison as all 14 players saw the floor in an 88-45 rout of fourth-seeded Cristo Rey Jesuit in a Class 1A, Section 4 semifinal Tuesday night at Anoka-Ramsey Community College.

Ranked the top team in Class 1A by Minnesota Basketball News, Minneapolis North (28-2) went on a 30-8 run in the opening 10 minutes of the game and coasted the rest of the way.

Western Illinois commit Isaac Johnson needed only one half to post 16 points, sitting out the second nursing a sprained ankle he tweaked on Tuesday. Odell Wilson IV posted 21 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, 12 on the offensive glass. 

“We wanted to get off to a quick start and obviously we did today,” McKenzie said. “We didn’t want Jericho [Sims] to have a career game so we put a lot of pressure on him and the guys executed the game plan.”

The Polars held Sims to 20 points and forced eight turnovers, but the Texas commit did manage to reach 2,000 career points two minutes, 30 seconds into the second half. The Pumas' all-time leading scorer finished his high school career with 2,005 career points after leading the team to its first section semifinal in history.

“North’s one of the top five teams in the state regardless of class,” Cristo Rey Jesuit head coach Stanley Clay said. “For four years [Sim's] gave his all to Cristo Rey and that’s all we can ask for. He’s got a great career to look back upon and a bright future ahead at Texas.” 

Third-seeded Prairie Seeds Academy upended second-ranked and seeded Heritage Christian Tuesday to force a rematch of last year’s section championship. 

"Can’t wait," McKenzie said. “[Quincy Caldwell] says he has the best team in Class 1A, so I expect to see the best team Friday night."

Odell Wilson IV posted 21 points and 18 rebounds as Minneapolis North sped to an 88-45 win over Cristo Rey Jesuit Tuesday night in a Class 1A, Section 4 semifinal at Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids.

The Polars (28-2) went on a 30-8 run in the opening 10 minutes of the game and coasted the rest of the way.

Western Illinois commit Isaac Johnson posted 16 points in the first half and sat the second to nurse a sprained ankle he tweaked on Tuesday. 

Texas bound Jericho Sims had a team-high 20 points for the Pumas (21-8) and scored their first 10 points. Sims surpassed 2,000 career points in the second half and finished his high school career with 2,005.

For Minneapolis North, JaQuan Sanders-Smith scored 18, while teammate Tayler Johnson posted 16 points and seven steals.