A primary motivation for wanting to watch Rochester John Marshall host Northfield this week likely has less to do with what's on the court than what's not on the court.
Over the previous six seasons, brothers Michael and Matthew Hurt dominated the basketball scene in Rochester and the surrounding area. The brothers brought eyes from all corners of the state — and the nation — to the Rockets.
But with Michael in his senior season at the University of Minnesota and Matthew, Minnesota's 2019 Mr. Basketball, now playing on the big stage at Duke, the John Marshall boys' basketball program looks to develop a new identity.
It's that curiosity to see what the Rockets (0-1, 0-1) will be without a Hurt brother in the leading role that makes this Tuesday's Big 9 Conference matchup our Top Game of the Week.
Senior Lincoln Meister, a 6-foot-9 forward, is the likely new leader of the Rockets this season. He was an all-Big 9 honoree who averaged nearly 12 points and seven rebounds per game last season. Seeing how Meister and a group of less-tested varsity players come together early this season should be interesting.
Northfield (1-1, 1-0) is also looking for a new leader. Last season's leading scorers, Mason Zick and Mitchell Stanchina, graduated last spring. Junior Kip Schetnan averaged 11.2 points per game for a team that reached the Class 3A, Section 1 championship game last season. Junior guard Karsten Clay scored 21 points and Schetnan added 19 in a 79-65 victory over Red Wing last Friday.