After grinding out a 49-41 victory over Chaska in the Class 4A, Section 2 quarterfinals a season ago, and then losing by 16 points to Prior Lake in a section semifinal, Shakopee coach Jacob Dammann knew exactly where his junior-dominated team was headed.
To the weight room.
"Last year we struggled the most with physically big and strong teams," Dammann said. "We faced a team like that (recently) in Lakeville South, and I was pleased to see that the commitment to the weight room and improving our bodies has been paying off."
Shakopee (13-2, 7-0) beat the rugged No. 8-4A Cougars 72-60 on Jan. 21, moving into first place in the South Suburban Conference race. Charlie Katona, a senior forward headed to Minnesota-Duluth, leads the No. 4-4A Sabers in scoring with 18.5 points per game. Guards Will Cordes (13.5 ppg) and Caleb Druvenga (14.8 ppg) make the Sabers a smaller, run-first team, but they have also proven they can play a more physical game against bigger teams.
Their ability to match up with bigger teams will be put to the test on Tuesday against No. 2-4A Eastview, which boasts a number of skilled players that stand 6-foot-5 or taller, including Wisconsin-bound senior Steven Crowl (26.5 ppg).
Crowl draws the attention, but Eastview (14-2, 7-1) has climbed its way up the Class 4A rankings ladder with its deep and talented roster. Senior guards Ryan Thissen, who is 6-foot-6, and Jaylen James average 16.2 and 9.9 points per game, respectively.