Totino-Grace, for all its basketball success over the years, is used to playing the role of underdog. The Eagles are a Class 3A program playing in a Northwest Suburban Conference that's full of Class 4A foes, many with gold-star pedigrees.
So Thursday's matchup at Champlin Park is no out-of-the-ordinary challenge for Totino-Grace. In fact, the challenge might weigh heavier on the Rebels.
Wayzata, Hopkins and Champlin Park (7-0) have each held the top spot in the Class 4A rankings so far in this season and the Rebels' streak of three consecutive weeks atop the large-school class is the longest stretch for any of the teams. Totino-Grace (6-1), meanwhile, is ranked second in Class 3A behind a Minnehaha Academy team that arguably could challenge for that top spot among the big schools.
The Eagles (6-1) are led by dynamic 6-3 sophomore Taison Chatman (13.6 ppg) and 6-6 senior Devin Burger (10.2 ppg), holdovers from a team that finished second to Minnehaha Academy in last year's Class 3A, Section 4 tournament. But Demarion Watson (15.7 ppg), a 6-6 junior transfer from Minnehaha Academy, and 6-9 sophomore Patrick Bath, a transfer from Fargo, North Dakota, have given Totino-Grace some additional punch this season.
A senior trio of guard Joshua Strong (19.6 points, 4.9 assists per game), 6-7 center Francis Nwaokorie (17.4 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks a game) and 6-5 forward Dylan Gichaba (13.1 points, 4.7 rebounds) power the Rebels, though Champlin Park's greatest strength is its defense which gives up just 49.3 points per game.