Sub-section championship games will take place at Gustavus and Minnesota-State Mankato. The Mankato games will be the better option for prospects because of Winona State signed Kyle Bauman, WEM guard Grant Pope, Hayfield’s Brady Kramer, and the several prospects that take the court for St. Peter (seniors Joey Bartlett, Ben Rosburg, and Chad Poppen and junior Peter Kruize). Both games will have the David vs Goliath theme (guards against bigs). At Gustavus there is quality first with the point guard battle (freshman CMC’s Sam Pendleton vs SEMS’s junior Sean Mathiowetz) and second in the post with 6-foot-5 counter parts (Jameson Collin of Southwest Star Concept against Carter Kirk of MLBO).

Most Recruited Player of the Night (meaning this player will have the most coaches in the stands to see him): Grant Pope

Definitely the busiest night of the week. The hot spot will be Rogers High School where Rashad Vaughn and Robbinsdale Cooper will take on Champlin Park with Maple Grove and Osseo playing in the game before. Vaughn (it’s doubtful that to many big time schools will leave their NCAA Tournament sites to come watch Vaughn but if they do that would say something) will have to score against CP football scholarship recruit Anthony Hill while Maple Grove guards James Morris and Brycen Wojta will need to slow down DJ Hebert and Bridge Tusler.

If you can’t make it there check out the double headers at St. John’s, Dassel-Cokato, Holy Angels, St. Paul Washington High School, Thief River Falls, and Heritage Christian. Jett Leaf and HLWW face Santa Clara committed Nate Kratch at D-C, Darrion Scott and Fair face Trent Pollard and Prairie Seeds at Holy Heritage. Also, future St. Thomas University recruits David Simmett and Thomas Sjoberg go head to head at Washington followed by Marcus Taylor-Knighten and Central trying to fend off St. Paul Johnson. Edina faces Lake Conference rival Hopkins and the Graham Woodward versus Siyani Chambers battle could be worth the price of admission.

BBE is the last undefeated team in state and they play Battle Lake who just recently lost their first game. The team Battle Lake lost to was Pelican Rapids who plays the game of the night at Minnesota State-Moorhead when they take on Perham for the third time this year. Mark Schumacher against Luke Halbakken and Jordan Bruhn versus Casey Bruggeman highlight the night. That’s four MIAC recruits who remain undecided. Can section games be better than this?

Most Recruited Player(s) of the Night: Schumacher, Bruch, Halbakken, and Bruggeman

Blaine High School has the spotlight Wednesday with Totino-Grace facing Spring Lake Park followed by St. Anthony battling DeLaSalle. Anthony Brama is one of the most slept on players in the state so he’ll have his chance to make major noise with a good performance against Reid Travis and DeLaSalle. It’s possible that schools may go get a look at Anders Broman and Lakeview Christian playing Mesabi East but this is a chance to see how good Brama is after he’s put up such strong numbers this season.

Most Recruited Player of the Night: Anthony Brama

Worthington/Redwood Valley has Mitch Weg (Southwest State signed) against Michael Busack (MSU-Mankato), Waconia/Mankato East puts junior Wylie Ferron against senior Brody Ziegler, Delano/Rocori has some Zach Checkal against Nate Meyer action, and let’s not forget Augustana prize recruit Zach Huisken of Southwest Minnesota Christian going against the athletes of Dawson-Boyd (Nate Huot and Joey Lee). Moorhead’s Aaron Lien has to produce against NDSU football recruit Carey Woods and the Suggs brothers (Renard and Ricky) join forces with sleeper D3 recruits Connor McKeen and Ryan Fritze to try and slow the comparative size of Emeche Wells, Logan Brown, Jordan Burich, and Mack Johnson. However, the highlight of the night is 100 percent Class AAA number one Benilde-St. Margaret’s facing Class AAA number two Minneapolis Washburn. Charles Smith versus Isaiah Gray, Dejohn Davis against Sanjay Lumpkin, Dwight Anderson versus Isaiah Zierden, and Jerry Pratt against Will Dunn. Section title games don’t get better than that. Do they?

Most Recruited Player of the Night: Isaiah Gray/Brody Ziegler

It’s a toss up between Pelican Rapids vs Perham, BSM vs Washburn, and Eastview vs Apple Valley for best section title game. All are great. Tyus Jones has not been able to answer the riddle of Eastview’s defense yet. He’s scored but the size of Ben Oberfeld and Joey King has been to much for the Eagles at this point. This will be the focus of the Minnesota basketball universe. But believe it or not, people will be attending other games too. Chanhassen versus Eden Prairie will draw an overload of D3 coaches because of Sander Mohn and Jordan Peterson. Chanhassen’s Steven Gitzen and Brandon Arnold are also possible D3 kids. Down in Rochester the other half of the D3 recruiting universe will be taking in Ryan Saarela and Brett Rasmussen facing Drew Osmundson and Owatonna. That is the six o’clock game, young forward talents Paul Friendshuh of New Prague and Joe Aase of Austin will face-off in the late game. Section title games will also be played in Class AAAA section five and seven as well as Class AAA sections three and four. Those games will also draw because of potential teams like Duluth East, Osseo, St. Paul Johnson, DeLaSalle, and others.

Most Recruited Player(s) of the Night: Mohn/Peterson/Saarela/Rasmussen