Shakopee coach Bruce Kugath (center) and his Sabers' team enter the season looking to build off a third-place finish at the state Class 4A tournament. Photo by Rick Orndorf
Two teams coming off 20-win seasons and ranked in the Class 4A preseason poll square off this week as Shakopee faces East Ridge in the Anoka-Ramsey Community College Showcase. The game is more than the season opener for both teams. It is a measuring stick that both programs can use to see how they stack up against top-ranked opponents.
Shakopee, No. 10 in the poll provided by Minnesota Basketball News, had its best season in a decade, finishing 28-7 and qualifying for the state tournament for the first time since 2004-05, when it won the Class 3A title.
The Sabers, however, couldn't extend their state tournament run beyond the semifinals - despite giving it quite an effort - as Hopkins needed four overtimes to defeat coach Bruce Kugath's team. The Sabers went on to win the third-place game.
East Ridge, No. 9, had its best season in the school's history, winning 23 games. The Raptors hope to build on that success and advance even further in the Section 3 playoffs. East Ridge bowed out in the second round last season, losing to Cretin-Derham Hall 72-63.
This early matchup between top-ranked schools with promising futures should provide a litmus test for both and is the reason it is our Top Game of the Week.
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