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February 16, 2012

Courrier: Section basketball tournaments promise entertaining games

By Chad Courrier Free Press Staff Writer

It’s not yet March, but the basketball madness begins next week with the Class A girls tournament.

In Section 2A, there doesn’t look like a dominant team in either subsection. St. Clair has seven losses, but five have come to Class AA programs. Minnesota Valley Lutheran and Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s, who play in the North Subsection, have victories over the Cyclones, the top seed in the South Subsection for the first time in program history.

Undefeated New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva is the class of Section 2AA, having already defeated St. Peter, the likely top seed of the opposite subsection. However, an ankle injury to guard Jade Schultz could be pesky. The Panthers have gotten close to the state tournament a couple of times recently, but this seems like their season. Southland looks like the top threat.

Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial is the top seed in the Section 3AA, North Subsection, but an injury to leading scorer Tara Roelofs certainly dims the Knights’ playoff chances.

Mankato East, which can wrap up the Big Nine Conference title on Friday, has only two losses, but one came at Hutchinson. It seems a rematch between these teams is likely in Section 2AAA, though this game will be played at Gustavus Adolphus on March 8.

The boys tournament is also shaping to be feature some interesting games, but before that, St. Peter hosts Waterville-Elysian-Morristown on Tuesday in the most anticipated regular-season game in the area.

According to Minnesota-scores.net’s Quality Results Formula, which attempts to rank high-school programs by using a strength-of-schedule component, these are both top-10 teams in Class AA. They both play in the South Subsection of Section 2AA, so a rematch is likely, this time at Minnesota State’s Bresnan Arena on March 12.

Mankato Loyola might be a tough out in Section 2A. Despite a couple of recent losses, the Crusaders have been playing well, and with a balanced attack, anything is possible

Mankato East will be one of the top seeds in Section 2AAA, given a pair of victories over Marshall. The Cougars can be explosive, and the scoring balance is such that an off night by one player can be corrected by two or three others.

Basketball playoffs bring out some of the best entertainment of the sports calendar. It all begins this week and runs for the next month.

Can’t wait to see how some of these storylines play out.



Chad Courrier is a Free Press staff writer. To contact him, call 507-344-6353 or e-mail at ccourrier@mankatofreepress.com or check out his local sports blog at www.mankatofreepress.com.

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