2013 CLASS AAAA STATE BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE
GAMES PLAYED WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20 AT TARGET CENTER
10:00: Brainerd vs. Apple Valley (Seed 1)
12:00: Eden Prairie (Seed 5) vs. Woodbury (Seed 4)
2:00: Lakeville North vs. Park Center (Seed 2)
4:00: Andover vs. Edina (Seed 3)
Examining the field: The opening Class AAAA quarterfinal game should be a dandy as the top seeded Apple Valley Eagles take on the hot Brainerd Warriors. If you haven't seen one of the top juniors in the nation in Apple Valley's Tyus Jones, take the morning off and head to Target Center. The Eagles played there in January against Cooper so they have some familiarity with the surroundings. The Warriors have not lost a game since February 1 when they lost to Moorhead 95-93. It should be an interesting battle.
The second game pits a couple of returning teams from last year, the Eden Prairie Eagles and the Woodbury Royals. The Eagles are led by Grant Shaeffer, who led the football team to the Class AAAAAA football title last fall. Can he help bring home a second championship trophy to one of the state's largest high schools? Last season, the Royals took then three time defending champion Hopkins to overtime before they made the long trip home down I-94. Head coach Scott Swansson passed the 200 win mark this season and hopes to add another against Eden Prairie.
In the third game, last year's Class AAAA runner up, the Lakeville North Panthers faces the second seeded Park Center Pirates. The Panthers lost a number of players from the team that almost beat Osseo in last year's thrilling championship game. It could be a tough road for Lakeville North since they go up against one of the state's top players, Quinton Hooker. He has scored more than 20 point in his last five game and he has been the key to landing Park Center back in the state tournament for the first time since 1997. Park Center, along with Apple Valley have been trading the number one spot in Class AAAA boys basketball this season and could be one of the favorites to win the state title.
The final quarterfinal game features the surprising Andover Huskies and the third seeded Edina Hornets. The Huskies, at 10-19 are the only team in this year's field with a losing record and hope to pull off the upset against the Hornets, who make their first trip to state since 1991. They got off to an 0-4 start before they got on a late season 10 game winning streak that included ending Hopkins section title reign at four years. This year marks the 45th anniversary since Edina won their third straight one class tournament. Can they do it this year in Class AAAA?
Class AAA is next,
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