2013 STATE CLASS AAAA GIRLS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
GAMES PLAYED WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13 AT TARGET CENTER
10:00: St. Michael Albertville vs. Hopkins (Seed 1)
12:00: St. Paul Central (Seed 5) vs. Osseo (Seed 4)
2:00: Anoka vs. Bloomington Kennedy (Seed 2)
4:00: Rochester Mayo vs. Eastview (Seed 3)
Examining the field: The day's festivities get underway when the St. Michael-Albertville Knights, playing in their sixth tournament and second as a AAAA school have a difficult task in facing the two time defending state champion Hopkins Royals. Hopkins has one of the state's top players in Nia Coffey and they have a chance to duplicate what their male counterpart did from 2009-11, win three consecutive state titles. Brian Cosgriff has built an outstanding program at Hopkins and they could add another championship trophy with three more wins.
The second game pits a school who won the very first Class AA tittle in 1976, St. Paul Central against the perennial power Osseo Orioles. Back then, one of the top players on Central is now the current tournament director, Lisa Lissamore. This year they return five years after winning the 2008 Class AAAA title and have to contend with an Osseo team that has battled back after a four game losing streak. It should be an interesting game.
In the third quarterfinal game, the Anoka Tornadoes storm back to Target Center, two years after their six win season earned them a trip to state. It doesn't get easier for the maroon and white as they go up against one of the state's top teams in the Bloomington Kennedy Eagles. They have had a successful season since Quinton Johnson took over for Percy Wade as head coach and they have the talent that could put them in contention for the state title. They really got going after beating DeLaSalle and losing to Providence Academy and Hopkins. Watch out for the Eagles. They could end Hopkins dominance.
The final AAAA quarterfinal game pits the Rochester Mayo Spartans and the Eastview Lightning. It's been 16 years since Mayo, led by Kelly and Coco Miller won the state Class AAAA title and the road to their third state title (they won in 1995) could be tougher against the Lightning, who features one of the top sophomore scorers in Madison Guebert. Eastview shook off an upset against Lakeville South and has won five in a row.
The Class AAA preview is next.
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