Just like the way the calendar’s marching toward the end of the basketball regular season, the Apple Valley Eagles are methodically marching their way toward a South Suburban Conference championship. Denied the title last year by in-town rival Eastview and Lakeville North, the Eagles will get a chance to claim the 2013 crown against one of the teams that stood in their way last year. Lakeville North, who made the Class 4A title game last year and is ranked #9 in the latest Minnesota Basketball News poll, will try to break Apple Valley’s 19-game winning streak and avenge an overtime loss earlier this season when they travel to Apple Valley Tuesday night. Apple Valley’s got a two game lead over Lakeville North in the conference so they can still claim the crown even if the Panthers defeat them; however, a win would allow Tyus Jones and crew to raise the hardware.
The championship of the Suburban East could also be on the line this week, as #5 Woodbury travels to #10 Roseville in search of the crown. Roseville’s won the last two conference titles and still has a great chance to make it three in a row, but they trail the Royals by a game after they were beaten on their home floor by Stillwater last Friday. Woodbury’s won 12 straight- a streak that started after Stillwater beat them on their home floor- and a win over Roseville would just about clinch the Suburban East for them.
Two teams are still chasing undefeated regular seasons, the Austin Packers and Upsala Cardinals. Austin’s all but wrapped up the Big 9 conference- the worst they can do is tie for the title- but they’ve got a few tests to that perfect record coming up as their four remaining opponents are all over .500 teams. Their biggest test might be this Friday when they travel to Rochester John Marshall for a rematch against the 17-5 Rockets. John Marshall played the Packers tough in Austin a month ago, dropping the contest 80-77; they’re the second-place team in the Big 9, three games behind the Packers.
For Upsala, they’ve got two three-game weeks standing between them and the 26-0 regular season. They’re closing in on their third Prairie Conference title in four years, but their biggest challenge this week will likely be on Saturday in a non-conference game when they welcome high-scoring Lakeview Christian to town. The Lions feature Anders Broman, the state’s all-time leading scorer who dropped a whopping 70 points last Saturday in a 117-99 victory over Cass Lake-Bena. He’s scored 4,786 points in his career and with four regular season games plus playoffs left, a 5,000 point career is certainly within the realm of possibility.
The week’s schedule for the Minnesota Basketball News Top 10, along with results from last week:
Class 4A
1. Apple Valley Eagles (21-1; Last week- #1)
Last week: d. Burnsville 88-70; d. Bloomington Jefferson 89-77
This week: vs. #9 Lakeville North, 7pm Tuesday; at Rosemount, 7pm Friday
2. Osseo Orioles (20-2; Last week- #3)
Last week: d. Robbinsdale Armstrong 68-57; d. Maple Grove 74-69
This week: at Wayzata, 7pm Tuesday; vs. Centennial, 7pm Friday
3. Park Center Pirates (20-2; Last week- #4)
Last week: d. Anoka 78-26; d. Elk River 74-45
This week: vs. Andover, 7pm Tuesday; at Blaine, 7pm Friday
4. Tartan Titans (19-3; Last week- #7)
Last week: d. Henry Sibley 67-64; d. St. Thomas Academy 68-59
This week: at North St. Paul, 7pm Tuesday; at Duluth East, 7pm Friday
5. Woodbury Royals (19-3; Last week- #8)
Last week: d. White Bear Lake 95-57; d. Forest Lake 81-78
This week: vs. Hastings, 7:15pm Tuesday; at #10 Roseville, 7:15pm Friday
6. Minnetonka Skippers (17-5; Last week- #5)
Last week: l. to Centennial 76-66; l. to #8 Eden Prairie 69-63
This week: vs. Edina, 7pm Tuesday; vs. Wayzata, 7pm Friday
7. Hopkins Royals (18-4; Last week- #2)
Last week: l. to Edina 66-63 (OT); d. Wayzata 70-55
This week: vs. #8 Eden Prairie, 7pm Tuesday; vs. Andover, 7pm Friday
8. Eden Prairie Eagles (16-6; Last week- #6)
Last week: l. to Wayzata 67-43; d. #6 Minnetonka 69-63
This week: at #7 Hopkins, 7pm Tuesday; at Edina, 7pm Friday
9. Lakeville North Panthers (18-4; Last week- #10)
Last week: d. Bloomington Jefferson 66-51; d. Rosemount 77-65
This week: at #1 Apple Valley, 7pm Tuesday; vs. Prior Lake, 7pm Friday
10. Roseville Raiders (17-5; Last week- #9)
Last week: d. Park of Cottage Grove 76-35; l. to Stillwater 68-52
This week: at East Ridge, 7:15pm Tuesday; vs. #5 Woodbury, 7:15pm Friday
Class 3A
1. DeLaSalle Islanders (19-1; Last week- #1)
Last week: d. #6 Blake 79-54; d. Concordia Academy-Roseville 88-57; d. Cretin-Derham Hall 85-49
This week: Tri-Metro Conference Tournament, TBD Friday
2. Austin Packers (22-0; Last week- #2)
Last week: d. Faribault 78-31; d. Rochester Century 53-38
This week: vs.Winona, 7:30pm Tuesday; at Rochester John Marshall, 7:30pm Friday; vs. Caledonia, 7:30pm Saturday
3. Marshall Tigers (21-2; Last week- #4)
Last week: d. Watertown (SD) 67-62; d. Worthington 58-48
This week: at New Ulm, 7:30pm Tuesday; vs. Windom, 7:30pm Friday; at Moorhead, 2:30pm Saturday
4. Holy Angels Stars (16-6; Last week- #3)
Last week: d. Red Wing 68-60; d. Farmington 77-75
This week: at New Prague, 7:30pm Tuesday; vs. Northfield, 7:30pm Friday
5. Delano Tigers (20-2; Last week- #7)
Last week: d. #8 Waconia 58-57; d. Annandale 66-58
This week: vs. Holy Family Catholic, 7:30pm Tuesday; at Glencoe-Silver Lake, 7:30pm Friday
6. Blake Bears (16-6; Last week- #6)
Last week: l. to #1 DeLaSalle 79-54; d. St. Anthony Village 67-46; d. Richfield 82-71
This week: at Brooklyn Center, 7pm Tuesday; Tri-Metro Conference Tournament, TBD Friday
7. Waconia Wildcats (18-5; Last week- #8)
Last week: l. to #7 Delano 58-57; d. Holy Family Catholic 62-44
This week: at Orono, 7:30pm Tuesday; at Dassel-Cokato, 7:30pm Friday
8. St. Paul Johnson Governors (12-7; Last week- not ranked)
Last week: d. St. Paul Humboldt 95-57; d. St. Paul Central 63-49
This week: at St. Paul Como Park, 7pm Tuesday; vs. MetroTech Career Academy, 7pm Friday
9. Hermantown Hawks (19-3; Last week- #9)
Last week: d. #5 Grand Rapids 62-47; d. Moose Lake-Willow River 75-74; d. Ashland (WI) 55-45
This week: at Hibbing, 7:30pm Tuesday; at Proctor, 7:15pm Friday; vs. Thief River Falls, TBD Saturday
10. Grand Rapids Thunderhawks (16-5; Last week- #5)
Last week: l. to #9 Hermantown 62-47; d. Superior (WI) 75-61
This week: vs. Duluth Denfeld, 7:30pm Tuesday; vs. Bemidji, 7:30pm Thursday; vs. Detroit Lakes, 3pm Saturday
Class 2A
1. Melrose Dutchmen (22-1; Last week- #1)
Last week: d. Morris/Chokio-Alberta 64-44; d. Minnewaska 95-61
This week: at Sauk Centre, 6pm Tuesday; vs. Lac qui Parle Valley, 6pm Friday
2. Hawley Nuggets (19-1; Last week- #3)
Last week: d. #10 Pelican Rapids 87-64; d. Frazee 76-33
This week: at Ada-Borup, 7:30pm Tuesday; at Detroit Lakes, 7:30pm Thursday
3. Fairmont Cardinals (19-3; Last week- #5)
Last week: d. Redwood Valley 68-59; d. Waseca 75-67
This week: vs. Blue Earth, 7:30pm Tuesday; at Luverne, 7:30pm Friday
4. St. Peter Saints (20-2; Last week- #6)
Last week: d. Blue Earth 64-61; d. New Ulm 88-38; d. St. James 77-55; d. Jordan 81-67
This week: vs. #5 Maple River, 7:30pm Thursday; vs. Rocori, 2pm Saturday
5. Maple River Eagles (20-4; Last week- #4)
Last week: d. Mankato Loyola 73-62; d. Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 84-74; d. Martin County West 63-62 (2OT)
This week: at #4 St. Peter, 7:30pm Thursday
6. Minnehaha Academy Redhawks (16-5; Last week- #8)
Last week: d. St. Agnes 103-55
This week: vs. Providence Academy, 7pm Tuesday; Tri-Metro Conference Tournament, TBD Friday
7. Byron Bears (20-3; Last week- #2)
Last week: d. #9 Rochester Lourdes 49-46; d. Goodhue 39-31
This week: vs. Lake City, 7:15pm Tuesday
8. St. Cloud Cathedral Crusaders (17-6; Last week- #7)
Last week: d. Becker 83-58; l. to Mora 71-69; d. Little Falls 70-55; l. to Rocori 61-54
This week: at Zimmerman, 7:30pm Thursday
9. Rochester Lourdes Eagles (17-6; Last week- #9)
Last week: l. to #2 Byron 49-46; d. Zumbrota-Mazeppa 66-57
This week: at Kenyon-Wanamingo, 7:15pm Tuesday; vs. La Crescent, 7:15pm Thursday
10. Pelican Rapids Vikings (16-6; Last week- #10)
Last week: l. to #3 Hawley 87-64; d. Breckenridge 62-55; d. Pequot Lakes 63-52
This week: at Ulen-Hitterdal, 7:30pm Monday; vs. Park Rapids, TBD Saturday
Class 1A
1. Maranatha Christian Mustangs (21-1; Last week- #1)
Last week: d. PACT Charter 78-42; d. #7 Heritage Christian 80-52
This week: vs. St. Agnes, 7pm Tuesday
2. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Jaguars (20-1; Last week- #2)
Last week: d. Kimball 75-49
This week: vs. Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, 7:30pm Tuesday; vs. Pierz, 7:30pm Friday
3. Southwest Minnesota Christian Eagles (20-1; Last week- #3)
Last week: d. Murray County Central 93-49; d. Mountain Lake 84-69
This week: at Hills-Beaver Creek, 6:15pm Tuesday; at Edgerton, 6:15pm Friday
4. Upsala Cardinals (20-0; Last week- #4)
Last week: d. Osakis 76-44; d. Bertha-Hewitt 69-60
This week: at Eagle Valley, 6pm Monday; vs. West Central Area, 6pm Friday; vs. Lakeview Christian, 2pm Saturday
5. Russell-Tyler-Ruthton Knights (22-1; Last week- #5)
Last week: d. Lincoln HI 82-40
This week: vs. Pipestone, 7:45pm Tuesday; vs. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, 7:30pm Thursday
6. Browerville Tigers (16-2; Last week- #6)
Last week: d. Swanville 61-50; d. St. John’s Prep 60-54 (OT)
This week: at Royalton, 6pm Monday; at Menahga, 7:45pm Thursday; at Osakis, 6pm Friday
7. Heritage Christian Eagles (19-4; Last week- #7)
Last week: l. to Minneapolis Roosevelt 66-60; l. to #1 Maranatha Christian 80-52
This week: at Minneapolis Southwest, 7pm Tuesday
8. Rushford-Peterson Trojans (20-3; Last week- #10)
Last week: d. Fillmore Central 77-51; d. Lanesboro 83-55
This week: vs. Caledonia, 7:30pm Tuesday; vs. Kingsland, 7:30pm Friday
9. Dawson-Boyd Blackjacks (18-4; Last week- #9)
Last week: d. Lakeview 70-27; d. Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 69-66
This week: at Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, 7:30pm Thursday
10. West Lutheran Warriors (19-4; Last week- #8)
Last week: d. Legacy Christian 74-52; d. PACT Charter 64-56
This week: vs. Cristo Rey Jesuit, 7:30pm Thursday
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