The Two Top Seniors in Minnesota Battle Saturday Night for a State Title

Apple Valley's Tre Jones drives to the basket and scores past Cretin-Derham Hall's Daniel Oturu during the second half of a Class 4A quarterfinal game of the State Boys' Basketball Tournament at Target Center in Minneapolis on Wednesday, March 22, 2017. Apple Valley won 76-67 to advance to Thursday's semifinal game. (Scott Takushi / Pioneer Press)


In just over a year’s time, Minnesota will be home to NCAA Basketball’s Final Four. In regards to the 2018 version, the city of San Antonio is preparing to embrace the Mount Rushmore of collegiate hoop teams.

Well, hosting that major sporting event should be a much better time than the recent, Eagle fan infested, Super Bowl. The way I see it, March Madness is the GOAT.

Assuming those do or die games are the proverbial Tom Brady, today’s action from the Target Center play’s the role of Peyton Manning:

With half of Saturday’s Minnesota Boys’ Basketball Tournament Championship games already in the bag, let’s take a look at tonight’s AAA and AAAA Championship Bouts. (We are hoping to have some recaps for all games later tonight/tomorrow morning)

Class AAA: Columbia Heights H.S. vs. Delano H.S. (5 PM)

Columbia Heights (22-6) is fresh off of a two point victory over top-ranked DeLaSalle (25-4). Their nail-biter defeat of the six-time defending Class AAA champions shocked the world tens of thousands of people.

Now, the Hylanders square off against the Calvin Wishart led Delano Tigers (20-11). Wishart’s 29 points and 19 rebounds propelled his school’s semifinal upset over last year’s runner-up, Austin High School.

Wait, what? 19 rebounds? The Senior guard is listed at 6’1″. That’s some Russell Westbrook type shit. After entering the tournament unranked, whether or not the scrappy Georgia Southern commit and his teammates can complete their Cinderella Story remains to be seen.

Whoever walks away with this one, it will be that school’s first-ever basketball crown.

Class AAAA: Cretin-Derham Hall H.S. vs. Apple Valley H.S. (8 PM)

Unlike when kids pick teams at recess, today’s games will be saving the best for last. The battle of the big boys will feature Minnesota’s Class of 2018’s two best players.

Daniel Oturu

After tonight, Daniel Oturu’s next official game will come with a Maroon and Gold jersey. The soon-to-be Gopher, who’s coming off a beast-mode performance, will lead Cretin-Derham Hall in their quest to dethrone the defending champions, Apple Valley Eagles (27-4).

Tre Jones

Tre Jones, the Star Tribune Player of the Year, is looking to end his absurdly decorated high school basketball career on top. In the event you aren’t familiar with the future Duke Blue Devil, here’s some literature guy’s blog thingy:

Currently, most of America’s brackets are more busted than Ricky Rubio’s jump shot. If you’re salty over knowing nothing about college basketball (that’s a joke. it’s been absolute madness), give your blood pressure a break and watch some high school competition.

They will be airing on KSTC Ch. 45.

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com

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