7 super games to see in Minnesota on Semifinal Saturday

It’s Semifinal Saturday when most sections will determine which teams will advance to the section finals next week. Many of the pretenders have been eliminated and this is where the games begin to get really good. The only problem is you can’t be everywhere at once. There are about 75 games on the docket and it’s difficult to decide which contests you really want to watch. Sorted by starting time, here are 7 top encounters that are definitely worthy of consideration.

TOP 7 GAMES OF THE DAY

1:00 p.m., Section 7AA, #5 Pequot Lakes vs #4 Crosby-Ironton at UM-Duluth

Olivia Lane (North Dakota) vs Shyanne Loiland (Weber State)

This section is still in the quarterfinals, and this is an exceptionally good match-up considering there are still 8 teams playing. Lane and Loiland are two of the top players in the state, Division 1-bound seniors who have left their record-breaking stamps on their respective programs. Lane is a double-double machine while Loiland has been in double figures the last 15 games in a row. The two teams met twice in the regular season with Pequot Lakes winning both.

1:30 p.m., Section 1AA, #3 Rochester Lourdes vs #2 Caledonia at Mayo Civic Center in Rochester

Alyssa Ustby vs Katie Tornstrom (MSU-Moorhead)

This, too, is a showdown between two of the state’s top talents as the junior Ustby and the senior Tornstrom go at it once again. Ustby, who has offers from a pile of high D1 programs including the University of Minnesota, is averaging 26 points and 13 rebounds per game. Tornstrom, who is about to become a Dragon, averages 24 and 12. Lourdes is 19-6 and has won 10 of its last 11 games. Caledonia is 21-5 and is riding an 11-game winning streak. The two teams met once this season with Caledonia winning by 12.

3:00 p.m., Section 2AAAA, #3 Shakopee at #2 Chaska

Natalie Holte, Jaley Coplin and Isabelle West vs Mallory Heyer, Kaylee Van Eps, Destinee Bursch and Kennedy Sanders

Shakopee, at 18-9, has had a solid season and so has Chaska, which is 20-6. Neither team is hot at the moment, however. Shakopee lost its final three regular season games before sneaking past Minnetonka in the opening round of sections by a single basket. After compiling an 11-game winning streak the Hawks lost 4 of their last 5 in the regular season. The two teams have played once this season, a 58-55 win for Chaska during opening week back in November. The Hawks have more talent but the Sabers can rise to the occasion on any given night.

3:00 p.m., Section 5AAAA, #3 Roseville vs #2 Centennial at Blaine

Jadya Johnston, Kaylee Nelson (UM-Duluth), Jada Hood and Tamia Ugass vs Taylor McAulay (Drake), Jodi Anderson, Sara Stapleton (Wisconsin) and Sarah Lavell

Roseville is all about defense, and every recent encounter between these two teams has been a knock-down, drag-out affair. Nelson is probably the best on-ball defender in the state. She will no doubt be guarding McAulay (19 ppg), who is one of the best all-around talents in these parts. The two were teammates with the Minnesota Fury but that won’t stop them from going at it with maximum intensity one last time. The two teams met at the Roseville Holiday tournament with the Raiders coming out on top, but the Cougars are on a 15-game win streak now. Stapleton returned to the lineup Feb. 13 and could be the difference-maker.

4:00 p.m., Section 1A, #4 Lyle-Pacelli vs #1 Grand Meadow at Mayo Civic Center in Rochester

Olivia Christianson vs Jordyn Glynn (St. Thomas)

Christianson, a junior, averages 21 points per game and has had an outstanding year. Glynn led the Superlarks to an undefeated season – until the last game that is when Lyle-Pacelli scored a surprising win. That was revenge for L-P which had been spanked by GM in a 26-point loss earlier in the year. Last year Lyle-Pacelli knocked Grand Meadow out of the section tournament in the semifinal round before going on to win the state Class A championship. The Athletics bring a 10-game winning streak into this epic encounter.

5:00 p.m., Section 4AAA, #3 Como Park vs #2 DeLaSalle at East Ridge

Kaylynn Asberry, Ronnie Porter, Jada James and Shania Nichols-Van Nett vs Nora Francois, Mary-Claire Francois, Kiani Lockett, Mya Williams and NJ Weems

These two teams are loaded with young talent. Both teams like to run and gun, but DeLaSalle has a lot more length and size. The Islanders have played terrific basketball since the return of Francois, who is DLS’s top player. The return of the freshman point guard Lockett has been huge. Como Park is fresh from winning the Twin Cities championship game last weekend. Asberry is one of the premier point guards in the state while Porter can let it fly. James is a beast inside while Nichols-Van Nett is one of the top 8th graders in Minnesota. This could be the most entertaining game of the day as these two teams do battle for the right to face #1 seed Hill-Murray.

5:45 p.m., Section 7AA, Duluth Marshall vs Mesabi East at UM-Duluth

Grace Kirk, Gianna Kneepkens vs Ava Hill, Hannah Hannuksela

You want to see some star talent? We’ll give you some star talent. Mesabi East’s Hill, the #13 player in the junior class, is averaging 26 points and 6 rebounds per game. She’s strong and smart and will suit up this summer for North Tartan EYBL. She’s also a nationally-accomplished track athlete. Hannuksela is an exciting sophomore who averages 17 and 5. Meanwhile Marshall boasts the state’s leading scorer in Kneepkens, a sophomore who put up numbers of 32 and 9 this season. The junior Kirk wasn’t far behind at 27 and 8. Both are top 25 players in their respective classes. These two teams played in early January with the Giants (20-7) winning by 3 over the Hilltoppers (20-7).

THREE BONUS ENCOUNTERS TO CONSIDER

Still have some gas left in the tank? Maybe you should attend one of these three bonus contests.

6:00 p.m., Section 2AAA, #5 Hutchinson vs #1 Waseca at MSU-Mankato – A pair of super seniors face off for the last time as Liza Wortz (St. Cloud State) of the Tigers and Madison Gehloff of the Bluejackets do battle.

7:30 p.m., Section 5AAA, #3 Big Lake vs #2 Becker at Buffalo HS – These two friendly rivals have some of the best young talent in the state. Sophomores Caela Tighe and Mia Huberty lead Big Lake against the kids of Becker: Julia Bengtson, Courtney Nuest, Alayna Lindquist, Megan Gamble and Adeline Kent.

7:30 p.m., Section 1AAAA, #3 Rochester John Marshall vs #4 Lakeville North at Mayo Civic Center in Rochester – Freshmen Lilly Meister and Katie Hurt, along with seniors Taylor Faust and Jesse Ruden, have had an outstanding season for the Rockets while Ani Tschida (UM-Duluth), Sara Kuma and the great Lauren Jensen are the backbone of the Panthers.

Top photo: Ava Hill of Mesabi East and Giana Kneepkens of Duluth Marshall will go at it again on Saturday at UM-Duluth. (Photo courtesy of Duluth News-Tribune)