The top 10 section games to see this week

It’s section finals week. State tournament berths are on the line. Of course there is going to be some great basketball to watch. But which games? Where to go? How to choose? You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers. Seriously, though, that is one of the most frustrating things about sections season. There always seem to be so many games going on at the same time and this year is no exception, especially on Thursday.

If you can only get to three games over three days this week, these are the three you won’t want to miss.

Sauk Centre vs Pine City – Wednesday at St. John’s University

These two section 6AA squads are loaded with next-level talent, and the section semifinal double header that also features Albany vs Royalton promises to be a good one. Pine City has just two losses on the season and the only team to beat them in the calendar year is… you guessed it… Sauk Centre. The Mainstreeters, who have only two losses on their record as well, prevailed by a score of 49-46 when the two teams met just 10 days ago. Those rather fresh memories ought to amp up the volume as SC’s Tori Peschel Tori Peschel 5'9" | CG Sauk Centre | 2020 State MN , Julia Dammann Julia Dammann 6'0" | C Sauk Centre | 2020 State MN and Michaela Dammann Michaela Dammann 6'2" | C Sauk Centre | 2021 State MN do battle with PC’s Lily Wilson Lily Wilson 5'8" | PG Pine City | 2020 State MN , Ellie Hasz Ellie Hasz 6'0" | SF Pine City | 2021 State MN and Sophie Lahti Sophie Lahti 6'1" | SF Pine City | 2023 State MN .

Hopkins vs Wayzata – Thursday at Hopkins

It’s round three featuring the grandpappy of all rivalries as the undefeated Hopkins Royals host the Wayzata Trojans in the section 6AAAA final. Hopkins has captured the first two meetings of the season, and they are heavy favorites once again. Can Mara Braun Mara Braun 5'11" | CG Wayzata | 2022 State #21 Nation MN , Annika Stewart Annika Stewart 6'3" | PF Wayzata | 2020 State MN and company spoil the party, or will Taylor Woodson Taylor Woodson 6'0" | PF Hopkins | 2023 State #28 Nation MN , Amaya Battle Amaya Battle 5'10" | PG Hopkins | 2022 State #29 Nation MN , Maya Nnaji Maya Nnaji 6'4" | PF Hopkins | 2022 State #7 Nation MN and the rest of the Royals cruise into the state tournament with a perfect record once again? We’re only going to see Paige Bueckers Paige Bueckers 5'11" | CG Hopkins | 2020 State MN play in Minnesota a maximum of four more times as a high school player, and this will be the great one’s last game on her home floor. Don’t miss it, even if your only reason for attending is to say you were there.

Rochester Mayo vs Farmington – Friday in Rochester

With the shakeup in section 1AAAA this year and the resulting departure of Lakeville North, the opportunity is there for the Farmington Tigers to finally make it to the state tournament. However, it is by no means a foregone conclusion. Farmington’s excellence has continued unabated, even with the season-ending injury to point guard Molly Mogensen Molly Mogensen 5'7" | PG Farmington | 2020 State MN (Creighton). Top-10 junior Paige Kindseth Paige Kindseth 5'10" | CG Farmington | 2021 State MN is back and Sophie Hart Sophie Hart 6'4" | C Farmington | 2021 State #44 Nation MN and the rest of the Tigers would appear to be ready. Mayo is riding a monster winning streak, however, having not tasted defeat since December, and Anna Miller Anna Miller 6'2" | C Rochester Mayo | 2021 State MN , Nancy Soro Nancy Soro 5'9" | SF Roch. Mayo | 2020 State MN , Lynnsey Hady Lynnsey Hady 5'10" | SG Rochester Mayo | 2021 State MN and company have a legitimate shot at getting to the big dance.

Including the aforementioned trifecta, here are the best overall match-ups of this week for your viewing consideration.

TUESDAY, MARCH 3

8 p.m. at Heritage Christian in Maple Grove

• 4A semifinals: #2 Heritage Christian vs #3 Lester Prairie-Holy Trinity

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4

6 p.m. at St. Michael-Albertville

• 5AA semifinals: #1 Providence Academy vs #5 Holy Family
• 5AA semifinals: #2 Watertown-Mayer vs #6 Annandale

6 p.m. at St. John’s University in Collegeville

• 6AA semifinals: #1 Albany vs #4 Royalton
• 6AA semifinals: #2 Sauk Centre vs #3 Pine City

6 p.m. at Concordia College in Moorhead

• 8AA semifinals: #1 Hawley vs #4 Pelican Rapids
• 8AA semifinals: #2 Fergus Falls vs #3 Roseau

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

7 p.m. at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter

• 2AAA: #1 Marshall vs #2 Waconia

7 p.m. at Bloomington Jefferson

• 3AAA: #1 Simley vs #3 St. Paul Como Park

7 p.m. at East Ridge in Woodbury

• 4AAA: #1 DeLaSalle vs #2 Hill-Murray

7 p.m. at Hopkins

• 6AAAA: #1 Hopkins vs #2 Wayzata

7 p.m. at Monticello

• 8AAAA: #1 St. Michael-Albertville vs #2 Maple Grove

FRIDAY, MARCH 6

6 p.m. at Mayo Civic Arena in Rochester

• 1AAAA: #1 Farmington vs #2 Rochester Mayo
• 1AAA: #1 Red Wing vs #3 Kasson-Mantorville

7 p.m. at Chaska

• 2AAAA #1 Chaska vs #2 Eden Prairie

There will be several other great games on Friday but the match-ups will not be determined until later in the week. Friday’s section final sites include Anoka-Ramsey Community College, MSU-Mankato, Southwest Minnesota State, St. Cloud State and UM-Duluth.

Top photo: Senior Jasmine Smiley Jasmine Smiley 5'9" | SG Wayzata | 2020 State MN of Wayzata and freshman Taylor Woodson Taylor Woodson 6'0" | PF Hopkins | 2023 State #28 Nation MN of Hopkins will meet one more time in the section 6AAAA final on Thursday. (Photo courtesy of StarTribune)