It’s tourney time! Welcome to the high school season

It’s Thanksgiving week and that can mean only one thing in our world: It’s time for some high school basketball! The campaign officially tips off on Wednesday night when three games are on the slate, including a nice matchup with East Ridge travelling to Elk River. The season begins for real on Friday and Saturday with the annual Thanksgiving tournaments. The two biggest events are the long-running Pat Paterson tournament at Hamline University and the Twin Cities Thanksgiving Tipoff at St. Thomas Academy. Here’s a rundown on the tournaments, the top matchups and the best prospects to watch.

PAT PATTERSON TOURNAMENT

The best part about the event is the venue – historic Hutton Arena on the campus of Hamline University in St. Paul. Without a doubt it is my favorite gym in the state. The trophy case alone is worth 15 minutes of your time. In an era of antiseptic arenas and cookie cutter multi-court facilities, Hutton Arena is a throwback to be savored. The fact that it’s always either too hot or too cold in there notwithstanding, it’s a great place to watch a game.

The tournament features 14 teams and seven games per day, all on the one court. There are some strong programs on the docket – Hopkins, Minnetonka and St. Michael-Albertville – as well as the now-rebuilding state tournament squads from Farmington and Rosemount. Bloomington Kennedy is back along with Orono and Lakeville South. Como Park, whose campus is less than three miles away, will draw a big crowd, and the team will try to make just as much noise as their fans. The first game is Friday at 9:30 a.m. and last one tips off at 8:15 p.m. They’ll do it again on Saturday, too.

GAMES TO SEE

Como Park vs Hopkins – 4:45 p.m. Friday

After being limited by bureaucratic intervention last season, Como made up for a lack of competition last year by putting together a challenging schedule this year, including a date with the mighty Royals on Friday afternoon. Como has a ton of seniors led by Top 25 performers Ronnie Porter Ronnie Porter 5'2" | CG Como Park | 2022 State MN and Kaylynn Asberry Kaylynn Asberry 5'5" | PG Como Park | 2022 State MN (St. Peters) and they will be amped up for this one. Hopkins is Hopkins and they will give Como everything they can handle and more. Few teams can press and trap better than these two, but Hopkins has a significant advantage in height and length. Don’t count Como out, though, because they are scrappy.

Rosemount vs St. Michael-Albertville – 8:15 p.m. Friday

Tessa Johnson Tessa Johnson 5'11" | SG St. Michael-Albertville | 2023 State #36 Nation MN is the #1-ranked prospect in Minnesota’s Class of 2023, and that’s really saying something because this year’s group of juniors is outstanding. After missing last season due to injury, Johnson has returned to form and is no doubt fired up to compete on the high school stage once again. She’s got plenty of help, too, from UM-Crookston commit Emma Miller Emma Miller 5'1" | PG STMA | 2022 State MN and sizeable sisters Lauren and Abby Hoselton Abby Hoselton 5'11" | PF STMA | 2025 State MN . Watching power forwards Piper Carlson Piper Carlson 5'11" | SF St. Michael-Albertville | 2023 State MN and Kylie Diaz Kylie Diaz 6'0" | PF St. Michael-Albertville | 2023 State MN do battle with Tayah Leenderts Tayah Leenderts 6'0" | PF Rosemount | 2022 State MN (Sioux Falls) will be fun. More on Rosemount in a minute.

Minnetonka vs St. Louis Park – 6:30 p.m. Saturday

‘Tonka promises to be one of the most interesting teams to see this winter. The Skippers’ starting lineup is an all-D1 affair that features seniors Desiree Ware Desiree Ware 5'8" | CG Minnetonka | 2022 State MN (Alabama-Birmingham) and Kiani Lockett Kiani Lockett 5'9" | PG Minnetonka | 2022 State MN (Creighton), sophomores Emma Dasovich Emma Dasovich 6'1" | PF Valley Vista | 2024 MN (2024 #6) and Tori McKinney Tori McKinney 6'1" | CG Minnetonka | 2024 State MN (2024 #5), along with the #1 prospect in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2025, Aaliyah Crump Aaliyah Crump 6'1" | SF Montverde Academy | 2025 State FL . They’ll face a veteran St. Louis Park squad led by seniors Selam Maher Selam Maher 5'7" | CG St. Louis Park | 2022 State MN (Smith College) and Ellie Austad Ellie Austad 5'9" | CG St. Louis Park | 2022 State MN , Top 20 junior Shantell Harden Shantell Harden 6'0" | SF St. Louis Park | 2023 State MN , and strong sophomores Kiya Hegdahl Kiya Hegdahl 5'7" | PG St. Louis Park | 2024 State MN and Evie Schmitz Evie Schmitz 5'7" | PG St. Louis Park | 2024 State MN . It will be a tall task for SLP to grab hold of a W, but they’ll scratch and claw for every inch.

Hopkins vs Rosemount – 8:15 p.m. Saturday

Hopkins vs Como Park figures to be run-and-gun. Rosemount will seek to grind the Big Blue Machine into slow motion, easier said than done but always worth watching. The Irish made it to the final four last spring. Although his team graduated a lot of talent and experience, Coach Chris Orr is still one of the state’s premier game planners and he’ll have Leenderts, Alexa Ratzlaff Alexa Ratzlaff 5'9" | CG Rosemount | 2022 State MN , Nicole O’Neil Nicole O’Neil 5'10" | SG Rosemount | 2023 State MN , Ava Thompson Ava Thompson 5'6" | PG Rosemount | 2024 State MN , Anna Tauer Anna Tauer 5'6" | CG Rosemount | 2022 MN and company ready to go against Amaya Battle Amaya Battle 5'10" | PG Hopkins | 2022 State #29 Nation MN (Minnesota), Taylor Woodson Taylor Woodson 6'0" | PF Hopkins | 2023 State #28 Nation MN , Nunu Agara Nunu Agara 6'1" | PF Hopkins | 2023 State #32 Nation MN (Stanford), Liv McGill Liv McGill 5'7" | CG Hopkins | 2024 State MN , et al. Pay attention to the Teko-Folly sisters for Rosemount because they’ve got promise.

10 unsigned prospects to watch

Tessa Johnson Tessa Johnson 5'11" | SG St. Michael-Albertville | 2023 State #36 Nation MN – guard, St. Michael-Albertville (2023 #1)
Liv McGill Liv McGill 5'7" | CG Hopkins | 2024 State MN – guard, Hopkins (2024 #2)
Tatum Woodson Tatum Woodson 5'9" | CG Hopkins | 2025 State MN – forward, Hopkins (2023 #2)
Aaliyah Crump Aaliyah Crump 6'1" | SF Montverde Academy | 2025 State FL – wing, Minnetonka (2025 #1)
Tori McKinney Tori McKinney 6'1" | CG Minnetonka | 2024 State MN – guard, Minnetonka (2024 #5)
Emma Dasovich Emma Dasovich 6'1" | PF Valley Vista | 2024 MN – forward, Minnetonka (2024 #6)
Finley Ohnstad Finley Ohnstad 6'1" | SF Lakeville South | 2024 State MN – guard, Lakeville South (2024 #9)
Vanessa Saidu Vanessa Saidu 6'2" | SF Cooper | 2023 State MN – forward, Park Center (2023 #17)
Ronnie Porter Ronnie Porter 5'2" | CG Como Park | 2022 State MN – guard, Como Park (2022 #17)
Shantell Harden Shantell Harden 6'0" | SF St. Louis Park | 2023 State MN – wing, St. Louis Park (2023 #19)
Bonus pick: Lanelle Wright Lanelle Wright 5'8" | PG Minnetonka | 2026 State MN of Minnetonka, a consensus top-3 in 2026

Photo: courtesy of Providence Academy Twitter

TWIN CITIES THANKSGIVING TIPOFF

It’s only 20 minutes down Interstate 35E from Hamline to St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights where you’ll find the Twin Cities Thanksgiving Tipoff happening on Friday and Saturday. That’s a round trip we plan to make a couple of times. With 28 teams doing business on four courts, there’s a ton of talent to take in at STA. In a relatively short time this event has established itself as a place to see and be seen. Previously played at the University of St. Thomas, it had to move when the Tommies entered Division 1 this season given that NCAA rules don’t allow their top programs to host high school events.

What began as an all-Catholic schools gathering has taken on a new look over the years. This time around there are 13 Minnesota public schools and 12 privates, including Providence Academy, Holy Angels, Holy Family, Hill-Murray, Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Croix Lutheran and Maranatha Christian Academy. In addition there are three strong parochial schools from neighboring states – Dowling from West Des Moines, IA; Regis from Eau Claire, WI.; and Aquinas from LaCrosse, WI. The Tip Off tips off at 10:30 a.m. Friday and continues through Saturday evening.

GAMES TO WATCH

Hutchinson vs Providence Academy – 10:45 a.m. Friday

No matter where she plays now, 8th grade standout Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN tends to draw a crowd. The 2026 point guard had an outstanding first season of varsity basketball, leading her team to the state tournament. She quarterbacks the Providence attack featuring senior Maria Counts Maria Counts 5'11" | PF Providence | 2022 State MN , junior Grace Counts Grace Counts 6'1" | PF Providence | 2023 State MN and freshman Hope Counts Hope Counts 6'2" | SF Providence Academy | 2025 State MN . They’ll meet up with another big big in Hutch’s 2023 Top 20 Brynn Beffert Brynn Beffert 6'0" | PF Hutchinson | 2023 State MN and another standout floor general in St. Cloud State commit Alyssa Stamer Alyssa Stamer 5'7" | CG Hutchinson | 2022 State MN , who averaged 19 last winter and fills up the stat sheet from one end to the other.

Mountain Iron-Buhl vs St. Croix Lutheran – 3:45 p.m. Friday

MIB sophomore Jordan Zubich Jordan Zubich 5'11" | SG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2024 State MN made one of the biggest splashes of the summer on the AAU circuit and why not. She may be the best prospect in Class A. A 6-foot guard who can bury shots from anywhere, Zubich holds D1 offers and the keys to the candy store for the Rangers. MIB runs up against St. Croix Lutheran, which boasts two D1 prospects itself. Sophomore guard Laura Hauge Laura Hauge 5'9" | SG St. Croix Lutheran | 2024 State MN is another downtown bomber of the same ilk as Zubich. Junior guard Zoey Washington Zoey Washington 5'9" | CG St. Croix Lutheran | 2023 State MN is a D1 commit to St. Thomas who transferred in from Mahtomedi. I wonder what the over-under will be on made 3-pointers.

Eastview vs Holy Angels – 7:30 p.m. Saturday

We are most interested to see how Holy Angels fares this season following the graduation of Frankie Vascellaro and Rachel Kawiecki, who were the Stars’ heart and soul. The squad will certainly look different as the leadership responsibilities have now been handed to seniors Kassie Caron Kassie Caron 6'0" | SF Holy Angels | 2022 State MN (Missouri Western) and Grace Massaquoi Grace Massaquoi 6'0" | PF Holy Angels | 2022 State MN , and sophomore Kiera O’Rourke Kiera O’Rourke 6'0" | CG Holy Angels | 2024 State MN . One big addition is forward Ella Pritchard Ella Pritchard 5'11" | SF Holy Angels | 2023 State MN , a Top 50 junior who comes over from Cristo Rey. Eastview will be led by one of the rising stars of Minnesota basketball in #13-rated sophomore Savanah Gardner Savanah Gardner 6'1" | SF Eastview | 2024 State MN who is coming into her own, and big senior post Faith Morris Faith Morris 5'11" | PF Eastview | 2022 State MN , who has looked good in fall ball.