This weekend: Events to watch in Duluth, Rochester area

Want to get out and about this weekend for a little quality hoops action? There are two events of note, both staged by Breakdown Sports. The Lake Superior Classic features three girls games at Duluth East High School. The Guaranteed Rate Hoops Challenge features six girls games, with two apiece at Byron, Kasson-Mantorville and Rochester Mayo. Here's a quick rundown on the match-ups and some of the top performers you can see.

LAKE SUPERIOR CLASSIC At Duluth East 11:30 p.m. – Pine City vs Duluth Marshall Duluth Marshall is led by Top 15 freshman (23 ppg) and one of the most dynamic young guards in the state, 8th grader Ava Meierotto (12 ppg). 8th grader Anna Saari just scored a career-high 30 points on Tuesday night for the young-but-talented Hilltoppers. Pine City can be dominant at both ends of floor thanks to the Dragons' Twin Towers, 6'1 junior post and 6'0 sophomore forward , who is a Top 50 player in the Class of 2024. They're coming off a very strong performance at the Breakdown Granite City Classic last week. 1:15 p.m. – Andover vs Duluth-East Andover features a balanced attack with four of the top sophomores in Minnesota according to Prep Girls Hoops: 6'2 forward (ranked #17), 5'11 guard (#18), 5'10 guard (#30) and 5'10 small forward (#46). Duluth East is led by junior , a versatile guard/small forward who can fill up the basket. She's averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds per game and had a 33-point outing earlier this year against Hibbing. 2:45 p.m. – Proctor vs Mountain Iron-Buhl MIB is sparked by perhaps the premier distance shooter in Minnesota, sophomore . Ranked #7 in the Class of 2024 and holding numerous Division 1 offers, she is averaging 26 points per game while shooting over 65 percent. just scored her 1,000th point and the Rangers are ranked #1 in Class A. Proctor is off to a hot start that saw the Rails win their first seven games of the season in spite of graduating a ton of talent. Big, strong senior forward is the engine that pulls the Proctor train.

GUARANTEED RATE HOOPS CHALLENGE At Byron 11:30 – St. Croix Lutheran vs Goodhue The Crusaders feature one of Minnesota's five best sophomores in , a long-bomber who holds a scholarship offer from the University of Minnesota. She's joined in the St. Croix backcourt by junior guard , a transfer from Mahtomedi who will play D1 basketball at the University of St. Thomas. The Crusaders have won 9 of their first 10. Goodhue is Goodhue, a well-oiled machine that comes at you in waves. They bring speed and quickness and a ton of high-level experience to this match-up. Senior is a key piece for Goodhue, as is hard-working forward , a junior who can be counted on to score. Sophomore guard has emerged as a rising star. The Wildcats also have 9 wins in 10 tries. 2:30 p.m. – Caledonia vs Lake City Caledonia is anchored by standout point guard . The 5'10 junior is a Top 30 college prospect according to Prep Girls Hoops, and she is a ton of fun to watch with length, pace and plenty of range. She's joined in the Caledonia backcourt by speedy junior guard . Accomplished distance shooter is a constant threat from the outside. Lake City, too, has one of the state's highest-rated guards in senior , who recently passed the 2,000-career points mark and has committed to Minnesota State-Mankato. Bremer is a do-it-all talent but the 9-2 Tigers have plenty more, too, including the likes of Jacey Majerus, Paige West, and Emily Gates. At Kasson-Mantorville 11:00 a.m. – St. Paul Como Park vs Austin Como Park can fly and their run-and-gun attack usually puts up a ton of points. The Cougars featuring a senior-laden lineup that's led by Division 1 commit (St. Peter's) and Top 20 prospect , two of the most talented small guards in the state. Junior guard is rounding into form after two ACL injuries. Austin's record speaks for itself as the Packers have reeled off 10 straight victories to start the season. They're led by senior point guard , a master tactician who is joined in the backcourt by her twin sister Emma. Big senior gives Austin presence in the post while athletic juniors and bring speed and quickness. 3:45 p.m. – St. Peter vs Stewartville St. Peter features two of the most exciting young players in Minnesota. The uber-athletic is a Top 10 prospect and surefire Division 1 athlete. Freshman is a high-IQ point guard. Sophomore post and senior guard are crucial pieces for the Saints who have won 10 out of 11 games. Stewartville is very familiar to fans of girls basketball in Southeastern Minnesota. The Tigers are quick and athletic and they can come at you in waves. Stewartville is led by a pair of electric junior guards – and – and features two up-and-coming stars in 8th graders Audrey Shindelar and . At Rochester Mayo 11:00 a.m. – Minnehaha Academy vs Rochester Lourdes Minnehaha Academy freshman point guard is already a 1,000-point scorer and one of the smartest floor generals in the class. Seniors and and sophomore Aliyah Al-Hameed give the 7-1 Redhawks plenty of punch. Veteran guard leads the charge for 8-3 Lourdes. The Concordia-St. Paul commit has plenty of help, as well, with a strong trio of junior leaders. Guards and are both Top 50 prospects in the Class of 2023 and 6'3 post is a force inside at both ends of the floor. 3:45 p.m. – Lakeville South vs Rochester Mayo Lakeville South can flat out shoot the basketball. Senior is a Concordia-St. Paul commit who has long been one of the state's top shooters. Top-10 sophomore is not far behind. Sophomore point guard is a player on the rise. The home team is on a bit of a roll and is coming together nicely following mass graduations, including Drake freshman Anna Miller who is having a sensational season in Division 1 basketball. Mayo's most dynamic player is junior guard , who just might be the most athletic player in the state. She had 11 steals in a recent outing. Top photo: Ava Privet Ava Privet 5'10" | CG Caledonia | 2023 State MN of Caledonia and Natalie Bremer Natalie Bremer 5'11" | CG Lake City | 2022 State MN of Lake City will meet at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Byron.