Best of Breakdown’s Summer State Tourney

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Breakdown's Summer State Tourney is officially an exhibition event. No real wins or losses to record. No official records kept. Nothing really at stake. Don't tell that to the 28 teams that showed up to compete on Sunday at Jefferson High School in Bloomington. They went at it tooth and nail to crown four class champions: Lakeville North in Class 4A, Benilde-St. Margaret's in 3A, Duluth Marshall in 2A and Mountain Iron-Buhl in 1A. When March rolls around for real, don't be surprised if those four teams are still standing when the hardware is handed out. With a field that included the likes of Hopkins, Minnetonka, Wayzata, Stewartville and Alexandria, we wouldn't be surprised if several other squads in attendance had a shot at all the marbles come spring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some high points from Sunday's action.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":733232,"width":210,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/08/Gracie-Winge.jpg?w=840" alt="" class="wp-image-733232" width="210" height="256" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GAME OF THE DAY</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lakeville North 52 Hopkins 48</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No contest on Sunday epitomized the reality of what it means to get out on the floor and compete regardless of season than the Panthers vs the Royals. This year will be different for Hopkins following the graduation of <strong>Taylor Woodson</strong> (Michigan) and <strong>Nunu Agara</strong> (Stanford), and some folks are predicting the Royals might be just average. Don't fall for that nonsense! The Royals are for real and they showed it on Sunday. North is also legit. Featuring a lineup chock-full of D1 and D2 talent, the Panthers are loaded. With the return of Andy Berkvam in the role of head coach – he won a state championship there in 2010 – Lakeville North is bound to be even better. When the two squads met in Sunday's championship game, it looked very much like the potential state championship match-up that it was.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>North got the early jump, and when Florida commit [player_tooltip player_id='178269' first='Liv' last='McGill'] of Hopkins left the game early on after bumping her head on the floor, the Royals trailed 14-8. Following a brief respite on the sidelines to clear the cobwebs, McGill returned and promptly sparked a 15-2 Hopkins run, staking her team to a 27-21 halftime lead. In the second period, it was more of the same. By the time the half was four minutes old, Hopkins led 37-23 and it looked like they were going to run away and hide. Then Berkvam called time out, but with the games being played with a running clock it seemed like there may not be enough remaining minutes to turn the tide. But the Panthers did.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the key matchup between McGill and Loyola Maryland commit [player_tooltip player_id='215957' first='Gabby' last='Betton'] intensified, Lakeville North began chipping away at the lead. By the 9-minute mark, the margin had been reduced to single digits. At the 8-minute mark, rugged post [player_tooltip player_id='461383' first='Bella' last='DeHaan'] scored on a perfectly executed reverse layup for North to make it 42-39. By the time Betton cashed in with a sweet baseline floater off a pretty feed from Vanderbilt commit [player_tooltip player_id='335641' first='Trinity' last='Wilson'] at the 5:03 mark, the Panthers had retaken the lead. The two teams went back and forth to the end with McGill scoring on a hard drive to the basket in the closing minute to tie it at 48 and force overtime.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The extra period was played to 4, an unusual format to be sure but one that has proven quite popular at Breakdown summer events. With the clock being a non-factor, both teams were quite patient in looking for the right shot… until they weren't. It seemed like an eternity before the first point was scored – the back end of two free throw attempts from [player_tooltip player_id='296530' first='Gracie' last='Winge'] (photo above) that staked North to a slim lead. After a series of misses, turnovers, tie-ups and generally disorganized offensive effort on the part of both teams, Winge nailed a long three to close the sale and enable Lakeville North to go home with a 52-48 win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McGill finished the contest with 24 points for Hopkins, which had strong performances from [player_tooltip player_id='215457' first='London' last='Harris'], [player_tooltip player_id='339206' first='Maliyah' last='White'], [player_tooltip player_id='558627' first='Erma' last='Walker'], [player_tooltip player_id='453753' first='Lauren' last='Hillesheim'], and [player_tooltip player_id='377584' first='Ava' last='Cupito']. Betton totaled 14 for the Panthers. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='346182' first='Elayna' last='Boe'] looked good for Lakeville, as did Winge, [player_tooltip player_id='396430' first='Aduke' last='Ojullu'] and DeHaan. The real winners were the spectators, who were treated to prime time basketball 6 months early.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TEAM OF THE DAY</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mountain Iron-Buhl</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After finally scaling the tallest mountain last spring with their first Class A State Championship, MIB looks poised to give it another run in 2024. Certainly they'll miss the now-graduated <strong>Sage Ganyo</strong> (Bemidji State), but you would not have known it watching the Rangers dominate the proceedings on Sunday. MIB rolled over Hayfield, BOLD and Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart in succession on Sunday to take home the Class A title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming into the championship game, BLHS figured to give MIB a run for their money. Led by St. Cloud State commits [player_tooltip player_id='304915' first='Rachel' last='Kottke'] and [player_tooltip player_id='304916' first='Kristi' last='Kottke'], and featuring the shooting prowess of lefty <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='773400' first='Lily' last='Hubin']</strong>, the Mustangs were a formidable opponent on paper. When [player_tooltip player_id='461340' first='Hali' last='Savela'] hit a three-pointer with a second or two left on the clock in the first half, however, the Rangers were ahead 34-20. In the second period, MIB went on an early 11-2 gallop and by the time [player_tooltip player_id='178277' first='Jordan' last='Zubich'] nailed an NBA three followed by a traditional 2+1, the Rangers were up 24. The rest was just a formality as MIB rolled a steady stream of understudies onto the floor while cruising to a 62-35 victory. In fact, Rangers coach Jeff Buffetta managed to play 20 kids in the semifinal win and nearly that many in the championship game. Incoming Rangers freshman [player_tooltip player_id='659121' first='Anna' last='Neyens'] continues to impress.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TOP PERFORMERS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We already told you about the excellent performances from [player_tooltip player_id='178269' first='Liv' last='McGill'] and [player_tooltip player_id='215957' first='Gabby' last='Betton']. Here are a few more of Sunday's standouts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='178271' first='Willow' last='Thiel'] <strong>– 2024 forward, Perham</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming off a great summer with the [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'], Thiel has really expanded her game this year. She was a machine on Sunday as Perham made it into the Class 2A championship game with Willow scoring 33 points against Duluth Marshall and 70 on the day. The Top 50 senior-to-be is a strong D2 candidate. Incoming sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='502604' first='Kaia' last='Anderson'], also ranked in our Top 50, was apparently under the weather at the Breakdown but you would not have known it. She's just so smooth!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":733234,"width":166,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/08/Jordan-Zubich.jpg?w=664" alt="" class="wp-image-733234" width="166" height="256" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='178277' first='Jordan' last='Zubich'] <strong>– 2024 guard, Mountain Iron-Buhl</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What can you say about Zubich that hasn't already been uttered a thousand times? Jordan has demonstrated with the [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] all summer exactly why she'll be joining the University of North Carolina next season. On Sunday JZ was bombing it, with point totals of 28, 25 and 24 in Mountain Iron-Buhl's three victories. Regardless of what teams do to try and contain her, Zubich manages to find just enough time and space to stuff it down their throats and smile while doing so.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":733235,"width":189,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/08/Olivia-Olson.jpg?w=755" alt="" class="wp-image-733235" width="189" height="256" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='177728' first='Olivia' last='Olson'] <strong>– 2024 guard, Benilde-St. Margaret's</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Speaking of high-major commits performing well… Zubich's Fury teammate was also excellent Sunday, particularly in the second half of the Class 3A championship game against Alexandria. It was close at the midway point until the University of Michigan signee decided that it shouldn't be. Olson just took over, scoring inside and outside and playing with that extra gear that has long been her calling card. In the absence of [player_tooltip player_id='346165' first='Hadley' last='Thul'], Alexandria had no answers for Olson. Not many other teams do, either.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":733236,"width":161,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/08/Avery-Moeller.jpg?w=645" alt="" class="wp-image-733236" width="161" height="256" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='339142' first='Avery' last='Moeller'] <strong>– 2024 guard, Rosemount</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last year Avery emerged from the shadows and established herself as a big-time scorer at the Class 4A level after transferring to Rosemount. To be honest, we hadn't really seen it coming but Avery has been on fire ever since. She's just so consistent now. Moeller opened the proceedings Sunday when we watched by knocking down some outside shots in Rosemount's 49-31 win over Minnetonka and doing all of the little things that make the Irish one of the state's most fundamentally sound squads. Incoming freshman [player_tooltip player_id='578467' first='Amisha' last='Ramlall'] was very good, as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":733237,"width":154,"height":256,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/08/Chloe-Johnson.jpg?w=617" alt="" class="wp-image-733237" width="154" height="256" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='433933' first='Chloe' last='Johnson'] <strong>– 2028 guard, Duluth Marshall</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The incoming 8th grader has been garnering headlines across the country in recent weeks and on Sunday she was dominant once again as the Hilltoppers captured the Class 2A crown with a win over Perham. Johnson averaged 17 ppg on the day but really it was a total team effort by Marshall. [player_tooltip player_id='296516' first='Regan' last='Juenemann'] came to life late in the championship game to score 20 down the stretch. [player_tooltip player_id='478376' first='Anna' last='Saari'] was bombing threes and totaled 22 points. [player_tooltip player_id='605710' first='Ada' last='Skafte'] was hot, too, making 14 threes on the day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->