Injuries were a big part of the story on Saturday

It's almost always the first question we ask in pre-game conversation with high school coaches: “Is your team healthy?” The query seldom draws a simple ‘yes' or ‘no' answer. By the last weekend in January, injuries can play such a key role in whether or not a team is ready to make a push down the stretch run, or if they are barely holding their team together with bailing twine and duct tape.   That was certainly the case on Saturday at the Breakdown Community Clash at St. Michael-Albertville, where current injuries and players returning from a recent stint on the sidelines played a crucial role. From the first game of the day at 10:30 in the morning to the final tip off at 8 o'clock at night, injuries played a pivotal role in how things played out. Here's what we saw.   St. Croix Lutheran 60 Fridley 53   The first pre-game conversation of the day was with coach Drew Reiter of Fridley. “Is your team healthy,” we asked the Tigers' bench boss? “Unfortunately not,” came the reply. “We're missing Daeserae Williamson. She has been so good for us.” Williamson is a big post player, a veteran presence in the paint who could have been a difference-maker. That would be true against any opponent. It was even more poignant against St. Croix Lutheran and top 20 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='362575' first='Callie' last='Oakland']. The 6-foot Crusaders power forward is having a very solid season, currently averaging 15.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game. That's impressive. Saturday was no different for Callie. She dominated the paint on both ends of the floor, grabbing 14 points and 13 boards, plus a whopping 7 blocks.   It wasn't until we were well into the game when we noticed that Fridley junior [player_tooltip player_id='346167' first='Mya' last='Karsten'] was nowhere to be found. The talented guard has been a key piece for Reiter since she was in the 8th grade. It wasn't until the game concluded that we learned Karsten has been out with her second ACL injury. Somehow that news had escaped us.   In the end, the fact that Williamson was out and Oakland was feeling much better after a week-long battle with flu-like symptoms had a big role in how the game played out. So, too, did the return of St. Croix Lutheran point guard [player_tooltip player_id='472446' first='Amaya' last='Penn'], who was sidelined throughout December. She returned earlier this month and Penn's presence has been pivotal for the Crusaders as they have found their groove at just the right time winning 9 of their past 10 games.   Amaya had a very strong performance as the game's leading scorer. She attacked the basket and finished at the rim with ease, often earning herself trips to the free throw line. She also knocked down four shots from beyond the arc. Penn finished the contest with 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Amaya's presence has been transformational for SCL.   Wayzata 54 Andover 49   Injuries may be important but so are player absences due to other unforeseen circumstances. When Wayzata rolled onto the floor Saturday for its encounter with Andover we observed the Trojans in warm-ups and a different question arose: Where's [player_tooltip player_id='296517' first='Katie' last='Kelzenberg']? The return of the 2025 post has been a huge factor this season for Wayzata. Kelzenberg had set basketball aside for the past two seasons to focus on her high-level aspirations on the volleyball court. On Saturday, Katie was at a nationally relevant volleyball event. Her absence was huge.   With Kelzenberg gone, the Trojans not only missed her average of over 9 ppg, but they had to use more bodies to guard Huskies forward [player_tooltip player_id='215970' first='Morgan' last='Miller'], a big-time performer who has committed to play at Clemson University next season. Wayzata was able to hold Miller to just 6 points, but with more players on her it opened up scoring opportunities for senior guards [player_tooltip player_id='178262' first='Emma' last='Frost'] and [player_tooltip player_id='304892' first='Anna' last='Vaaler'] of the Huskies. They finished with 15 points apiece.   At the midway point of the second half, the game was getting quite physical and tempers on both teams were flaring. Andover went on a big run to close the 9-point gap they had at halftime. The teams stayed toe-to-toe right up until the last couple minutes, when the Trojans made some key baskets and squeaked by with a 5-point win. Andover has to be considered a top 10 team in Class 4A, don't they?   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/05/Tori-McKinney-crop-1289x847-1706559961.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-846567" /></figure>   Minnetonka 73 Providence Academy 48   The Skippers of Minnetonka are ranked #1 at the moment in Class 4A. Coach Brian Cosgriff's team has been very good all season. On Saturday, the Skippers were darn near perfect. As a result, so is their record. One of the key reasons is a healthy [player_tooltip player_id='215958' first='Tori' last='McKinney'], who missed all of last season with a torn ACL. Her return to the lineup has been crucial for the Skippers' success this season.   McKinney's impact was on full display at the Community Clash as the University of Minnesota commit put on a defensive clinic against Providence Academy standout (and her AAU teammate) [player_tooltip player_id='252381' first='Maddyn' last='Greenway']. That was a big difference maker in Minnetonka's impressive victory.   From start to finish Tori did it all – scoring, grabbing crucial rebounds and making key passes, as well as impeding one of the top scorers in the state. And while Greenway still finished the contest with 23 points, McKinney's efforts had been vital in forcing Providence out of its comfort zone. On most nights, Maddyn can bully her way to the basket to score, often earning herself trips to the free throw line in the process. But with McKinney's immense length, lateral speed, and impeccable ability to defend without fouling, the Skippers were able to make it very difficult for the Lions to score.   In addition to the defensive clinic, Tori and her teammates [player_tooltip player_id='252387' first='Aaliyah' last='Crump'] and [player_tooltip player_id='252383' first='Lanelle' last='Wright'] were firing on all cylinders on the offensive end. The big three combined for 66 of Minnetonka's 73 points.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-thumbnail"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/01/Jakahla-Craft-crop-1024x673-1643674571-crop-640x421-1706559913.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-846566" /></figure>   Benilde-St. Margaret's 76 St. Michael-Albertville 73   The impact of injuries played out again in the final game of the day when Benilde-St. Margaret's roared back from a 6-point halftime deficit to defeat the defending Class 4A champs STMA on their home floor. One of the key reasons was the outstanding play of McDonald's All American [player_tooltip player_id='177728' first='Olivia' last='Olson'] of the Red Knights. She missed the entire month of December with broken bones in her hand, but has returned with a vengeance. That was obvious on Saturday.   From the jump, Olson came out hot, shooting 5-for-7 from the field, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in the opening minutes. By the halfway mark of the first period, Olivia had 16 of Benilde's 21 points. In the second half, Olson continued her scoring streak by attacking the rim and earning trips to the line. In the end, she finished the contest with 35 points. Since her January 4th return, Olson's efforts have ignited the Red Knights to an 8-game win streak. They have to be the favorites to repeat as Class 3A state champions.   Meanwhile on the other side of the ball, the surprise presence of [player_tooltip player_id='339129' first='Ja'Kahla' last='Craft'] in the lineup for STMA was a huge boost for coach Kent Hamre's Knights. Craft suffered a gruesome finger injury on January 8th and her absence had a profound impact on what STMA was able to do. Before Craft's injury the Knights held a perfect 12-0 record. After Saturday, STMA is 15-4.   It came as a surprise when St. Michael-Albertville took to the court against BSM to see Craft back in the starting lineup with a large splint on her right hand, less than three weeks after her injury. The Knights' standout made her presence felt pretty much immediately. Like Olson, Craft also opened her evening by hitting shots from deep, going 2-of-3 from beyond the arc in the opening minutes. And while scoring was slow for STMA in the beginning, Craft had 7 of her team's 12 points. By the end of the half Ja'Kahla had scored 16. Both teams made big runs in the second period, but Olson's ability to get to the line time and time again helped propel the Red Knights to a 13-point victory.   PGH scout Ally McGinnis also contributed to this story.

It's almost always the first question we ask in pre-game conversation with high school coaches: “Is your team healthy?” The query seldom draws a simple ‘yes' or ‘no' answer. By the last weekend in January, injuries can play such a key role in whether or not a team is ready to make a push down the stretch run, or if they are barely holding their team together with bailing twine and duct tape.