Previewing this weekend’s Breakdown Tip Off Classic

Without fail, the Breakdown Girls Tip Off Classic produces some of the peak individual and team moments of the entire high school season. Every winter, it is the largest single gathering of college coaches in Minnesota, the most top prospects in the same gym at the same time, 32 of the top high school teams in the state, and the best slate of matchups you'll find at one site – and it's all happening on the first weekend of the year! Beginning Friday night with two Class A games at Mayer Lutheran High School ,and continuing with 16 games on Saturday at Southwest Christian, the Tip Off is the place to see and be seen during week #1 of the 2025-26 high school campaign.

How deep is the Tip Off field? Deep! The event features 9 of the top 10 seniors in the state, 8 of the top 10 juniors, 7 of the top 10 sophomores, 7 of the top 10 freshmen plus a smattering of elite middle schoolers who are ready to make a big impact on the varsity level. Here's our quick-and-easy guide to viewing the Breakdown Tip Off Classic.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

This year the Tip Off Classic features a small-school showdown on Friday night to get things started. Hosted by Mayer Lutheran High School, there are two great matchups on the docket:

Hillcrest Lutheran vs Mountain Iron-Buhl (6 p.m.)

Led by top 20 sophomore Elsa Retzlaff Elsa Retzlaff 5'9" | CG Hillcrest Lutheran | 2028 State MN , Hillcrest is an emerging program among smaller programs in the state. Located in Fergus Falls, the private Christian school plays entertaining basketball. Elsa's younger sister Elin Retzlaff Elin Retzlaff 5'8" | CG/SF Hillcrest Lutheran | 2030 MN is one of the best 8^th graders we've seen so far. Veteran, Ella Knutson Ella Knutson 5'8" | SG/SF Hillcrest Lutheran | 2026 State MN (Northwestern IA) is the backbone of the team. They'll face perennial power Mountain Iron-Buhl led by coach Jeff Buffeta. The Rangers have a nice mix of veterans and rising talent this season, including top 30 junior Anna Neyens Anna Neyens 5'7" | CG/PG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2027 State MN , UW-Superior commit Aniyah Thomas Aniyah Thomas 5'5" | PG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2026 State MN , and her younger sister Farrah Thomas Farrah Thomas 5'9" | CG/SF Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2029 State MN who recently earned the #13 ranking in the Prep Girls Hoops Freshman 50.

Braham vs Mayer Lutheran (7:45 p.m.)

Mayer might be known primarily as a volleyball school, but rest assured they also know how to hoop. The Crusaders have been to the state tournament in four of the past five years. Mayer is anchored by All-State sisters Clara Keaveny Clara Keaveny 5'10" | CG Mayer Lutheran | 2026 State MN and Izabelle Keaveny Izabelle Keaveny 5'9" | CG Mayer Lutheran | 2026 State MN , 5'10 guards who combined for 38 points and 11 rebounds per game last winter. Six-foot junior Hallie Hunter Hallie Hunter 6'1" | PF/C Mayer Lutheran | 2027 State MN is a defensive dynamo who can also score. Senior guard Avery Arvig Avery Arvig 5'10" | SF Mayer Lutheran | 2026 MN rounds out the Crusaders' core. They'll face a Braham squad led by 2027 standout Morgan Rysdam Morgan Rysdam 5'8" | CG/SG Braham | 2027 State MN , an incredibly athletic guard who is just oozing with potential. She was our AAU Newcomer of the Year award winner. The Bombers are a veteran squad – they were in the section final the past two years – led by seniors Jenna Beck, Makenzie Golly, Emily Davis Emily Davis 5'8" | PG/SG Braham area high school | 2026 MN and Avery Shockman.

SATURDAY'S TOP 3 MATCHUPS 

Duluth Marshall vs Orono (1:45 p.m., East Court)

What's not to like about this star-studded matchup. Any game involving the best sophomore point guard in the country – the incomparable Chloe Johnson Chloe Johnson 6'0" | PG Duluth Marshall | 2028 State MN – is a good one to watch. Chloe leads a veteran Duluth Marshall squad that includes UM-Crookston commit Cairin Berger Cairin Berger 5'9" | SF/PG Duluth Marshall | 2026 State MN , top 35 junior Candice Ndomb Candice Ndomb 5'8" | CG Duluth Marshall | 2027 State MN and a solid supporting cast that should contend in Class 2A this winter. They'll face a veteran Orono group that is loaded for bear entering the season. The Spartans will be directed by one of the premier point guards in the state in Creighton commit Mya Moore Mya Moore 5'10" | PG Orono | 2026 State #103 Nation MN , a best-5 senior who can do it all. Her sister Ally Moore Ally Moore 5'8" | PG Orono | 2028 State MN – a top 15 sophomore – gives Orono a terrific one-two punch. Orono has size and length, too, with University of Chicago commit Evelyn Miller Evelyn Miller 6'1" | PF Orono | 2026 State MN , posts Lilah Rice Lilah Rice 6'2" | PF Orono | 2026 State MN and Brynn Leibfried Brynn Leibfried 5'11" | PF Orono | 2026 State MN and lengthy wing Amelia Schwendimann Amelia Schwendimann 5'10" | SG/SF Orono | 2026 State MN .

Hopkins vs Providence Academy (5:30 p.m., Main Court)

Whenever these two teams meet the entertainment value is top shelf. Hopkins and Providence played last winter and the one before that at the Breakdown Granite City Classic in December. Last year Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State #14 Nation MN scored 36 points for the Lions in a come-from-behind victory. The year before she had 32 but current University of Florida star Liv McGill scored 36 in a Hopkins win. This year the rivalry is rekindled on opening weekend and it promises to be great.

Hopkins are the defending Class 4A state champions. Led by crafty point guard Jaliyah Diggs Jaliyah Diggs 5'5" | PG Hopkins | 2027 State MN , dominant post Erma Walker Erma Walker 6'0" | PF Hopkins | 2027 State MN and gifted guard Ava Cupito Ava Cupito 5'10" | CG Hopkins | 2027 State MN , the Royals have a younger supporting cast that will be fun to watch grow. Providence, winners of four Class 2A state titles in a row, will look a little different this year with the graduation of D1 post Hope Counts (Lipscomb). The Lions will bring a more guard-centric attack led by Maddyn, her sister Beckett Greenway Beckett Greenway 5'8" | CG/SG Providence | 2029 State MN (2029 #1) and 2026 #4 Emma Millerbernd Emma Millerbernd 5'10" | CG Providence Academy | 2027 State MN . This should be fun!

Rosemount vs Wayzata (7:00 p.m., Main Court)

Two of the deepest, most well-rounded Class 4A squads in the state will highlight the evening's action on Saturday. Rosemount was already deep and got deeper over the summer with the addition of Farmington transfer Gianna Carpentier Gianna Carpentier 5'10" | PG Rosemount | 2027 State MN and the return of senior guard Riley Ang Riley Ang 5'7" | CG Rosemount | 2026 State MN and junior forward Isla Silk Isla Silk 5'8" | SG Rosemount | 2027 State MN from injury. They'll join the Ramlall sisters – Minnesota commit Amisha Ramlall Amisha Ramlall 5'11" | CG Rosemount | 2027 State MN , her twin Arshia Ramlall Arshia Ramlall 5'7" | CG Rosemount | 2027 State MN , and their elite playmaking sister Ashna Ramlall Ashna Ramlall 5'10" | CG Rosemount | 2028 State MN . Kaylee Dilger Kaylee Dilger 5'6" | PG/SG Rosemount | 2028 State MN and Maren Powell Maren Powell 5'11" | SF/PF Rosemount | 2028 State MN are two more to watch.

Like the Irish, Wayzata is deep, experienced, and they can shoot the basketball with the best of them. Senior Kate Amelotte Kate Amelotte 6'0" | SF Wayzata | 2026 State MN (Creighton commit) returns from injury while South Dakota State commit Maren Day Maren Day 6'1" | CG/SF Wayzata | 2027 State MN and elite juniors Annika Kieser Annika Kieser 5'10" | SF Wayzata | 2027 State MN and Kaja Nash Kaja Nash 5'10" | CG/SG Wayzata | 2027 State MN bring a ton to the table. So does sophomore Mallory McBeth Mallory McBeth 5'10" | SG/SF Wayzata | 2028 State MN . Brielle Denkmann Brielle Denkmann 6'0" | CG/PG Wayzata | 2029 State MN is the #2-rated prospect in the freshman class while Sawyer Backer Sawyer Backer 5'10" | SG Wayzata | 2029 State MN is in the top 20. This should be a good one.

The complete schedule is located at the bottom of this preview.

10 BIG NAMES TO WATCH

5 RISING STARS TO SEE

1 MORE NAME TO KNOW

WHERE TO WATCH LIVE

Ticket information at breakdownsportsusa.com

WHERE TO WATCH ONLINE

On Wednesday Breakdown USA announced a new broadcast partnership with Live Barn, one of the country's fastest-growing livestream services for youth and high school sports. They'll have Tip Off games available live and on demand at https://app.staylive.io/breakdownsportsusa

PGH COVERAGE

With so many great games on the schedule, and so much talent to see at the same time, covering the Tip Off Classic is a challenge in itself – but we'll give it our best shot! Prep Girls Hoops scouts Tony Ragulen, Ally McGinnis and I will all be on hand all weekend looking for emerging talent, breakthrough performers and top teams, and will publish a boatload of content beginning on Monday. If you aren't a subscriber, now would be a good time to get set up at prepgirlshoops.com.

As always, thanks for reading. We are fired up for a big year!