State Tournament preview: What to watch in Class AA

Class AA basketball is loaded with talent, probably more than ever before. That will be obvious when the girls high school State Tournament opens at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Williams Arena (WA) and the Maturi Pavilion (MP) on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Newer fans and casual observers may not be familiar with the household names and hidden gems of Class AA who will participate. Here’s a preview of the four Class AA games on Wednesday.

MOST INTRIGUING MATCH-UPS

8 p.m. – #3 Minnehaha Academy (20-9) vs #6 Caledonia (27-3) (MP)

When folks talk about Minnehaha, they mostly rave about point guard Addison Mack Addison Mack 5'9" | PG Minnehaha Academy | 2025 State MN , the 2^nd-ranked senior in Minnesota. The Maryland commit is averaging a remarkable 34.5 points per game. Her supporting cast is also pretty good with junior guard Sinae Hill Sinae Hill 5'10" | SG Minnehaha Academy | 2026 State MN (13.7 ppg) and emerging stars Briana Foster Briana Foster 5'9" | CG Minnehaha Academy | 2028 State MN (5.9) and Gigi Coleman Gigi Coleman 5'8" | CG Minnehaha Academy | 2027 State MN (5.9). The X factor is senior forward Amina Allen Amina Allen 5'8" | SG Minnehaha Academy | 2025 State MN , who has had a breakthrough season.

Caledonia is one of the state’s basketball hotbeds in both genders, having produced a string of outstanding collegians and some very successful teams. This will be their 8^th State Tournament appearance with one title in 2009. The Warriors are led by senior forward Josie Foster Josie Foster 5'10" | CG Caledonia | 2025 State MN , an Upper Iowa commit and All-State selection who averaged 15.7 ppg and has an excellent game inside and out. Their leading scorer is Aubrie Klug Aubrie Klug 5'9" | CG Caledonia | 2026 State MN , a 5’10 junior who can fire it from distance. She’s averaging nearly 21 ppg.

Can 6^th-seeded Caledonia pull off an upset? They have just one loss in Minnesota, to Class A power Goodhue. Minnehaha, on the other hand, has the fewest wins and the most losses of any team in the AA draw. Do not be fooled. The Redhawks have played a punishing schedule against some of the true powers of Minnesota girls basketball including Maple Grove, Lakeville North, Wayzata, Benilde-St. Margaret’s and others. Among their wins are Minnetonka, Stewartville and Duluth Marshall.

8 p.m. – #4 Sauk Centre (27-2) vs #5 Minnewaska (27-3) (WA)

If the goal is to see the best basketball game possible, the Mainstreeters vs the Lakers is the one to watch. Minnewaska boasts a veteran lineup loaded with AAU warriors. They have skill, athleticism and experience, beginning with 6-foot senior Sydney Dahl Sydney Dahl 6'0" | SG Minnewaska | 2025 State MN . The MSU-Moorhead commit is a top-60 senior and one of the more reliable performers around. She’s joined by 5’11 senior forward Addyson Kath Addyson Kath 5'11" | SG Minnewaska | 2025 State MN , 5’10 senior guard Megan Thorfinnson Megan Thorfinnson 5'9" | SG Minnewaska | 2025 State MN along with junior guards Olivia Danielson Olivia Danielson 5'7" | PG Minnewaska | 2026 State MN and Lauryn Ankeny Lauryn Ankeny 5'7" | CG Minnewaska Area | 2026 State MN . Minnewaska’s losses were to Sauk Centre, Barnesville and New London-Spicer. This is the Lakers’ 7^th trip to state, their first since 1999.

The Mainstreeters seem to hold two advantages: First, they have tons of height and second, the program has a long track record of success at the State Tournament even if this particular group does not. Sauk Centre is led by senior point guard Cierra Kortan Cierra Kortan 5'8" | CG Sauk Centre | 2025 State MN , a top-50 prospect who has committed to D2 Concordia-St. Paul. Kortan is a big-game performer with the moxie to show up when it matters most. In the post, 6’3 senior Tory Jennissen Tory Jennissen 6'3" | PF Sauk Centre | 2025 State MN (University of Mary), a top-30 selection, will hold down the fort along with 6’2 junior Elly Herickhoff Elly Herickhoff 6'2" | PF Sauk Centre | 2026 State MN , who committed today to D2 Southwest Minnesota State. Look for 5’7 freshman guard Paige Determan Paige Determan 5'6" | PG Sauk Centre | 2028 State MN to provide a spark off the bench. Coach Scott Bergman is one of Minnesota’s best. This is the Mainstreeter’s 10^th trip to State – they won in 2018 – but their first since 2020. Sauk Centre and Minnewaska split a pair of regular season games. This one is up for grabs.

JUST ENJOY THE SHOW

6 p.m. – #1 Providence Academy (29-0) vs #8 NRHEG (23-5) (WA)

I doubt the sports betting sites are doing odds for the girls State Tournament. If they were, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva would be the longest of longshots that a longshot can be. Understand, that’s not a slight against the girls from Southern Minnesota. It’s just that this edition of the Providence Academy Lions is one of the greatest teams in the history of the state. As in forever. The Lions are riding a 40-game winning streak that dates to Feb. 2, 2024. This year, in search of their 4^th state championship in a row, PA has defeated a laundry list of the best teams in the state.

With this year’s tournament being seeded #1 through #8 – a great thing! – NRHEG has drawn the role of sacrificial lamb. That doesn’t mean it won’t be an opportunity for top 50 sophomore Kylie Olson Kylie Olson 6'0" | PF NRHEG | 2027 State MN , a 6-footer with tons of potential, to measure herself against the best. Or for junior twins Camryn VanMaldeghem Camryn VanMaldeghem 5'10" | CG NRHEG | 2026 State MN and Quinn VanMaldeghem Quinn VanMaldeghem 5'10" | CG NRHEG | 2026 State MN to prove they can hang with the big dogs.

Providence is led by #1 junior Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN (photo left), a Kentucky commit who is one of the top guards in America. In the paint is 6’2 senior post Hope Counts Hope Counts 6'2" | SF Providence Academy | 2025 State MN , who has committed to D1 Lipscomb University in Nashville. Emma Millerbernd Emma Millerbernd 5'10" | CG Providence Academy | 2027 State MN is a dynamic two-way guard, a top 5 prospect with D1 offers. 8th grader Beckett Greenway Beckett Greenway 5'7" | CG/SG Providence | 2029 MN is a budding star. If you plan to watch this one, don’t expect a nail-biter. Just enjoy the show!

6 p.m. – #2 Crosby-Ironton (30-0) vs #7 Barnesville (22-6) (MP)

If you opt to check out this contest, we’d suggest the same approach outlined above: Sit back, relax and marvel at the special player you are watching live. It would be a shock if Tori Oehrlein Tori Oehrlein 5'11" | CG Crosby-Ironton | 2026 State MN (photo right) doesn’t deliver a virtuoso opening-round performance on the big stage. If Greenway is ranked #1 in Minnesota’s Class of 2026, Oehrlein is #1A. The big guard has posted a litany of accomplishments far too long to recap here. The University of Minnesota commit averages north of 30 points and 16 rebounds per game for the Rangers. Tori is joined by top 25 senior Regan Juenemann Regan Juenemann 5'9" | CG/SG Crosby-Ironton | 2025 State MN (22 ppg), a transfer from Duluth Marshall who has rejuvenated her career this season. Two other key pieces are juniors Samantha Hachey Samantha Hachey 5'7" | CG Crosby Ironton | 2026 MN (13.2 ppg) and Lucy Lewandowski (9.6 & 6.5).

7th-seeded Barnesville, located a half hour down Interstate 94 east of Fargo-Moorhead, is definitely an underdog, although not to the same degree as NRHEG. That’s because they have a veteran lineup led by one of the most impactful seniors in the state. That would be MSU-Moorhead commit Abby John Abby John 5'9" | CG Barnesville | 2025 State MN , a coaches All-State selection ranked #37 in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2025. Abby does it all for the Trojans and is surrounded by a veteran crew of workhorses. They made it to Minneapolis with a 57-56 win over Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton in the section 8AA final, a team that beat them twice in the regular season. This is the Trojans’ 4th time at the State Tournament, their first since 2007.