Top 25 Minnesota high school boys basketball rankings (12/23/2024)

Eagan jumps into the top-10 after bigs against two top-25 teams

Minnesota high school football top 25 rankings /

The 2024 Minnesota high school boys basketball is finally in full swing, and High School on SI has the top 25 teams in the state ranked regardless of classification.

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Top 25 Minnesota high school boys basketball rankings

1. Hopkins (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 1

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. Columbia Heights (2-5)

Ranking rationale: Hopkins is scoring at a rate that would make the Timberwolves blush.

The Royals are up to a state-best 98 points per game after eclipsing triple digits each of the last three contests. Last week, they rolled at home 106-71 vs. a Park Center (2-5) team that went out and upset previous No. 23 Edina (3-3) its next game. Anthony Smith led five Royals in double-figures with 21 points. Jayden Moore added 19.

Hopkins has won every game by 12 or more. It went on the road and picked up a 105-82 victory against a previous No. 23 St. Louis Park (4-2) squad that entered last week undefeated. The Royals pulled away from an eight-point halftime advantage. Smith poured in 29 to go with 19 for Moore and J.J. Semanko.

2. Cretin-Derham Hall (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 2

This week’s games: Dec. 27 at St. Thomas Academy (2-3), Dec. 28 vs. Waconia (2-4)

Ranking rationale: The Raiders looked masterful in their lone game last week. They rolled 83-64 in a Wednesday matchup at previous No. 18 East Ridge (3-3). This was a battle of the top two finishers in the 2023-24 Suburban East Conference standings. The reigning champs took the first of two 2024-25 regular season games.

Cretin-Derham Hall posted an incredible final 18 minutes after trailing 39-37 at halftime. Big man Tommy Ahneman led all scorers with 23 points on efficient 11-for-14 shooting. Ty Schlagel added 19 and Monteff Dixon had 16.

3. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 4

This week’s games: None

Ranking rationale: The Red Knights made sure they’d have a happy holidays in their last game before a two-week break. They won the battle for the No. 3 spot in the Power 25, edging previous No. 4 DeLaSalle (5-1), 75-73 on the road on Dec. 20. Benilde-St. Margaret’s led 42-32 at halftime. Jaleel Donley led the victors with 22 points, followed by 20 for Jalen Wilson.

Perhaps more impressive was B-SM’s 76-53 road win two days prior at defending Class 4A champion Minnetonka (3-3). The previous No. 14 Skippers were held to 17 first-half points. Wilson led the Red Knights with 21 points. T.J. Stuttley had 20. The Red Knights are firing on all cylinders and have done well to remain undefeated against the toughest part of their schedule.

4. Orono (4-1)

Last week’s ranking: 5

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. Houston County (Tennessee) at Mitchell, South Dakota; Dec. 28 vs. Mitchell (South Dakota) at Mitchell

Ranking rationale: Orono moves up a notch after picking up two wins last week. The Spartans are in the midst of six straight games away from home over the span of 28 days. Only two games are true road contests, and they just passed those tests with flying colors. Orono won 93-55 against Delano (3-3) and 92-78 against Richfield (4-3)

Nolan Groves led with 26 points vs. Delano, followed by 23 for Brady Wooley. They added 10 and eight rebounds, respectively. Groves was just getting cooking. The Yale commit posted 48, 10 and seven assists to head into the holiday break in style.

Orono’s lone loss came a couple weeks ago to current No. 2 Cretin-Derham Hall (6-0).

5. DeLaSalle (5-1)

Last week’s ranking: 4

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. No. _ Minnetonka (3-3) at Concordia, St. Paul; Dec. 28 vs. No. _ Maple Grove (3-3) at Concordia

Ranking rationale: The Islanders don’t deserve to fall far after an admirable 75-73 home defeat at the hands of the team it flip-flopped spots in the Power 25 with this week, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (6-0). The game could’ve been a Class 3A title game preview. DeLaSalle nearly came back from a 10-point halftime deficit. Jaeden Udean and Dorian Pruitt led DLS with 18 points each.

It was a 1-1 week for the black and gold thanks to a 73-41 win at Robbinsdale Cooper (1-5). Different guys can step up for this group on a given night as De’von Irvin led with 22 points and Evan Miller contributed 19. While the Islanders may lack a signature win, they’ve acquitted themselves well thus far.

6. Champlin Park (5-0)

Last week’s ranking: 7

This week’s games: Dec. 27 at No. _ Sauk Rapids-Rice (6-0)

Ranking rationale: Last season, Champlin Park began 0-5. This year, the tide has completely turned.

The Rebels remain undefeated after winning both their games last week. They won 83-68 vs. previous No. 20 Chaska (3-4) and 110-104 vs. Blaine (2-4). Tyler Wagner went off for 34 points against the Hawks in a game they led 44-25 at halftime. Against the Bengals, Wagner added another 34, but it was Kwa Silikpoh who went nuclear for 42.

7. Tartan (5-0)

Last week’s ranking: 6

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. Coon Rapids (2-3)

Ranking rationale: The Titans kept a zero in their loss column after winning both games last week. They defended home court with an 83-65 result at Roseville (2-4) and a 74-65 score at St. Thomas Academy (2-3). C.J. Banks scored 26 points to lead in the latter.

This looks like it could be the team to get Tartan to the state tournament for the first time in over a decade if it weren’t for No. 2 Cretin-Derham Hall (6-0) in the same section. Tartan has one win over a state-caliber team thus far, at current No. 16 Lakeville North (4-4). It drops a spot this week more as a result of Champlin Park’s big week than anything the Titans did wrong.

8. Wayzata (5-2)

Last week’s ranking: 10

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. Rosemount (2-4) at East Ridge, Dec. 28 vs. Eastview (3-3) at East Ridge, Dec. 31 at No. 15 Shakopee (4-3)

Ranking rationale: The Trojans’ win streak is up to four after roaring through last week’s games. Wayzata won 101-69 at previous No. 19 St. Louis Park (4-2) and 87-54 vs. preseason top-25 Breck (1-4). All seven games Wayzata’s played this season have come against teams who’ve appeared in the Power 25.

Christian Wiggins led 26 with points against SLP, followed by 23 for Isaac Olmstead and 21 for Nolen Anderson. That trio has 22, 17 and 12, respectively, against Breck.

9. Prior Lake (6-1)

Last week’s ranking: 13

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. No. 20 St. Michael-Albertville (6-0) at St. Cloud Apollo, Dec. 28 vs. Rogers (3-4) at Apollo

Ranking rationale: Prior Lake’s clearly learned a lot from what seemed like a demoralizing season-opening loss. SInce falling 98-73 at Wayzata (5-2), the Lakers have won six straight games with four coming against current Power 25 teams.

Prior Lake kept up its winning ways last week at home, prevailing 77-58 vs. No. 16 Lakeville North (4-4) and 88-84 in overtime vs. previous No. 22 Shakopee (4-3).

Against North, Prior Lake was led by 22 points from Norbu Jenpa. He was the top man again against Shakopee with 25 to help the Lakers stay undefeated in South Suburban Conference play.

10. Eagan (5-0)

Last week’s ranking: 17

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. Rochester Century (3-4) at Hamline

Ranking rationale: While some teams in the Power 25 have all wins of 12 or more points, Eagan has yet to win by more than that amount. Yet, the Wildcats haven’t done anything but win.

They remain undefeated last week by gutting out a 74-67 game vs. previous No. 8 Farmington (3-2) and a 70-68 game vs. No. 24 Lakeville South (4-3). Eagan featured five players in double figures against Farmington and was led by 15 points apiece from Wesley Hoke and Alex Schroepfer. The Wildcats erased a 29-27 halftime deficit.

Five also scored 10-plus against South with Michael McKenzie the head man with 17. Alex Schrepfer had 10 with two none more important than his game-winning shot with five seconds on the clock.

11. Sauk Rapids-Rice (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 11

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. No. 6 Champlin Park (5-0), Dec. 28 vs. Fargo Davies (North Dakota) at St. Cloud State

Ranking rationale: The Storm went 2-0 last week, putting up solid enough efforts to maintain position in the ranking. Sauk Rapids-Rice has scored 80-plus every night, including in an 81-61 win at St. Cloud Tech (1-5) and in an 89-73 win vs. Rogers (3-4).

Keller Hanson led with 22 points against Tech, followed by 21 for Spencer Swenson. SR-R snapped Rogers’ three-game win streak.

12. Farmington (3-2)

Last week’s ranking: 8

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. No. 25 St. Louis Park (4-2) at Hamline, Dec. 28 vs. Rochester John Marshall (4-1) at Hamline

Ranking rationale: Farmington drops four spots, but all in all, last week wasn’t too bad for the Tigers. They split a pair of games against ranked competition, falling 74-67 at new No. 10 Eagan (5-0) before bouncing back 75-62 at No. 16 Lakeville North (4-4). Nik Domier led five Tigers in double figures with 13 points. Farmington let a 29-27 halftime lead slip away.

Against North, a six-point halftime advantage wasn’t squandered, it was built up. Cole Wilcek’s 15 points led four in double figures. The TIgers have done well against a brutal schedule thus far with both losses coming to undefeated top-10 teams.\

13. Alexandria (3-2)

Last week’s ranking: 12

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. Maple Grove (3-3) at Concordia, St. Paul; Dec. 28 vs. No. 15 Mankato East (4-1) at Concordia

Ranking rationale: All three of the Cardinals’ wins this season have come by 20-plus. Their latest rout was a 93-46 win at St. Cloud Apollo (4-3). Chase Thompson posted a double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds. Their two losses were to a pair of undefeated Class 4A teams by a combined 11 points with Thompson injured during one of them and out with that injury for the other.

Alexandria’s Dec. 19 game vs. Brainerd was postponed due to weather.

14. Mankato East (4-1)

Last week’s ranking: 15

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. Park Center (2-5) at Concordia, St. Paul; Dec. 28 vs. No. 12 Alexandria (3-2) at Concordia

Ranking rationale: Mankato East’s biggest resume boost came from its one loss. The Cougars remain the team that’s played No. 1 Hopkins (6-0) the closest when they lost by 12 at the Royals back on Dec. 7. East has otherwise played far weaker competition. Last week, it won 95-55 at Rochester Century (3-4) and 77-70 vs. Northfield (3-3). All three other wins for East have been by 30-plus. Brogan Madson led with 30 points against Century. 

15. Shakopee (4-3)

Last week’s ranking: 22

This week’s games: Dec. 31 vs. No. 8 Wayzata (5-2)

Ranking rationale: Shakopee has won five of its last four after going 2-1 last week with the one loss being a respectable one. The Sabers opened with a 78-67 win at Waconia (2-4) and a 69-40 rout at previous No. 21 Eastview (3-3) before dropping an 88-84 overtime shootout at current No. 9 Prior Lake (6-1). Isaac Cordes led against Eastview with 21 points. Luke Wherley led with 32 points in the loss, followed by 24 for Eli Schroeder.

16. Lakeville North (4-4)

Last week’s ranking: 16

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. New Prague (0-6), Dec. 28 vs. Chanhassen (3-2)

Ranking rationale: Lakeville North earns the distinction of being the top-ranked .500 team. The Panthers haven’t shied away from a tough schedule with six games against teams who’ve appeared in the Power 25.

Last week, North fell 77-58 at current No. 9 Prior Lake (6-1) and 75-62 vs. current No. 12 Farmington (3-2) before bouncing back for an 82-62 win at Rochester Century (3-4). Johanes Piscikas led with 17 points against Prior Lake and Drew Kolander with 15 against Farmington.

17. Minnetonka (3-3)

Last week’s ranking: 14

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. No. 5 DeLaSalle (5-1) at Concordia, St. Paul; Dec. 28 vs. Park Center (2-5) at Concordia

Ranking rationale: Minnetonka was on both ends of blowouts last week. The Skippers have rotated wins and losses all season with a loss coming 76-53 vs. current No. 3 Benilde-St. Margaret’s (6-0). Isa El-Amin’s 10 points was tops among 10 Skippers who found the score sheet. All three of Tonka’s losses have come to teams ranked higher than them this week.

The blue and white got back on track a couple days later with a commanding 73-44 win at previous No. 20 Chaska (3-4). Duke Richardson dropped 29 points to go with 19 for El-Amin. Chaska was held to 19 points in the second half.

18. East Ridge (3-3)

Last week’s ranking: 18

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. Chaska (3-4), Dec. 28 vs. Eden Prairie (2-4)

Ranking rationale: The Raptors lose out on moving up to No. 17 due to their loss to Minnetonka (3-3), but they beat out Totino-Grace (4-3) for No. 18 due to their recent head-to-head win. 

Last week, East Ridge bounced back from an 83-64 loss vs. conference rival and No. 2 Cretin-Derham Hall (6-0) by winning 71-62 vs. previous No. 9 T-G in a non-conference tilt. The Raptors overcame a 10-point halftime deficit thanks to a 40-point night by star guard Cedric Tomes. This was their first win over a ranked opponent at the time of the contest, though a 72-70 Dec. 13 win at Mounds View (6-1) has now become a ranked victory as the Mustangs debut at No. 21 this week.

19. Totino-Grace (4-3)

Last week’s ranking: 9

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. Coronado (Nevada) at Mitchell, South Dakota; Dec. 28 vs. Houston County (Tennessee) at Mitchell

Ranking rationale: A 10-spot drop seems a bit drastic, but there’s truly not much separating teams from about No. 6 through 25. The Eagles went 1-1 last week, starting off with an 88-85 overtime win at the Eden Prairie Eagles (2-4) and ending with a 71-62 loss at No. 18 East Ridge (3-3).

The Eden Prairie win was Totino-Grace’s third in a row. Chase Watley led four T-G players in double figures with 26 points. T-G withstood a 44-point night by Max Lorenson on the opposing side. T-G let an opportunity go by the wayside at East Ridge by squandering a 39-29 halftime lead. Watley led with 20 points. This time, a 40-point night was too much to handle by the Raptors’ Cedric Tomes.

20. St. Michael-Albertville (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: N/R

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. No. 9 Prior Lake (6-1) at St. Cloud Apollo, Dec. 28 vs. No. 6 Champlin Park (5-0) at St. Cloud State

Ranking rationale: The Knights have no chinks in their armor so far. They remain perfect while adding a marquee win last week in a 73-67 road battle at previous No. 25 Maple Grove (3-3). Jack Thelen led with 18 points, followed by 16 for Jeremiah Johnson, 12 for Hudson Hochstedler and 12 for Jordan Holm. STMA led 30-27 at halftime.

St. Michael-Albertville has otherwise beat up on inferior competition, though to its credit, it’s won every other game by comfortable margins. STMA will really see what it’s made of when it takes on a pair of top-10 teams this week at the Granite City Classic.

21. Mounds View (6-1)

Last week’s ranking: N/R

This week’s games: Dec. 30 vs. Andover (3-3)

Ranking rationale: Mounds View isn’t unique among Power 25 teams in that it’s best resume boost may have come in a loss. The Mustangs hung within two of East Ridge (3-3), which has been a mainstay in the top 20.

Mounds View has not played another team in this week’s Power 25, though the Mustangs got by a talented Waconia (2-4) team last week that’s been ranked for most of the season. Mounds View also lays claim to a 53-37 win at Stillwater (5-1), which was in Power 25 consideration, as well. Cody Loegering led with 18 points in the Waconia win, followed by 16 for Jacob Sampson.

22. Stewartville (4-1)

Last week’s ranking: N/R

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. St. Paul Johnson (5-1) at Hamline, Dec. 28 vs. St. Paul Central (4-1) at Hamline

Ranking rationale: The Tigers took care of business in their lone game last week, prevailing 72-48 at Kasson-Mantorville (2-4). Stewartville jumped out to a 44-21 halftime lead and was led by 23 points for Caleb Bancroft and 15 for Parker Wangen.

Stewie still doesn’t have a marquee win, but it makes its way back to the Power 25 due to dominant performances against weaker teams and its lone loss coming to a Benilde-St. Margaret’s (6-0) team that’s ascended to No. 3.

23. Apple Valley (3-0)

Last week’s ranking: N/R

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. Chanhassen (3-2) at Lakeville North, Dec. 28 vs. New Prague (0-6) at Lakeville North

Ranking rationale: You are reading that right; Apple Valley’s only played three games so far. None have come against Power 25 competition, either, so it’s hard to truly know how good the Eagles are. However, the limited data sample has been impressive.

Each win has come by 14 or more points with the latest being an 82-61 drubbing at home against Rosemount (2-4) in the South Suburban Conference opener. Trey Parker led with 23 points. Camare Young was just shy of a triple-double with 19-9-7. A few days later, Rosemount turned around and upset previous No. 21 Eastview (3-3). Apple Valley’s other victories also came at home against Robbinsdale Armstrong (1-6) and Minneapolis North (2-3).

24. Lakeville South (4-3)

Last week’s ranking: 24

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. Woodbury (3-3) at Owatonna

Ranking rationale: Lakeville South has played on the razor’s edge lately. All of their last three games have been decided by one or two possessions. Last week, the Cougars won 71-65 vs. Burnsville (2-4) and lost 70-68 at Eagan (5-0), which rose to No. 10 this week.

South erased a 25-23 halftime deficit against Burnsville to avoid a bad loss. Malachi Gant led with 23 points. The Cougars’ luck ran out against the Wildcats, who have come out on top of all the close games they’ve played. Casey Fliehe led four South players in double figures with 17 points.

25. St. Louis Park (4-2)

Last week’s ranking: 19

This week’s games: Dec. 27 vs. No. 12 Farmington (3-2) at Hamline, Dec. 28 vs. St. Paul Johnson (5-1) at Hamline

Ranking rationale: It wasn’t who St. Louis Park lost to last week that nearly dropped the Orioles out of the Power 25. It was how they lost.

After beating up unranked competition for four games, SLP got a taste of its own medicine when it was blown out twice at home 101-69 vs. current No. 8 Wayzata (5-2) and 105-82 vs. No. 1 Hopkins (6-0). Marley Curtis led with 29 points against Wayzata. The Orioles admirably were within eight of a red-hot Hopkins team at the midway point before the Royals got to be too much. Micah Curtis led the Orioles with 27 points in that one, followed by 26 from his twin, Marley.

This week offers chances at redemption against a top-15 team, as well as one of the top unranked squads.

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