Spotlight: Boys Basketball

Call them barns, hippodromes, dens, lairs - whatever the name for your team's gymnasium - they have again filled with the sights and sounds of high school boys basketball. While it may indeed be "The State of Hockey," Minnesota's ballers are not to be overlooked as the 2008-09 season again figures to be one of high-flying hoops action all winter long. Metro-area clubs from Minnetonka and Benilde-St. Margaret's won their respective Class AAAA and AAA state titles with wins over Henry Sibley and St. Thomas Academy, yet other proficient squads look to lay their claim to basketball glory this year. Class AAAA Hopkins While Minnetonka claimed the 2008 title, their next-door neighbors in Hopkins may be one of the most dominant clubs to be put together in some time. The Royals fell to the Skippers in last year's sectional final — a game many believed to be pitting the two finest teams in the state against each other — and Hopkins would love nothing more than to turn the tables this time around. A regionally-ranked team in the pre-season national rankings, the Royals added University of Minnesota recruit Royce White — the forward played for DeLaSalle last season — to a team that already was bringing back their top three scorers from 2007-08 in Raymond Cowles, Trent Lockett and Mike Broghammer. All in all, there may be no stopping Hopkins this season. Henry Sibley After finishing second in its first-ever state tourney appearance, the Warriors return three of their four top scorers for the 2008-09 campaign. Sibley held a large lead on Minnetonka in last season's final, only to watch the Skippers rally to take the title — but they have the opportunity to earn their own championship this season. Returning to form a powerful frontcourt combination are forwards Mike Bruesewitz and Chris Halvorsen. The longtime friends and on-court partners accounted for over 25 points per game combined last season. In the backcourt, Maurice Hernandez is back after scoring nearly 12 points a contest last season. Robbinsdale Cooper The Hawks finished fourth in the Class AAAA field last season and return their top three scorers this season in search of a third state appearance. Cooper was the second-place finisher in 2006, its top season on record. However, with Rodney Williams (21.3 ppg last year), Joe Bright (14.8 ppg ) and Quincy Bethea (10.3 ppg) leading a club that brings back three-quarters of its 2007-08 roster, the Hawks might have to find room for state championship hardware in their trophy case. Class AAA Minneapolis Patrick Henry While the Patriots lost three of their top five scorers, juniors Jordan Hughes (19 ppg last season) and August Fleming (10 ppg) return in an attempt to push Henry back into the state title game for the first time since the program won four-straight championships in 2000-03. Class AA Saint Bernard's The Bulldogs appear again locked and loaded to represent the metro area in the Class AA tournament this spring with the return of guard Jordair Jett and forward Avery Duncan for their senior seasons. Jett averaged 20 ppg with Duncan accounting for 13.2 ppg in 2007-08 as the Bulldogs finished fourth in their state bracket after losing just twice during the regular season.