Small-class semifinals at Williams Arena makes for a big day at the Barn

Ron Haggstrom and David La Vaque will spend Friday tracking down stories beyond the boys basketball state tournament games. Come back often to see what they’ve found.

8:46 p.m.

The Breck boys basketball team knows the score. The Mustangs have everything a potential state champion should possess — except one intangible.

“The one thing people have been saying we’re lacking: experience,” Mustangs second-year coach Harry Sonie said. “But we played a lot of Class 4A schools and we’re battle-tested.”

The top-seeded Mustangs, boasting a roster of players with no previous state tournament experience, took a tough schedule of teams and ran it through the shredder. They started the season 22-0, knocking out traditional Class 4A powers such as Apple Valley, Hopkins and Osseo along the way.

“Speaking for myself, I’m pretty calm right now. But I think everyone is calm as well,” said senior guard Daniel Freitag, who transferred from Bloomington Jefferson. “We started the season on a 22-game winning streak and we were never nervous about how we had to keep it going. So, if we’ve stayed poised through 22 games in a row, we’re poised right now. We’re more hungry and excited than nervous.”

DAVID LA VAQUE

2:37 p.m.

Cherry will have its best finish in program history. It is far from satisfied.

The No. 1-ranked Tigers (30-2), making their third consecutive boys basketball state tournament appearance, have never reached the championship round...until now. Cherry moved into this year’s finals with a 76-58 victory over Nevis in the Class 1A boys basketball state semifinals Friday at Williams Arena.

The Tigers lost in the semifinals in their previous two trips, finishing fourth both times. This year is different.

“The first time we came down here, we were just happy to be here,” Cherry coach Jordan Christianson said. “Now, it’s a business trip. We are down here for one thing, and one thing only.”

That is a state championship. Nevis coach Scott Kramer envisions the possibility.

“They want it,” Kramer said. “It’s their tournament to lose.”

That alone is providing extra incentive for future Gophers guard Isaac Asuma.

“I’m more motivated,” Asuma said. The senior had 20 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three blocked shots in Cherry’s semifinal victory. “This is my last go-around. We have to get it done.”

RON HAGGSTROM

11:30 a.m.

Winter has arrived. The basketball season must be drawing near.

What? It’s nearly over!

The boys basketball state tournament enters its final two days with the Class 1A and Class 2A semifinals Friday at Williams Arena. Class 1A will get things underway at noon while Class 2A is the night session starting at 6 p.m.

Class 1A Cherry (29-2) and Class 2A Breck (29-1) are the top teams in Minnesota Basketball News’ final regular-season rankings, and the pair are expected to march into the finals.

Both teams played their semifinal opponents in the regular season and won by double digits. Cherry recorded a 16-point victory over Nevis (24-7), routing the Tigers 73-57 after trailing by one point at halftime. Breck swept its two games with Minnehaha Academy (15-14), crushing the Redhawks 90-75 and 79-68. It’s hard to envision either underdog pulling off an upset.

The second game in each class has a better chance of keeping fans engaged.

In Class 1A, Fertile-Beltrami (26-6) meets No. 3-ranked West Central Area (28-3). The Falcons need to play better than they did in the quarterfinals to knock off the first-time state entrant.

Class 2A defending state champion Albany (29-2) faces traditional power Lake City (25-5). The fourth-ranked Huskies would like to defeat the third-ranked Tigers to take another step in their quest to go back-to-back.

All is quiet in “The Barn.” It won’t remain that way for long.

Tigers fans – the nickname for Cherry, Nevis and Lake City – are ready to roar. The last finalists for championship Saturday are ready to be decided.

RON HAGGSTROM

Click here for the latest on Friday’s games.