Timberwolves Gatorade Shootout Preview
Saturday the eighth Gatorade Timberwolves Shootout takes place at the Target Center tipping-off at 11 am and ending with the final game starting at 7 pm. This event annually involves some of the state's top programs matching-up against top teams from around the country. This year, five talented Minnesota schools will pair up with squads from Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota and California.
Johnson and Duluth East are currently ranked 7th in Minnesota
Duluth East (MN) vs. Randolph (WI) 11:00 am tip
Randolph, coached by Bob Haffele, is 10-0 and they are three-time defending Division 4 state champions. Just ten days ago, Haffele picked up his 300th win with a 48-31 victory over Cambria-Friesland. The Rockets have won 57 straight games and are led by the Tillema brothers and the older, Ryan, will be headed to Wisconsin-Green Bay next year.
Ryan Tillema is a returning first team All-State pick and the 6-foot-8 forward can play all frontcourt positions. He averaged 19.1 points per game as a junior and he leads his team with a smooth shooting stroke (on www.wishoops.net his average for the year is at 15.8 points per game but only a handful of his contests have been recorded). His brother Dan, a 6-foot-4 sophomore forward, also starts in the frontcourt and is a capable double figure scorer. Haffele is known as a great fundamental coach and his teams play very disciplined basketball.
They will match-up with the seventh ranked class 4A team in the state of Minnesota and that is the Duluth East Greyhounds who are 13-3 on the year. East is a team dominated by juniors as 6-foot-8 senior Jared Sodahl is the only senior on the roster. Between Jared, 6-foot-6 junior Ben Heggestad and 6-foot-7 junior Cory Johnson, East will throw some size on the floor and you can expect Johnson to match-up with Tillema on the defensive end. Corey, 6-foot-7 213 pounds, is a hard working forward who leads his team by example with his hard nosed play. He's currently ranked as the 118th best junior in the country and has offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota and Marquette.
Gentry leads his East team in scoring
Richfield (MN) vs. Sioux City East (IA) 1:00 pm scheduled tip
After losing a tough Classic Suburban battle to Tartan by a late three free throw this past Tuesday, the 10-3 Richfield Spartans (who have lost to Gatorade Shootout teams Tartan, St. Thomas and Braham) are now ranked seventh among class 3A schools and are looking for a victory to get back on the winning track. The Jim Dimick coached Spartans are led by a pair of athletic swingmen who are both headed to division one schools. First is Travis Brown, a 6-foot-4 wing who is one of Minnesota's best defenders. Travis currently leads Richfield in scoring with19.9 points a game and is headed to Northern Iowa next year. The other wing is Bradley commit Ray Brown, a lanky athletic forward who has good range on his jumper and a smooth first step going to the basket. This 6-foot-6 guard has scored three fewer points than Travis this year averaging 19.7 points a game. Add in the strong Bill Bauman in the frontcourt and heady junior Dustin Driefke running the point and you have a team capable of playing with anybody.
The second ranked team in Iowa's class 4A is Sioux City East and they are currently undefeated this season. They are led by one of the top juniors in the state and his name is Roman Gentry. Roman is a 6-foot-4 junior guard who weighs 180 pounds and is a great athlete. Gentry paces East with a 20.5 points per game average along with grabbing 11.6 rebounds, while 6-4 senior Dan Bohall is scoring at a rate of 19.9 points a game. The two are not the only guys on this team who can score as East has a number of players who can light it up from outside. It was the team defense that has needed work coming into the year but thus far they have definitely became better as they have yet to lose a game this year.
Saturday the eighth Gatorade Timberwolves Shootout takes place at the Target Center tipping-off at 11 am and ending with the final game starting at 7 pm. This event annually involves some of the state's top programs matching-up against top teams from around the country. This year, five talented Minnesota schools will pair up with squads from Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota and California.
Johnson and Duluth East are currently ranked 7th in Minnesota
Duluth East (MN) vs. Randolph (WI) 11:00 am tip
Randolph, coached by Bob Haffele, is 10-0 and they are three-time defending Division 4 state champions. Just ten days ago, Haffele picked up his 300th win with a 48-31 victory over Cambria-Friesland. The Rockets have won 57 straight games and are led by the Tillema brothers and the older, Ryan, will be headed to Wisconsin-Green Bay next year.
Ryan Tillema is a returning first team All-State pick and the 6-foot-8 forward can play all frontcourt positions. He averaged 19.1 points per game as a junior and he leads his team with a smooth shooting stroke (on www.wishoops.net his average for the year is at 15.8 points per game but only a handful of his contests have been recorded). His brother Dan, a 6-foot-4 sophomore forward, also starts in the frontcourt and is a capable double figure scorer. Haffele is known as a great fundamental coach and his teams play very disciplined basketball.
They will match-up with the seventh ranked class 4A team in the state of Minnesota and that is the Duluth East Greyhounds who are 13-3 on the year. East is a team dominated by juniors as 6-foot-8 senior Jared Sodahl is the only senior on the roster. Between Jared, 6-foot-6 junior Ben Heggestad and 6-foot-7 junior Cory Johnson, East will throw some size on the floor and you can expect Johnson to match-up with Tillema on the defensive end. Corey, 6-foot-7 213 pounds, is a hard working forward who leads his team by example with his hard nosed play. He's currently ranked as the 118th best junior in the country and has offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota and Marquette.
Gentry leads his East team in scoring
Richfield (MN) vs. Sioux City East (IA) 1:00 pm scheduled tip
After losing a tough Classic Suburban battle to Tartan by a late three free throw this past Tuesday, the 10-3 Richfield Spartans (who have lost to Gatorade Shootout teams Tartan, St. Thomas and Braham) are now ranked seventh among class 3A schools and are looking for a victory to get back on the winning track. The Jim Dimick coached Spartans are led by a pair of athletic swingmen who are both headed to division one schools. First is Travis Brown, a 6-foot-4 wing who is one of Minnesota's best defenders. Travis currently leads Richfield in scoring with19.9 points a game and is headed to Northern Iowa next year. The other wing is Bradley commit Ray Brown, a lanky athletic forward who has good range on his jumper and a smooth first step going to the basket. This 6-foot-6 guard has scored three fewer points than Travis this year averaging 19.7 points a game. Add in the strong Bill Bauman in the frontcourt and heady junior Dustin Driefke running the point and you have a team capable of playing with anybody.
The second ranked team in Iowa's class 4A is Sioux City East and they are currently undefeated this season. They are led by one of the top juniors in the state and his name is Roman Gentry. Roman is a 6-foot-4 junior guard who weighs 180 pounds and is a great athlete. Gentry paces East with a 20.5 points per game average along with grabbing 11.6 rebounds, while 6-4 senior Dan Bohall is scoring at a rate of 19.9 points a game. The two are not the only guys on this team who can score as East has a number of players who can light it up from outside. It was the team defense that has needed work coming into the year but thus far they have definitely became better as they have yet to lose a game this year.
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