Overview of Minnesota State Basketball Tournament
Minnesota State Basketball Tournament is an annual basketball tournament that takes place in Minnesota, United States. The tournament typically takes place in March, and teams from across the state compete for the title of Minnesota State Champion. Teams from Division I, II, and III of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) are eligible to participate in the tournament.
History of Minnesota State Basketball Tournament
The Minnesota State Basketball Tournament was first held in 1909, and has been held annually since then. The tournament was originally open to all teams, but in 1927 it was restricted to teams from the MSHSL. In 1962, the tournament was divided into three divisions: Division I, II, and III. The tournament has continued to grow in popularity since then, and it is now one of the most prestigious basketball tournaments in the country.
Format of the Minnesota State Basketball Tournament
The Minnesota State Basketball Tournament is a single-elimination tournament. Teams are seeded according to their regular season performance, and the higher-seeded teams are given home court advantage. Each team must win four games in order to advance to the championship game.
2020 Minnesota State Basketball Tournament
The 2020 Minnesota State Basketball Tournament was held from March 11th to March 14th. The tournament featured 24 teams from Divisions I, II, and III. The tournament was won by the Minneapolis North Polars, who defeated the St. Paul Johnson Governors in the championship game.
Minneapolis North Polars
The Minneapolis North Polars are a Division I team from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The team is led by head coach William H. Henderson, and they are the defending champions of the Minnesota State Basketball Tournament. The Polars were the top seed in the tournament, and they went undefeated in the tournament, defeating the St. Paul Johnson Governors in the championship game.
St. Paul Johnson Governors
The St. Paul Johnson Governors are a Division I team from St. Paul, Minnesota. The team is led by head coach Brian Satter, and they were the second seed in the tournament. The Governors went undefeated in the tournament until the championship game, where they were defeated by the Minneapolis North Polars.
Players to Watch
Minneapolis North Polars
- Jamal Jones – Jones is the Polars’ star player, and he was the tournament MVP. Jones averaged 22 points and 8 rebounds per game, and he was the catalyst for the Polars’ championship run.
- Kendall Johnson – Johnson was a key contributor for the Polars, averaging 16 points and 7 rebounds per game. Johnson was an integral part of the Polars’ offense, and he was a key factor in the Polars’ championship run.
- Rashad Smith – Smith was a key contributor off the bench for the Polars, averaging 11 points and 5 rebounds per game. Smith was a key factor in the Polars’ championship run, and he was a valuable asset coming off the bench.
St. Paul Johnson Governors
- Lloyd Johnson – Johnson was the Governors’ star player, and he was the tournament’s second-leading scorer. Johnson averaged 19 points and 8 rebounds per game, and he was the catalyst for the Governors’ championship run.
- Marcus Robinson – Robinson was a key contributor for the Governors, averaging 16 points and 6 rebounds per game. Robinson was an integral part of the Governors’ offense, and he was a key factor in the Governors’ championship run.
- Bryce Anderson – Anderson was a key contributor off the bench for the Governors, averaging 10 points and 5 rebounds per game. Anderson was a key factor in the Governors’ championship run, and he was a valuable asset coming off the bench.
Conclusion
The 2020 Minnesota State Basketball Tournament was won by the Minneapolis North Polars, who defeated the St. Paul Johnson Governors in the championship game. The Polars were led by tournament MVP Jamal Jones, and the Governors were led by tournament leading scorer Lloyd Johnson. The tournament was a great success, and it showed the talent and potential of Minnesota’s high school basketball teams.
References
Minnesota State High School League. (2020). 2020 Basketball Tournament. Retrieved from mshsl.org/mshsl/brackets2020.asp?act=brackets&tourn=Basketball
MaxPreps. (2020). Minneapolis North vs. St. Paul Johnson. Retrieved from maxpreps.com/games/basketball-winter-19-20/minneapolis-north-vs-st-paul-johnson/3-13-2020-gLKjy3H9DUS-v1nFgMtRrg.htm
Minnesota State High School League. (2020). Minneapolis North. Retrieved from mshsl.org/mshsl/schools/minneapolisnorth.asp
Minnesota State High School League. (2020). St. Paul Johnson. Retrieved from mshsl.org/mshsl/schools/stpauljohnson.asp