St. Michael-Albertville boys’ basketball has punched two things off the “to-do” list for this season – taking back the Mississippi 8 Championship and capturing the No. 1 seed in Section 8-4A for the playoffs.
Now, the Knights, under head coach Tim Anfinson, look to make it to the Class 4A State Tournament for the first time in history with one of the hottest teams the school has ever had heading into he postseason.
Since the calendar flipped to 2015, the Knights are 14-2, the two losses coming over the last week against St. Francis and Rogers, both with the conference championship in hand and a home game in the playoffs already assured. STMA wrapped the season with a 21-5 record, its best winning percentage at the Class 4A level.
That stretch included some dominating wins, but the Knights are accustomed to tight games. For the conference title, STMA used a late comeback – after a second half meltdown – to stave off Chisago Lakes. And they had a stretch where they beat two teams in overtime, and then picked up a two-point win in regulation.
Leading the way has been senior guard play from the school’s newest all-time leading scorer, Jackson Greenwaldt, and forward Trevor Rothstein. Inside, senior Jaylen Hakes is the team’s leading rebounder, assisted by juniors Landon Bridell and Isaiah Weston.
STMA would face the winner of the Buffalo/Elk River game tonight in Elk River should it take care of the Lumberjacks. That game’s scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon at St. Cloud State University.