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The Breakdown Sports Tip Off Classics are THE premier high school basketball events in the state

Dozens of top teams and more than two hundred college prospects hit the courts at our girls’ and boys’ Tip Off Classics on Dec. 6 and Dec. 13, 2014

CLEAR LAKE, Minn. (Nov. 4, 2014) – For the last 11 years, BREAKDOWN SPORTS has brought high school basketball fans across Minnesota the best teams and match-ups at our annual Tip Off Classics. This year, we've brought together more of the top programs that you've come to expect, with 15 great games on each Saturday. Our lineup includes the defending girls' state champions in Class 4A (Eastview) and Class 3A (Park Center) and the defending boys' state champions in Class 4A (Lakeville North) and Class 3A (DeLaSalle). 

It’s sure to be an instant classic — and two days no basketball fan will want to miss.

The girls’ Tip Off Classic begins our schedule on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014 at Hopkins High School’s Lindbergh Center. We’re featuring 11 girls’ games and four boys’ games that include 23 total ranked teams. All four preseason No. 1 teams are in action (Eastview in Class 4A, Park Center in Class 3A, Dover-Eyota in Class 2A, and Minneota in Class 1A).

Miss Basketball favorite Madison Guebert and Eastview draw No. 2-ranked Hopkins and T.T. Starks in what could be a preview of the state championship game, as could Park Center against big Alex Wittinger and No. 3-ranked Delano in 3A and Dover-Eyota’s deep bunch against No. 3-ranked Pelican Rapids and Mackenzie Korf in 2A. Four of the top six teams in Class 1A also square off, with Taylor Reiss and Minneota taking on Lindsey Theuninck and No. 6 Mankato Loyola and No. 2 Mt. Iron-Buhl with its guard combo of Mya Buffetta and Chelsea Mason against No. 3 Blooming Prairie with the inside-out duo of Taylor Hagen and Madison Worke.

We also include four boys’ games that match up four of Minnesota’s best teams (No. 1-3A DeLaSalle, No. 2-4A Apple Valley, No. 4-4A Hopkins, and No. 7-4A Minnetonka) against teams from neighboring Iowa and Wisconsin.

2014 Girls’ Tip Off Classic match-ups

LINDBERGH COURT (Home vs. Away)

• 9:30 a.m. — No. 11-3A Simley vs. No. 14-2A Foley
• 11 a.m. — No. 1-3A Park Center vs. No. 3-3A Delano
• 12:45 p.m. — No. 4-4A Minnetonka vs. Roseville
• 2:15 p.m. — No. 7-4A Minnetonka vs. Rice Lake, WI (BOYS GAME)
• 3:45 p.m. — No. 2-4A Apple Valley vs. Waukee, WI (BOYS GAME)
• 5:30 p.m. — No. 1-3A DeLaSalle vs. North Scott, IA (BOYS GAME)
• 7:00 p.m. — No. 2-4A Hopkins vs. No. 1-4A Eastview
• 8:30 p.m. — No. 4-4A Hopkins vs. Iowa City West, IA (BOYS GAME)

EAST COURT (Home vs. Away)

• 10:30 a.m. — Elk River vs. Rochester John Marshall
• 12:00 p.m. — No. 3-2A Pelican Rapids vs. No. 1-2A Dover-Eyota
• 1:45 p.m. — No. 6-1A Mankato Loyola vs. No. 1-1A Minneota
• 3:15 p.m. — No. 8-4A Rogers vs. No. 14-4A White Bear Lake
• 4:45 p.m. — No. 15-4A Lakeville North vs. No. 7-4A St. Michael-Albertville
• 6:30 p.m. — No. 2-1A Mt. Iron-Buhl vs. No. 3-1A Blooming Prairie
• 8:00 p.m. — No. 3-4A Eden Prairie vs. No. 12-4A Champlin Park

The boys’ Tip Off Classic will be held the following Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014 at Minnetonka High School. We’re featuring 15 boys’ games with 22 teams ranked in our preseason top-15 poll, including 12 of the top 15 in Class 4A and three of the top four in Class 3A. That number includes a pair of No. 1-ranked teams in Cretin-Derham Hall in 4A and DeLaSalle in 3A.

The always-popular battle between three-time defending state champion DeLaSalle and Apple Valley is on the schedule and it will remain a top-flight game even without Reid Travis and Tyus Jones. The new generation of stars for each, such as Apple Valley’s Gary Trent, Jr., Brock Bertram, and Tre Jones squares off with Mr. Basketball favorite Jarvis Johnson, Sacar Anim and the Islanders. Other top match-ups include top-ranked Cretin-Derham Hall and Champlin Park in a game that is oozing with college prospects such as Donnell Gresham, Sam Neumann, and Joe Rosga of the Raiders and J.T. Gibson, Theo John, and McKinley Wright of the Rebels.

The high-level games continue with Mr. Basketball candidate Marshawn Wilson and Hill-Murray against Minneapolis Henry, a new-look Lakeville North team against a budding powerhouse at Minneapolis North with Jamil Jackson, Isaac Johnson, Tyler Johnson, and Patrick Dembley, the always-deep Eden Prairie program against Stillwater with Kyle McKinley and Connor Gamble, and a great tilt with the youngsters at Maple Grove (Brad Davison, Jack Hutchison, and Reed Nikko) squaring off with Amir Coffey and Hopkins. Add in another nine top games and the schedule is bursting with talent.

2014 Boys’ Tip Off Classic match-ups

WEST COURT (Home vs. Away)

• 9:30 a.m. — No. 3-3A Hill-Murray vs. Minneapolis Patrick Henry
• 11:00 a.m. — No. 4-3A Orono vs. Eagan
• 12:45 p.m. — No. 15-4A Lakeville North vs. No. 3-1A Minneapolis North
• 2:15 p.m. — No. 8-4A Maple Grove vs. No. 4-4A Hopkins
• 3:45 p.m. — No. 3-4A Eden Prairie vs. No. 10-4A Stillwater
• 5:30 p.m. — No. 1-4A Cretin-Derham Hall vs. No. 5-4A Champlin Park
• 7:00 p.m. — No. 7-4A Minnetonka vs. Chanhassen
• 8:30 p.m. — No. 1-3A DeLaSalle vs. No. 2-4A Apple Valley

EAST COURT (Home vs. Away)

• 10:30 a.m. — Farmington vs. Holy Family Catholic
• 12:00 p.m. — Benilde-St. Margaret’s vs. No. 8-3A Simley
• 1:45 p.m. — No. 5-2A Braham vs. Crosby-Ironton
• 3:15 p.m. — No. 14-2A Breck vs. No. 3-2A Redwood Valley
• 4:45 p.m. — No. 12-2A St. Cloud Cathedral vs. No. 8-2A Minnehaha Academy
• 6:30 p.m. — No. 12-4A Tartan vs. Rosemount
• 8:00 p.m. — No. 14-4A Roseville vs. No. 6-4A Robbinsdale Armstrong

The Tip Off Classics feature more than 200 college prospects, including several who have already committed to D1 programs.

The Tip Off Classic began back in January 2004. The BREAKDOWN staff wanted to showcase teams from across the state and provide unique, competitive match-ups that might not otherwise be seen, including top-rated teams with state tournament aspiration squaring off. The experiment worked out so well that now The BREAKDOWN now hosts the No. 1 single-day classic in Minnesota.

BREAKDOWN SPORTS USA and our annual publications are Minnesota's No. 1 resource for players, coaches, fans and sports enthusiasts.  We are a full-service high school sports company, offering season preview publications, in-season premier events, off-season leagues, great photography and an extensive website with news and notes. 

We're in our 13th year of covering boys’ and girls’ basketball and seventh in girls’ volleyball and boys’ hockey.  The goal of the BREAKDOWN is simple: We want to offer players, coaches and fans a complete sports resource and experience that they will never forget.

Please visit our website at www.BreakdownSportsUSA.com.  We welcome all suggestions and comments for upcoming editions by email at tim@BreakdownSportsUSA.com.

PRESS/MEDIA INFORMATION

No press or media credentials will be accepted at the gate. If you are interested in covering the event please contact Justin Hegna at 612-454-1440 or email hegna@breakdownsportsusa.com to receive a media pass. All photography or video taken at the event is for editorial purposes only. No resale of photographs or reproduction of images will be allowed without the written consent of Breakdown Sports USA, Inc.