Is anyone going to be a challenge to No. 1 AAAA Hopkins as it seeks a third straight Class AAAA title? There are plenty of possibilities on the schedule, including a grudge match with No. 2 AAAA Osseo in the Breakdown Sports Tip Off Classic at Minnetonka. 

Hopkins (11-0), which has now won five of the last nine Class AAAA state championships including back-to-back titles the past two years under coach Kenny Novak Jr., has picked up right where it left off last season, winning its first 11 games in dominating fashion.

“(We) have hard, hard working kids with great focus and concentration skills.,” said coach Ken Novak Jr., who has an amazing 637-120 record in 28 seasons. “(We’re) not a big team, but an unselfish team that has made constantly large improvements.”

Three of the four returning veterans are 6-foot-4 athletes, including senior – and Mr. Basketball favorite – Coleman (23.5 ppg), the brother of former Hopkins and University of Minnesota great Dan Coleman. The younger Coleman is a nationally rated talent who is unstoppable on the court. Relentless and tough, he’ll be playing big-time college ball very soon.

He’s not the only high-quality D1 recruit, however, as violently effective 6-foot-4 senior Marvin Singleton (16.5 ppg), 6-foot-4 junior forward Zach Stahl (9.8 ppg) and junior point guard Siyani Chambers (11.6 ppg) all have drawn plenty of interest. Singleton is a beast in the paint who doesn’t back down from players much bigger than himself – in fact, he intimidates them. Stahl was one of the first players off the bench last winter and will be counted on to play an even bigger role this season, while Chambers was the smooth and often overlooked point guard for the Royals. His consistency, ball-handling and passing abilities have made him a nationally-recognized recruit, as well.

Osseo (11-1), as it has in many recent seasons, will look to its quickness to lead to another top season. In the past eight-plus years under coach Tim Theisen, the Orioles are an amazing 181-60 and have qualified for four state tournaments in the past decade. 

Osseo has a great mix of veterans and youth, including seniors Joey Sonnenfeld (15.0 ppg) and Park Center transfer Terez Van Pelt (15.0 ppg), who along with 6-foot-8 freshman post Ian Theisen (6.8 ppg) and D.J. Hebert (8.6 ppg) form the balance of the Orioles’ lineup.

Sonnenfeld is a great athlete who can play both inside and out at 6-foot-4, while Van Pelt, a 6-foot-1 guard, is very quick and is one of the state’s best on-ball defenders. Theisen is a very aggressive post for his age and will be a factor right away.

Nationally rated as a top 150 player by Rivals.com and ESPN, this Minnesota Gopher commit can’t be stopped because he’s explosive, strong, and has developed an outside shooting consistency. Was a man among boys last winter, posting 25 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Athletic and relentless, Coleman is truly unstoppable.

Van Pelt has put more players on their tail than any other guard in Minnesota because his dribble attack is so slippery. Quick as a hiccup. A transfer from Park Center, Van Pelt is also one of the state's best defensive players. Quick hands and quick feet led to 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals per game last winter.