Every game at the Breakdown Tip Off Classic seems to have a theme so far, and overwhelmingly the theme to this game is the matchup of two of the top 2013 point guards in the state, Joanna Hedstrom and Jessica January. We will talk more about that down in the key matchup section. Minnetonka comes from the Lake Conference and also happy to be in the same Class AAAA section as crosstown rival Hopkins. Richfield is one of the top-ranked teams in Class AAA, and have plans to dethrone Hill-Murray in the Classic Suburban this year.

The two key losses for Minnetonka from last year’s team are Katy Winge, who is a freshman at Illinois State, and longtime head coach Bart Inniger. On the bench this year is Leah Dasovich, who happens to be the wife of Minnetonka boys' coach Tom Dasovich. However, most of Inniger’s staff is still at Minnetonka, which should make the transition very smooth. Minnetonka is led by Joanna Hedstrom who is off to a good start after scoring 25 points against Prior Lake Tuesday night. A couple of youngsters to watch out for in their starting line-up are 5’11 sophomore wing Anne Hamilton and 6’0 eighth grade forward Courtney Fredrickson.

Richfield is led by the Metro’s leading scorer from last season, Jessica January. She is a treat to watch and can control games on both ends of the floor. They are currently our No. 4 team in Class AAA and have been a power program for the last few years. Senior forward Bryanna Guyton is another great player for Richfield and is tough to stop down in the post which is a great compliment to January.

Joanna Hedstrom, Minnetonka vs.
Jessica January, Richfield
We expect Minnetonka to play a lot of zone so we aren’t sure how much you will get to see these two go head-to-head, but either way they will control the outcome of the game. Both are juniors and are destined to play Division 1 basketball but they are polar opposite point guards. Hedstrom is fundamental and has some height for the position, while January is a quick athlete who elevates in the mid-range and can get to the basket.

Why Minnetonka will win:

• Being the more controlled and fundamental team, they will win the turnover battle.
• Their defensive scheme will control January, and they have superior depth.

Why Richfield will win:

• January averaged almost 30 points per game last season… that’s a lot! If she gets into a mode where everything is falling, they are tough to beat by anyone.
• They are more athletic, so if we get into more of an up and down game, they will have the edge.

Our prediction: Minnetonka