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Tip Off the boys' season with the Breakdown!

By Tim Kolehmainen, Breakdown Sports USA, 12/02/12, 9:00AM CST

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Twenty-eight top boys' teams hit the courts for our one-day event, Dec. 8

 MINNETONKA, Minn. (Nov. 28, 2012) – Does it get any better than this? Terrific matchups abound at the 9th annual Breakdown Tip Off Classic. Anxious to see how two of the best players in the state of Minnesota matchup when Tyus Jones and Apple Valley face off against Quinton Hooker and Park Center? How about powerful Riley Dearring and Minnetonka against Rashad Vaughn and Robbinsdale Cooper? Or high-scoring Anders Broman and Lakeview Christian against potent Blake with Kebu Johnson? Well, don’t wait until March to get your basketball fix. Those games are among 14 terrific matchups between the elite in Minnesota boys’ high school basketball at the BREAKDOWN SPORTS Tip Off Classic.

Many of the top players and teams in the state of Minnesota will be on the courts at Minnetonka High School for the 9th annual Tip Off Classic, Dec. 8, 2012. Games begin at 11:00 a.m. Saturday morning with a showdown between perennial state contenders Buffalo and Woodbury and conclude later Saturday night with seven total games on each court, all of which feature teams ranked among the top-15 in their respective classes.

Saturday, Dec. 8 – Minnetonka West gym
11:00 a.m. – Buffalo vs. Woodbury (No. 11AAAA)
12:30 p.m. – Blake (No. 4AAA) vs. Lakeview Christian (No. 2A)
2:00 p.m. – Hopkins (No. 3AAAA) vs. Tartan (No. 14AAAA)
3:45 p.m. – Eden Prairie (No. 2AAAA) vs. Rice Lake (WI)
5:15 p.m. – Osseo (No. 5AAAA) vs. Eastview (No. 15AAAA)
6:45 p.m. – Apple Valley (No. 1AAAA) vs. Park Center (No. 7AAAA)
8:15 p.m. – Minnetonka (No. 8AAAA) vs. Robbinsdale Cooper

Saturday, Dec. 8 – Minnetonka East gym
11:15 a.m. – Duluth East vs. Prior Lake (No. 10AAAA)
12:45 p.m. – St. Peter (No. 3AA) vs. Pelican Rapids (No. 2AA)
2:15 p.m. – Roseville (No. 6AAAA) vs. Holy Angels (No. 6AAA)
4:00 p.m. – Minneapolis Washburn vs. Hudson (WI)
5:30 p.m. – New Prague (No. 10AAA) vs. Maple Grove
7:00 p.m. – Austin (No. 3AAA) vs. Edina (No. 4AAAA)
8:30 p.m. – Robbinsdale Armstrong vs. Wayzata (No. 9AAAA)

The Tip Off Classic features more than 150 college prospects, including several who have already committed to D1 programs. Twenty teams are ranked among the top-15 in the state in our preseason polls, including the preseason No. 1 team in Class AAAA (Apple Valley) and the defending Class AAAA state champions (Osseo), as well a pair of out-of-state powers in Hudson (WI) and Rice Lake (WI).

Check out these stats:

  • Many potential Division I players, including Mr. Basketball candidates such as Anders Broman (Lakeview Christian), Riley Dearring (Minnetonka), Carson Shanks (Prior Lake), Ben Oberfeld (Eastview), Reggie Lynch and Graham Woodward (Edina), Grant Shaeffer (Eden Prairie) and Quinton Hooker (Park Center) as well as superstar youngsters such as Rashad Vaughn (Robbinsdale Cooper), Amir Coffey (Hopkins), Jon Sobaski (Prior Lake) and Andre Wallace (Eden Prairie).
  • At least 150 players with college basketball possibilities
  • Thirty-four players ranked in the top 20 of our rankings by class
  • A projected 28 players with D1 ability
  • The defending Class AAAA Minnesota state champion (Osseo)
  • The preseason No. 1 Class AAAA team in Minnesota (Apple Valley)
  • All of the top 11 and 13 of the top 15 teams in Class AAAA
  • Three of the top six and four of the top 10 teams in Class AAA
  • Two of the top three teams in Class AA
  • The preseason No. 2 team in Class A (Lakeview Christian)
  • A great mix of big and small schools, as well as two powers from out-of-state: Hudson (WI) with Alex Herink and Rice Lake (WI) with Ellwood and Henry Ellenson.

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 11th year of covering boys’ and girls’ basketball and fifth 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.