The CDH/Champlin Park showdown is scheduled to tip at 5:30 p.m. in the west gym (the main gym) at the Breakdown's 11th annual Tip Off Classic.
The CDH Raiders are 3-0 as they have dominated Stillwater and Forest Lake while also controlling the game against St. Paul Academy. CDH plays at White Bear Lake 24 hours before they take on the Rebels.
Champlin Park also has a manageable game before they play CDH only their game is on Thursday so they will be better rested. The Rebels are 5-0 so far destroying three conference opponents as well as Kennedy plus they had the four point win over Hopkins who still had Amir Coffey at the time (he scored 36 points)…Five Rebels are averaging double figures with JT Gibson scoring 17.4 and Marty Hill scoring 16.4 a night. Sophomores McKinley Wright and Theo John are both producing around a dozen a game as is Jeremy Johnson plus 6-foot-3 junior forward Aaron Kloeppner has producing just under ten points a game…
Joe Rosga and Sam Neumann have so far combined for 45 points a game and Neumann recently became the Raider’s all time leading scorer. Also, Donnell “Red” Gresham played in his first game the other day…CDH is ranked number one in Class AAAA, Champlin Park is ranked number two…
Sam Neumann, Cretin-DH vs Marty Hill, Champlin Park
Neumann and Hill are small forwards at the next level but they play the high school four spot. Hill has had a great start to the season and defending Neumann, he will bring length. Hill is a slasher while Neumann is a shooter and a tough guy that can get some inside points. Both rebound with solid numbers.
Why Cretin-Derham Hall will win: CDH is the team that made the state tournament run last year, they have both the big game success and the proven results led by experienced players
Why Champlin Park will win: The Rebels actually have more talent throughout their starting five and they are likely the hungrier group having not went to the state tournament with this core of talent yet.