Warriors are big-game hunters

The preliminaries are out of the way for the Henry Sibley boys' basketball team. After the Warriors rolled past Eden Prairie 64-43 Tuesday night in the championship game of the Olive Garden holiday tournament at Bethel University in St. Paul, all eyes have turned to the next stretch of games. Big games.

They will tell us much about the Warriors (8-0), last year's Class 4A runner-up and the current No. 2 team behind Hopkins in the 4A rankings.

Tuesday's victory was a good way to get going, Warriors coach Tom Dasovich said. The Warriors held Eden Prairie 19 points below its previous low this season.

"This was the best defensive performance we've had," he said.

Sibley will meet Madison (Wis.) Memorial on Saturday at Target Center in one of six games at the Timberwolves Gatorade Shootout. The biggest game on the regular-season schedule comes Jan. 9, when Henry Sibley plays host to Hopkins. The Royals are No. 9 in one national prep ranking, and Memorial is No. 21.

Memorial's star is senior Jeronne Maymon, who has signed with Marquette and was last year's Associated Press player of the year in the cheese state. Vander Blue, a junior guard, has made a verbal commitment to Wisconsin. That's where Henry Sibley senior forward Mike Bruesewitz will play next season.

"I've met Vander Blue and I like him a lot," said Bruesewitz, who had 15 points Tuesday, one fewer than teammate Maurice Hernandez. Any worries about Sibley looking past Memorial in preparation for facing Hopkins?

"I don't think so," Bruesewitz said with an are-you-kidding look. "They're the No. 1 team in Wisconsin, and they're No. 21 in the nation."

Between their games with Madison Memorial and Hopkins, Henry Sibley will face a good Tartan team. But it's the Hopkins game that has prep basketball fans in this state excited. The Royals are the favorites to win the 4A title, with Henry Sibley viewed as the one team that might be able to challenge them. Their January meeting, in fact, could be a preview of the state championship game.

Unranked Eden Prairie (7-2) raised an eyebrow or two with an 81-66 victory over St. Paul Johnson, the top-ranked 3A team, in Monday's tournament semifinals. The Eagles' other victims this season include Cretin-Derham Hall (No. 8 in 4A), Mankato West (No. 3 in 3A) and Mounds View.

But Henry Sibley was just too strong. Sibley took a quick 10-5 lead and then held Eden Prairie scoreless for almost seven minutes. Two layups by Ryan Smith and one by Brendan Gay pulled Eden Prairie within 18-15, but the Warriors did the rest of the first-half scoring.

A three-pointer by Chris Halvorsen at the horn gave Sibley a 28-15 lead. The second half opened with Hernandez making a three, Francis Bungue doing the same and in a blink it was 40-19.

Timmy Miller's 10 points led the Eagles, who shot only 32.7 percent.

And now, onward.

"We're taking them one game at a time," Bruesewitz said.

One big game at a time.

John Millea • jmillea@startribune.com