Class 3A boys' basketball tournament

1If the name Ray Teachout rings a bell, it's because the Mankato West senior guard quarterbacked the Scarlets (27-1) to the Class 4A football championship last fall. Teachout leads the team in scoring at 12.2 points per game and owns the school record for three-pointers in a game with nine.

2Minneapolis Washburn (23-5) is the only team in the field with more than one state championship. The Millers won the title in 1994, their last tournament appearance, and in 1955. Millers center Ra'Shede Hageman is a Gophers football recruit as a tight end.

3Fans of racehorse basketball are in for a treat. The top three scoring teams in Class 3A have made the field -- Minneapolis Washburn (82.7 points per game), St. Paul Johnson (78.0) and Spring Lake Park (75.0).

4On the other hand, those who appreciate stifling defense won't be disappointed, either. Mankato West is the Class 3A leader in fewest points allowed, giving up only 42.1 per game. Grand Rapids is second, allowing 45.6.

5Guard play often makes the difference in the postseason. If so, watch out for Spring Lake Park (23-6). The Panthers have exceptional guards in Shaun Jensen and Trey Scott, who average more than 20 points apiece, and three-point specialist Tyler Ylvisaker.

6A potential semifinal matchup between Minneapolis Washburn and St. Paul Johnson (25-4) could be fun. The two teams have played twice, with each winning once. Outside of losing to each other, neither has lost to a Class 3A team this season.

7Little Falls coach Kevin Jordan is the brother of St. Cloud Tech coach Randy Jordan. Tech, which is seeded No. 4 in the Class 4A field, beat Little Falls (18-11) twice. The Flyers, making their second consecutive appearance, have won nine games in a row since a two-week stretch in which they lost five of six games.

8It's likely no team goes as deep into its bench as St. Paul Johnson. The Governors routinely use as many as 13 players in a game. And while only two players, Dion Suggs Young and Estan Tyler, average in double figures, four more players average 7.5 points per game or more.

9Rogers (18-11) is the only team in the field that has not previously appeared in the state tournament. The question is, which Rogers team will show up? The one which won nine games in a row in February or the one that lost four in a row immediately after the streak?

10Grand Rapids (25-3), making its eighth tournament appearance, participated in the first state tournament in 1913. It appeared again in 1925, then waited 72 years, until 1997, before another tournament trip.

JIM PAULSEN