Class 1A starts today

1Most people probably didn't expect Ellsworth (27-3) to even return, much less have a chance to defend its back-to-back state titles after the graduation of the state's career boys' leading scorer Cody Schilling. The No. 6-ranked Panthers have lost three games by a total of 10 points.

2The upper half of the bracket is loaded. The four teams -- Granada-Huntley-East Chain (26-0), Minnesota Transitions (28-2), Chisholm (29-1) and Bethlehem Academy (28-2) -- finished the season as the top four ranked teams in Class 1A.

3The top three teams from last year's tournament field -- champion Ellsworth, runner-up Minnesota Transitions and third-place Cass Lake-Bena -- are all back this year.

4If defense wins championships, then this class will be interesting to watch. Six teams in the field allow under 51 points per game. They are Chisholm (41.2), Bethlehem Academy (43.7), Ada-Borup (48.5), Sebeka (49.7), Granada-Huntley-East Chain (50.0) and Ellsworth (50.8).

5Sebeka is the only team in the field making its first state tournament appearance. The only other two tournament appearances in school history were in baseball (1993 and 2007).

6Minnesota Transitions is on the verge of becoming the state's single-season highest-scoring team. It enters the state tournament averaging 103.5 points per game. Cass Lake-Bena owns the record of 96.84 set in 2007.

7Drew Mathews and Jordan and Adam Clark are the first second-generation players to play for Bethlehem Academy coach Franz Boelter. Their fathers, John Mathews and Tim Clark, also played for Boelter.

8Cass Lake-Bena junior guard Martin Wind is five assists away from becoming the seventh player in state history to hand out at least 300 assists in a season. The single-season record of 340 was set last year by Bryce Tesdahl of Crosby-Ironton.

9Ada-Borup (25-4) has an opportunity to join elite company. The Cougars can sweep the boys' and girls' championships. The girls' squad rolled through the Class 1A field last week, beating Cedar Mountain/Comfrey 61-31 in the finals.

10Chisholm is led by legendary coach Bob McDonald, who earlier this season became the 18th high school boys' basketball coach in the nation to win 900 career games. He owns a career record of 917-374 over his 54-year tenure.

RON HAGGSTROM