Washburn coach sees plenty to fear

Minneapolis Washburn coach Reggie Perkins watched Mankato West beat Spring Lake Park in the Class 3A semifinals and came away impressed. Perkins' Millers will play the Scarlets for the Class 3A state championship at 6 p.m. today.

"That's a very good basketball team," Perkins said. "They've got good guard play and good size."

Perkins wasn't concerned that Washburn, which won the Class 2A state championship in its last tournament appearance, in 1994, would be tight after waiting two days to play the championship game.

"At this point, we just try to control what we can," he said. "I don't think we'll be nervous at all. We've played a lot of basketball. It's just another game."

Today's Class 2A championship game features one team searching for a milestone while the other hopes to celebrate a silver anniversary.

No. 3 St. Bernard's is making its third consecutive state tournament appearance, but tonight marks the Bulldogs' first championship game appearance. No. 1 Pelican Rapids, 32-0 this season, is playing for its first title since the 1984 team brought home the hardware 25 years ago.

The Vikings feature Tydan Storrusten, a senior with more than 2,000 career points. The Bulldogs counter with Jordair Jett, who scored 20 of his 26 points and dished out six of his eight assists after halftime in Friday's semifinal victory.

"We're ready," Jett said. "This is where we want to be."

Hopkins has a chance to do something no Class 4A team has done since the boys' basketball tournament format switched to four classes in 1997: complete a state championship season with an undefeated record.

Three different 4A champs have finished with one loss -- including, most recently, Hopkins in 2005. The Royals will attempt to finish their perfect year at 8 tonight against Osseo.

After 48 years, three state championships and a state-record 918 victories, Chisholm coach Bob McDonald has been around too long to be grumpy about the Bluestreaks' 60-46 loss to Granada-Huntley-East Chain in the Class 1A semifinals.

"I hope this isn't a funeral," McDonald joked. "It's just a loss. It's not the battle of Gettysburg."