The next time Gabe Kalscheur plays basketball at Williams Arena, he will have traded DeLaSalle's black and gold for Minnesota's maroon and gold.
Kalscheur, a 6-4 senior guard who signed with the Gophers, scored a game-high 21 points Wednesday in a Class 3A quarterfinal against Hermantown.
"It's going to be special to play here the next four years," Kalscheur said.
His focus this week, however, is leading the Islanders' quest for a seventh consecutive Class 3A state title."I have to embrace these last few days with my high school coaches and teammates," he said.
DAVID LA VAQUE
Rematch in 4A
Eden Prairie defeated Cretin-Derham Hall 65-63 on Feb. 28, a game in which Raiders point guard Ryan Larson didn't play because of an injury. The two teams meet again in Thursday's Class 4A semifinals. Eden Prairie coach David Flom expects to see a highly motivated bunch of Raiders.
"We're not going to be able to sneak up on them," Flom said. "They're going to have laser-sharp focus."
But Flom stressed that the Eagles feel confident going into the game. "We beat them and we know that we can beat them," he said.