The new year is set to start off with a bang, as two top-10 teams in Class 4A are set to clash in our Top Game of the Week when Centennial, ranked No. 4 in Class 4A by Minnesota Basketball News, hosts No.10-4A Park Center on Friday.
Neither team will need much extra motivation to try and beat another top team in the state, but the Cougars will also be trying to excorcise some demons after losing 53-46 to the Pirates in the Class 4A, Section 5 championship game a year ago. The Cougars will look to get revenge in this game, and in March, when they'll want to be the ones in the state tournament, instead of Park Center.
The Cougars (7-3, 1-1) have been playing consistently good basketball for a few weeks now. After an 84-68 loss to No. 1-4A Hopkins in their opening game, the Cougars have won seven of nine, beating teams by an average of 22.85 points in those victories.
Centennial has a balanced offense that has allowed three players to average over 10 points a game. Taylor McAulay leads the team with 13.8, Claire Orth averages 10.8, and Sydney Stapleton is right behind with 10.7.
The Pirates (5-4, 1-0), meanwhile, are reeling after losing three straight games, including a 71-70 heartbreaker against Minnetonka last Friday. Sommer Blakemore, Park Center's leading scorer with 14.9 points per game this season, had a season-high 22 points against the Skippers but it was not enough to secure a win.