On paper, this game looks like a lock for Robbinsdale Cooper. The Hawks are the top-ranked team in Class 3A, with their only losses coming to No. 3-4A Hopkins (95-68 on Dec. 12) and No. 6-4A Centennial (75-57 on Dec. 29), and enter the week owning a one-game lead in the Metro West Conference standings.
But these teams don't play on paper, and Chanhassen has a chance to steal a home win Wednesday that could force a tie atop the Metro West standings — if both teams win their league games on Monday.
If the contest with the Storm plays out how the Hawks (16-2, 7-0) want, they will be on their way to a second straight Metro West Conference championship.
Cooper's success this season is a result of even scoring distribution, and the Hawks boast four different players averaging more than 10 points per game, including Kierra Wheeler's 14.1 ppg.
Chanhassen (9-8, 6-1) salvaged its season after the calendar flipped to January, bouncing back from an ugly 2-7 start to win seven of its last eight games. The Storm look to stay hot with the Hawks coming to town for the first of two regular-season meetings.
Offensively, Chanhassen is led by Sidney Brastad, who’s averaging 11.0 points per game.