Supremacy in the Independent Metro Athletic Conference (IMAC) standings will likely hinge on the two regular-season meetings between Providence Academy and Minnehaha Academy. Last winter, they split their league meetings, each winning on their home court — also the only conference loss for each program.
It's also one of the few games this week between teams in the top-10 rankings from Jan. 27 by Minnesota Basketball News, with Providence Academy, ranked No. 3 in Class 2A, and No. 5-2A Minnehaha Academy.
The Lions (6-0) have roared past opponents, including in two league matchups, outscoring teams by more than 40 points a game, paced by a quartet of double-figure scorers.
Seventh-grader Maddyn Greenway has led the Lions in scoring her first varsity season with 20.3 points per game, followed by Brooke Hohenecker (14.2 ppg) and sisters Grace (12.8 ppg) and Maria Counts (11.7 ppg).
Speaking of precocious underclassmen, Minnehaha Academy (4-0), which has played just one conference matchup so far this winter, features arguably the state's best eighth-grader in Addison Mack. The transfer student from Blake has been a hit in her first year with the Redhawks, averaging 24.8 ppg to complement teammates Aniyah Reuben (17.5 ppg) and Telia Graham (16.8 ppg).