Two of Minnesota’s most successful programs do battle Saturday at the Breakdown Tip Off Classic when Braham meets Hopkins on its home court.

The Bombers have been to state six of the last eight seasons and won three state championships while Hopkins has been to state seven of the last 10 seasons and have claimed six of the last 10 Class AAAA state championships. Yes Braham and Hopkins are two of the elite programs in the current era of Minnesota high school basketball and this weekend they go head to head in a true big school versus small school contest.

The underdog Bombers are led by Minnesota State-Moorhead prized recruit Tyler Vaughan who is coming off a 24.6 point and 7.7 rebound per game season. This past weekend he made five treys in a jamboree victory over a tough St. Thomas team. He will be supported by returning front court starters Cameron Braund, Anthony Bias, and Drew Klemz who combined to average 25.3 points and 10 boards a contest as juniors. Now they are seniors and ready to make a run at state. They won’t get a bigger challenge all year than when they face Hopkins.

The Royals' senior class of Siyani Chambers, Zach Stahl, Demetrius Martin, Nick Jorgenson, and Andre McDonald know nothing else than state championships. As freshmen, sophomores, and juniors they went to season-ending banquets that had a state championship trophy centrally located at the head table. Add in junior Jamal Davis and sophomores Jake Wright and Stephon Sharp and you have a group primed for a state title run.

After getting beat by 14 points by Apple Valley in a jamboree last weekend, Coach Ken Novak Jr. now has his team’s attention about the difficulty of four-peating. Who was off to the side watching the jamboree game closely? Future Hall of Fame Coach Bob Vaughan.

Could a Hoosiers like upset take place? Get a ticket this weekend and find out!