With the Wayzata boys basketball team ranked No. 1 in the state and undefeated against Minnesota teams, it was hard to imagine the Trojans losing, even against a No. 6 Maple Grove team on its home court.

In front of a full house, though, the Crimson pulled off the upset, winning 77-75 on Tuesday night, Jan. 13. This game was hands down the best Minnesota high school basketball game I’ve seen all season.

It was the first meeting between the teams this season, and the latest Strictly x Strib Varsity Tour stop. Wayzata stormed out to a 16-3 lead, but Maple Grove caught up quickly and turned it into a tight back-and-forth.

Wayzata played incredibly as a collective unit, but home-court advantage for a team like Maple Grove is a challenge for any team.

North Dakota State commit Max Iversen and four-star guard Baboucarr Ann blew me away with their difficult shotmaking for the Crimson. Iversen finished with a game-high 25 points. Ann, the only non-senior in the state with a scholarship offer from new Gophers coach Niko Medved, had 21 points and seven rebounds.

Minnesota Duluth commit Isaac Olmstead led the Trojans with 21 points. Wayzata’s two Mr. Basketball candidates, Gophers commit Nolen Anderson and Iowa State commit Christian Wiggins, put up 18 and 17 points, respectively.

They couldn’t take down the Crimson, who also had what might be the best student section we’ve seen behind them. It was packed and electric the whole game. I know for a fact that if I were shooting a free throw in front of that crowd, I would miss.

Strictly x Strib Varsity

The story and video here are part of a new partnership between Strictly Bball and the Minnesota Star Tribune’s Strib Varsity brand. Learn more about this partnership here.