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Duluth Marshall freshman guard Chloe Johnson on the Section 7AA playoffs – "I’m excited for playoffs. It’s always fun to play at UMD and it’s what we work for all year. We got the three seed because we played a tough schedule, and dropped many of the weaker teams we used to play the last few years.
Being undefeated in a season or having a better record is important to some teams but looking back I can see we needed to go through the hard games. Playing against teams like Providence Academy, Hopkins, Minnehaha, Orono and BSM helped me get better, and I like being challenged every day. Losing to those top teams in the state helped us figure out who we are as a team, and exposed areas we needed to work on.
We aren’t a one-person team at all and we have five girls who can score 20-plus points on any night. We are way more athletic this year and we also play a faster more free style of basketball because we have so many skilled players.
All four teams still playing in our section are tough. We have three teams in section 7AA ranked top 10 in the state. I think any of us could make a run at the state title in Class AA. It’s too bad we can’t all get to the tournament but I know I will give my best effort and do whatever our team needs me to do to win. It’s different every night, but I wouldn’t want to play with any other group of girls or at any other school. We are all ready and excited."
7AA Notebook: Crosby-Ironton will face Pequot Lakes and Proctor meets Duluth Marshall in semifinal games Wednesday at Minnesota Duluth. Minnesota 2A, No. 2-ranked Crosby-Ironton (28-0), led by Gophers recruit Tori Oehrlein (junior guard-forward, 31.0 points and 16.3 rebounds per game), is the heavy favorite. 2A, No. 7-ranked Duluth Marshall (21-7) boasts ultra-elite 6-foot freshman guard Chloe Johnson (29.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game), one of the nation's top college prospects in the Class of 2028. No. 9-ranked Proctor (25-3), led by guard Chloe Carlson (18.1 ppg), is a slight underdog against Duluth Marshall, which defeated the visiting Rails 69-65 on Jan. 22. Proctor lost to Crosby-Ironton 51-40 on Feb. 13 in Proctor.
Duluth East boys basketball coach Rhett McDonald on the 2024-25 season, as the seventh-seeded Greyhounds prepare to face No. 2 seed Blaine in a Section 7AAAA quarterfinal Wednesday night in Blaine – "Throughout this season, our team has been tested. Injuries, illnesses and ineligibilities have hit us. But instead of making excuses, we’ve found a way to fight through and get better. That speaks volumes about the toughness, resilience, and collective grit of this group.
Because of that, I have absolute faith in our ability to compete in Section 7AAAA. As the No. 7 seed, we know the road ahead is tough – but so are we. We embrace the challenge. Blaine is a talented, athletic, guard-heavy team. They’re one of the best squads we faced all season, and in January, they exposed our weaknesses in a 21-point loss. They have three guys averaging over 15 points per game and five who shoot over 35-percent from three. We know they’re dangerous.
But we’ve been preparing for 'March Mentality' since mid-February. We’re more disciplined. We’re tougher. We play for each other. The progress we’ve made is undeniable. Against Hermantown on Friday, we put up a season-high 29 assists, and Ty Nyberg dished out 16 of them. We held them to 53 points and dominated the boards by 18. That’s the kind of performance that wins in March.
Coaching this group over the last month has been special. After a tough December and January, I wasn’t sure if we had it in us to come together the way we have. But these guys have sacrificed. They’ve committed to playing for the name on the front of the jersey. They’ve worked relentlessly. And because of that, I couldn’t be prouder of them. Wednesday night, we take the court as a team that has earned the right to believe. We’re battle-tested. We’re ready. And we are not backing down."
Section 7AAAA Boys Basketball Quarterfinals
All games Wednesday at 6 p.m., hosted by the highest seed (Bracket)
No. 6 Forest Lake vs. No. 3 Centennial
No. 7 Duluth East at No. 2 Blaine
No. 5 Coon Rapids at No. 4 Andover
No. 8 Cambridge-Isanti at No. 1 Anoka
Duluth Marshall senior power forward Brooks Johnson (averaging 27.3 points and 13.9 rebounds per game) – the Northland's most thunderous dunker ever and a prized Bulldogs recruit – on the Hilltoppers quest for a Section 7AA championship – "It is crazy to think that my five years at Duluth Marshall are coming to an end. I’m thankful for all of the coaches and teachers who invested in me as a person and an athlete. We are the seventh seed this year in our section, so we play the 10th seed Crosby-Ironton and it should be a good game. The team that shows up with the most energy, and the team that executes their game plan, will win.
Our team has evolved a lot this year and we are not a one-person team. I was out with a back injury for over a month this season, and that actually helped our team because everyone had to step up. Josh (Johnson) has been shooting very well and is physical. Brody (Carlson) has been making shots, (Ricardo) Marcell has stepped up on defense and Aaden (Westerbur) is making good decisions with the ball. Our IQ on the court gets better every game and I’m ready to do whatever my team needs me to do.
I’m thankful to the team of doctors who helped me to get healthy. I hope to end my senior year at Marshall on a positive note before starting my next four years at UMD."
