The Prior Lake boys basketball team picked up arguably its best win of the season Jan. 21.
Four Lakers were in double figures, led by senior Joe Ofori’s 19 points, in a 69-68 win over No. 9-ranked Farmington in South Suburban Conference play. The win snapped a two-game slide, but the momentum didn’t last too long.
Prior Lake (7-7 overall, 5-4 in the SSC) followed with a 67-59 home loss to Eagan in league play Jan. 24. Senior Gavin Pierce led all scorers with 19 points.
The Lakers are 3-4 since the start of the New Year and are trying to put themselves in a position for a home playoff game in Section 2AAAA. A top-four seed is still within reach, but Prior Lake will need to finish strong.
Fifth-ranked Minnetonka (10-2) looks to be a lock for the top-four seed and is the favorite for the No. 1 spot. Tenth-ranked Shakopee (9-4), Eden Prairie (8-6), Edina (7-7) and Chanhassen (6-8) are also in the mix.
Chaska (4-9) and Waconia (3-10) are also in the field.
The Lakers are 2-3 against the section so far with wins over Chanhassen and Chaska and the losses to Minnetonka, Shakopee and Eden Prairie.
Prior Lake lost 63-62 at home to Eden Prairie Jan. 18. The Eagles hit a game-winning three at the buzzer to steal the win.
Eden Prairie has ended Prior Lake’s season the last four years in the playoffs, including in the section title game in 2019, as well as in the semifinals in 2020 and 2022 and in the quarterfinals in 2021.
In the latest meeting, Ofori led Prior Lake with 15 points, while senior Luke McCullough scored 12. Sophomore Luke Loehlein and Pierce both scored eight points, while senior Luka Mortensen scored seven and sophomore Cade Wozney scored six.
Against Farmington, the Lakers led 43-36 at the break and held on from there. McCullough, Pierce and Loehlein scored 15, 14 and 11 points, respectively, while Mortensen chipped in six points.
McCullough also grabbed 12 rebounds, while Mortensen had seven rebounds, four steals and three assists.
In the loss to Eagan, Prior Lake couldn’t overcome a 32-21 deficit at halftime. Ofori and Loehlein were also in double figures with 12 points apiece, while Mortensen scored six and Wozney had five.
Ofori leads the Lakers at 17.8 points per game, while Pierce is also averaging in double figures (12.1) and McCullough is close (9.5).
Prior Lake graduated its top-five scorers from last year and are relaying on a lot of new faces this winter, all while trying to compete in the tough SSC. Five players are scoring more than seven points a game and four more are average at least three points.
“We have a group of talented juniors and sophomores. ... (We’ve been) able to rotate a variety of different players who have unique skill sets,” Lakers coach Jon Miller said.
Prior Lake will get another chance at Shakopee at home Feb. 14. The Lakers end the regular season March 3 at home to No. 2 Lakeville North in SSC play.
Section quarterfinal play starts March 8. The semifinals will be March 11 with the title game March 17. The higher seed is home throughout the playoffs.
This year’s Class 4A state tournament will be March 21-25 at Target Center in Minneapolis. Top-ranked Park Center is the defending champion.
Prior Lake won back-to-back state titles in 1977 and 1978, and also made the state field in 1976. The Lakers have never made the state field as a Class 3A or 4A program.
Prior Lake moved to Class 4A at the start of the 2003-04 school year, while four-class basketball in the started in 1997.
