Category Archives: Twin Cities Game Time Podcast

The Twin Cities Game Time Podcast is your weekly source for Twin Cities High School sports. Matt Dean and Logan Anderson will break down key games, share insights from coaches and players, and keep you well informed when it comes to high school sports in the Twin Cities Metro area.

EP 78: Around the World with the Down the Alley Lacrosse Pod

On the latest episode of the TC Game Time podcast, they guys are thinking Spring as they return to talk a little baseball before diving into their lacrosse preview show with P-Mac and Katie, two of the hosts of the “Down the Alley” Podcast and coaches in the Prior Lake boys & girls programs!

They first discuss some first week observations and the growth of lacrosse before discussing early season baseball storylines (8:29), including the preseason top-10 and standout future Division 1 players in a loaded Suburban East conference featuring heavyweights East Ridge, Mounds View, and Stillwater.

The interview with “Down the Alley” starts at (22:25), previewing each Section in the State beginning with the boys field at (26:46); topics discussed in boys include the likelihood of a Benilde vs Prior Lake rematch, dark horses and favorites in each Section, and a Mr. Lacrosse watch list. The girls preview starts at (45:43) and includes a breakdown of signficant coaching changes from the top-2 teams in the State and favorites in each Section.

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EP 77: Wrapping our Heads Around Section Realignment

On their final episode before the start of Spring sports, Matt and Logan get together to talk about the implications of last week’s Section realignments announced by the State High School League!

Before starting Section talk, they hit on some news & notes, including one of the State’s top prep recruits moving to California for his senior year & Tessa Johnson, STMA standout and future South Carolina Gamecock, being named Miss Basketball last week.

The Section conversation starts at (14:00), mostly focusing on implications to winter sports including boys basketball (15:00), girls basketball (22:40), and hockey (29:49).

EP 76: Hey Now, You’re an All-Star with STMA’s Kent Hamre

While waiting for the bitter winter to thaw out, the gang are back for a special episode with Kent Hamre, the 18th year head coach of St. Michael-Albertville Girls Basketball!

They welcome in the State Championship winning coach to talk about his team’s recent title, coaching presumptive Miss Basketball favorite and All-American Tessa Johnson, and preview this Saturday’s upcoming MGBCA All-Star Series streaming on Game Time.

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EP 75: Title Game Rematches & Stars Shining at the State Basketball Tourney, feat. Prep Hoops’ Jared Martinson

The crew are back, this time joined by Prep Hoops Content Creator & Maple Grove Assistant Coach Jared Martinson, to break down last week’s thrilling State Boys Basketball Tourney!

They start by diving into Wayzata’s thrilling run to their second State Championship in three years (5:40), including the iconic shot of the tournament by Hayden Tibbits in the Semis and junior Jackson McAndrew’s complete takeover of the title game in the extra period. They break down standout stars and discuss all eight teams in the large school division!

Moving to Class 3A at (26:30), they discuss the Totino-Grace dynasty and how Ohio State commit Taison Chatman brought his best to the big stage after an up-and-down senior season due to injury. They also talk about a bright future on the hardwood in Alexandria and Nasir Whitlock’s herculean efforts for runner-up’s DeLaSalle.

In Class 2A (35:30), they talk about Minneaha Academy’s suprise upset over favorites Holy Family before talking about Albany eventually taking home the title. Class A Champs Russell-Tyler-Ruthon are also discussed at (44:40), before the guys make their predictions for the “Mr. Basketball” award announcement.

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EP 74: Grabbing the Ox by the Horns: A State Basketball Tourney Special with Lakeville North’s John Oxton!

Before an interview with the 31st year head coach of the State-bound Panthers, Logan, Matt, & Bill circle back up to first to recap last week’s action at Williams Arena in the Girls Basketball State Tournament (2:37)! Topics discussed include Tessa Johnson’s herculean performance in the 4A title game for St. Michael, Stewartville’s suprising shakeup in the 3A tourney, and Maddyn Greenway’s dominant showing on the big stage for Providence Academy.

Next, the trio break down the entire Class 4A Boys Tournament field (15:50), discussing standout players, favorites, and potential upset bids in the large school division. They also key-in on the Mr. Basketball Final Five, who will all be showcased this week on the big stage, and discuss title favorites in Class 3A and 2A!

Interview with John Oxton, the Lakeville North Head Coach, starts at (51:00).

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EP 73: X Gon’ Give It To Ya & A Battle at the Barn with Bally Sports North’s Sam Ekstrom

Before welcoming in guest Sam Ekstrom, the TV voice of the Gophers and high school hockey on Bally Sports North & play-by-play broadcaster for last week’s Boys Hockey Tournament on the radio, Matt and Bill get together for a Girls Basketball State Tourney Preview starting at (5:07). They discuss every team in the field in Class 4A, upsets in last week’s slate of Section Finals, predictions, top players to watch, and deep dive into favorites in all four classes!

Starting at (36:31), Ekstrom joins the show to help break down the Boys Hockey Tournament last week at Xcel! He discusses Minnetonka rising to the top in a wide-open Class AA field, Mahtomedi’s suprise run to a Class A title, standout players, and some way-too-early predictions on contenders in the State next season!

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EP 72: Hockey at “the X” and a Basketball Section Preview with Ryan James from Prep Hoops Minnesota

Before welcoming in guest Ryan James to talk about the Mr. Basketball race and preview the boys Section Tournament, Logan, Matt, and Bill are back to discuss the Boys Class AA and Class A Hockey Tournament field (7:02)! They talk about a wide-open field in Class AA and make their picks in a loaded bracket, talk about top-tier goaltending on display, and talk about a key loss to Lakeville South’s lineup heading into their fifth consecutive appearance.

Starting at (24:03), they preview the week of Girls Basketball Section Finals, including key finals between Lakeville North & South, Chaska and Eden Prairie, Wayzata vs Hopkins, Centennial vs Blaine, and more!

Interview with Ryan James starts at (40:21). Topics discussed include favorites in the Mr. Basketball race heading into the postseason, the favorite and a dark-horse pick from each Section of Class AAAA, and a discussion of State title contenders in the Class 3A field.

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EP 71: The Vandals Heights Parade, Boys Hockey Section Chalk, and March Madness!

On the latest episode of the “TC Game Time Podcast,” the gang’s all here as Logan, Matt, and Bill reconvene to start by discussing the Girls Hockey State Tournament, including Gentry Academy’s revenge tour to the Class AA title, signs of increased parity in the girls field, Warroad’s second straight title, standout players, & more!

Starting at (18:25), they discuss upcoming Section Finals in the boys hockey scene, including an all-Lakeville Section Final and if any upsets could present themselves in what has mostly been a chalked section field so far in Class AA. They also break down the Mr. Hockey finalists list unveiled in the past week.

Finally at (35:27), they transition to girls hoops, and preview the upcoming Section 2AAAA tournament streaming on gametimemn.com, as well as talk about some of the other favorites to make it from the State Tournament in the #StateofGirlsHoops

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EP 70: Hockey Upset Recipes & Transfer Musings

On this episode Logan and Bill are joined by David Lavaque of the Star Tribune. We figure out the recipe for a potential upset in every A & AA girls tournament matchups. They also dive deep into the rules, problems, and potential solutions for the transfer trend taking over high school sports. Later we are joined by Lakeville North Girls Hockey Coach Buck Kochevar to discuss his team, season, and snowy trip to the X!

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EP 69: Dropping into a Zone, the Bison Herd, & Girls Hockey Sections!

On the latest episode of the podcast, Matt, Logan, & Bill discuss the biggest stories in high school hoops and hockey, including two number one teams matching up on the hardwood, the girls hockey section playoffs, & what’s at stake in the final week of the boys hockey regular season!

Starting in boys hoops (3:19), they discuss key results on the hardwood including an upset win as Maple Grove went down on the road, a battle of top juniors in the State, and a Park Center vs Totino-Grace rematch before they talk about the Buffalo Bison putting themselves on the map with a pair of top-10 victories as their “Game Time Deep Dive” team of the week.

 Moving to the ice (24:03), they discuss the surprises of the first week of Girls Hockey Section playoffs, including Apple Valley’s stunning first-round exit, a six overtime thriller in Blaine, and Thursday night’s Section 1AA Final between Lakeville North and Northfield coming up on Panthers Live! In boys hockey, they debate who has the most at stake in the regular season’s final week, including STA & Cretin jockeying for position in a competitive Section 3AA, casting lots for the Section 1AA No. 2 seed, & Chanhassen looking to regain confidence down the stretch.

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