TWIN CITIES, Minn.– Calling games at a state basketball tournament is one of the most rewarding games to call as a broadcaster. The pageantry of the quarterfinals, the anticipation of the semi-finals, and the glory of championship Saturday. And we can’t forget the consolation and third place games. It all comes together for a super fun, but hectic week.
At the end of the 2024-25 MSHSL State Boys Basketball Tournament, I ended up calling five games over four days covering three local teams with two games on the final Saturday, one of which was a state champion!
I covered the Henning Hornets and the Nevis Tigers. But on top of that, I got to cover two of Alexandria Area’s three games in the Class AAA State Tournament that ended with their first-ever state championship!
Calling a game at Williams Arena is a bucket-list item I got to check off. Another one is calling a state championship. Check, and check.
Seeing a Division-I athlete in Chase Thompson (Clemson Basketball) was exciting to see the things he could do on the floor. Their guard play all around was electric, they made it a nightmare for opposing ball handlers. I heard stories from Dan Terharr and Zeke Furhman about the strength of the Cardinals and they surpassed the stories I heard.
My time covering the Cardinals was limited to this weekend but seeing the reactions of the players, coaches, students and fans was awesome to see! I’m honored to be a part of that tournament run (in a very, very small way).
The Class A schools have been my go-to. Henning Hornets worked their way back to state for the second time in the last seven seasons. With an uncle as the head coach and two cousins on the varsity roster, I love the opportunity to do something unheard of: calling games your family is participating in on the radio.
As a Bertha-Hewitt grad, I know all about how strong Nevis basketball was/is/will continue to be. Coach Kramer and company once again advanced to the state semi-final game and it was awesome to call their Class A State Quarterfinal game.
Opportunities to call games at Target Center, Williams Arena, and Gangelhoff Center are never taken lightly. These games are some of the most important of the season, on top of being some of the most exciting. This was a great opportunity to cover Henning and Nevis once again. Broadcasting a school’s first-ever state championship for Alexandria Area is a moment I won’t ever forget.
All in all, it was a fun weekend.
