Tag: Wayzata Basketball

“The Wayzata boys basketball team won the program’s third state championship in five years when they defeated Cretin-Derham Hall in the class AAAA final last March. Now the Trojans look to repeat their title with a good majority of their roster returning. Leading the way for Wayzata will be Division 1 commits Nolen Anderson and Christian Wiggins, but the Trojans also have key returners back in Isaac Olmstead, Tommy Shunmugavelu, Brady Lam, Sam Mohs, and Xaviahn Ivey. Wayzata will tip off the season December 2nd at Prior Lake.” via CCX Media.

“Wayzata small forward Nolen Anderson chatted with CCX about his recent commitment to the University of Minnesota. Anderson averaged 17.6 points per game this past winter, helping the Trojans win the state class AAAA championship. Anderson is known for his ability to shoot the ball. In his junior year Anderson shot 43% on three-point attempts and made 87 total threes. However, he has expanded his game in the last year both at Wayzata and while playing in AAU with D1 Minnesota. Nolen also had offers from Virginia Tech, Drake, Montana, and Illinois State, among others.” via CCX Media.

MINNEAPOLIS — It was tense. It was physical. And it was exactly what you’d expect in a state semifinal.

But when the dust settled Thursday night at Williams Arena, one truth remained: the Wayzata Trojans are championship-bound — again.

Behind a gritty second-half comeback and big-time performances from its core, No. 2-seeded Wayzata defeated No. 3 Shakopee 59-55 to earn a spot in the Class AAAA state championship game for the fifth consecutive season. With the win, Wayzata (27-4) continues its historic run of excellence and will battle No. 1 Cretin-Derham Hall on Saturday for the program’s fourth state title.

And they earned every bit of it.

A Game of Runs — and Grit

Wayzata trailed 31-24 at halftime, having struggled to string together stops while Shakopee found a rhythm behind 38.5% shooting from deep. The Sabers, led by senior forward Luke Wherley’s 15 points and 10 rebounds, held the largest lead of the game at 30-19 late in the first half.

But the second half told a different story.

Wayzata outscored Shakopee 35-24 after the break, fueled by timely three-point shooting and a defense that locked in during crunch time. The Trojans allowed just two turnovers all game and held Shakopee to 5-of-15 at the free throw line — a number that loomed large late.

Olmstead Ignites the Rally

With just under three minutes remaining, Wayzata trailed 53-49 after an 11-0 Sabers run. That’s when junior guard Isaac Olmstead stepped up with the poise of a veteran.

Olmstead drilled back-to-back three-pointers — both from the right wing — to flip the scoreboard and give the Trojans a 55-53 lead with under two minutes to play. He finished with 14 points, shooting 4-of-7 from long range, and dished out three assists to go with a steal.

Wiggins Steady, McBeth Relentless

While Olmstead hit the big shots, Christian Wiggins led the offensive charge all night. The junior guard poured in 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. He also hit the final free throw of the game with 25 seconds remaining — the last of his points — giving Wayzata a 59-53 cushion before a late Shakopee layup.

Wiggins added 4 rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal, delivering a complete two-way performance.

Senior guard Wyatt McBeth, playing in his third straight semifinal, brought the toughness that’s become his trademark. He racked up 10 points, a team-high 9 rebounds, 2 assists, a block, and a steal — doing a bit of everything in his signature physical style.

Anderson on the Glass, Defense Turns the Tide

Nolen Anderson added 11 points and 8 rebounds, while Samuel Mohs cleaned up 5 defensive boards off the bench.

Wayzata’s defense came up big in key moments, recording 4 steals, and more importantly, forcing tough looks down the stretch. Shakopee turned it over six times, and Wayzata converted those into six points off turnovers.

Fastbreak production also favored the Trojans, who led that category 12-4 — a credit to their ability to capitalize off defensive rebounds and long misses.

Fifth Straight, Sixth Overall

Wayzata now advances to the program’s sixth-ever state championship appearance, having claimed titles in 1959, 2021, and 2023. They finished runner-up in 2022 (to Park Center) and 2024 (to Minnetonka).

This era of Trojans basketball has firmly established itself as a dynasty — not just by making it to the big game, but by the way they do it: with composure, balance, and trust in each other.

Saturday night at Williams Arena, they’ll get a shot at their third title in five years, and another chance to etch their names into the record books.

Tipoff against Cretin-Derham Hall is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Stay tuned — history might just be calling again.

“The second-seeded Wayzata boys basketball team was tested by Moorhead but closed the game on a 9-2 scoring run to win 61-52 in the state Class AAAA quarterfinals Tuesday. The Spuds led 19-11 in the first half before the Trojans surged ahead by a single point at halftime, 33-32. The game remained remained close throughout the second half with Isaac Olmstead hitting two big three-pointers late to put the game away for the Trojans. Olmstead scored 18 points and Wyatt McBeth 16 to led the Trojans. Reign Battle scored 23 points to lead Moorhead in scoring. Wayzata (26-4) plays in the state semifinals Thursday at 8:00 pm against Shakopee.” via CCX Media.

“The Wayzata boys basketball team has become familiar with preparing for the Class AAAA state tournament. The Trojans earned a fifth consecutive trip to the state tournament when they defeated Hopkins in the section 6AAAA final. Wayzata enters the state tournament with a 25-4 record and has won seven games in a row. Four Trojans have averaged in double digits for Wayzata this season, led by Christian Wiggins’ 19.7 points per game. Last year the Trojans fell to Minnetonka in the class AAAA title game. Wayzata is hoping for redemption this go around. The Trojans will play Moorhead in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.” via CCX Media.

The Trojans face Moorehead today at 2pm at the Target Center. More info here:

Wayzata Trojans Set for State Tournament Quarterfinal Clash Against Moorhead on Tuesday

HOPKINS, Minn. — The Wayzata Trojans punched their ticket to the state tournament Tuesday night with a hard-fought 76-72 victory over the Hopkins Royals in the Section 6AAAA championship at Hopkins High School.

Wayzata came out firing, racing to a 22-11 lead midway through the first half with crisp ball movement, strong rebounding, and deadly accuracy from beyond the arc. Hopkins, meanwhile, struggled to find its rhythm offensively, shooting inconsistently and committing costly turnovers. Despite their early struggles, the Royals clawed their way back late in the first half, trimming Wayzata’s lead to 34-27 at the break.

The second half was a battle of momentum swings. Hopkins managed to tie the game at 69-69, but Wayzata seized control in the closing minutes. With under five minutes remaining, Hopkins’ Jayden Moore fouled out, and head coach Ken Novak was assessed a technical foul. Wayzata’s Christian Wiggins stepped up and calmly drained two free throws, then helped the Trojans extend the lead to 11 points on the next possession. Hopkins fought to stay in the game but couldn’t recover as Wayzata’s defense held firm.

Wiggins led the way with 31 points and 4 assists, shooting an efficient 8-of-11 from the field while knocking down six three-pointers, and also a run of 10 points early in the second half. He was near flawless from the free-throw line in the final minutes, ensuring the Trojans stayed ahead. Isaac Olmstead contributed across the board with 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists and hit two clutch 3-pointers late in the game, while Wyatt McBeth had a crucial impact on both ends, finishing with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks, including a key rejection in the closing seconds to seal the victory. Nolen Anderson anchored the interior, pulling down 8 rebounds to go along with 4 points.

For Hopkins, Anthony Smith led the Royals with 21 points and 6 rebounds, but struggled from the field, shooting just 6-of-16 despite making four three-pointers. Tre Moore recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Davion Hart and JJ Semanko each added 16 points, with Hart going 8-of-10 from the free-throw line.

With the victory, Wayzata avenged an earlier season loss to Hopkins and secured their spot in the state tournament with a 26-2 record. The game was well officiated, and had a host of Hopkins staff and administrators positioned around the perimeter of the court to prevent any issue during or after the game.

With their victory over Hopkins on March 11, 2025, the Wayzata High School boys’ basketball team secured their fifth consecutive berth in the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Class AAAA state tournament.  This achievement adds to their recent record of state tournament appearances, which includes championships in 2021 and 2023, and runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2024.  Notably, the 2025 appearance marks their seventh state tournament participation since 2017.​