Young Eagles take flight despite lack of experience
Miriam Liddle  |  by www.startribune.com. All rights reserved. 28.12 | 19:44

Where: Robertson Center, Bethel University, Arden Hills
When: Thursday (first round), Dec. 29 (winners' semifinals and losers' bracket), Dec. 30 (championship and third-place games)
Teams playing: Braham, Eden Prairie, Fairmont, Maple Grove, Minneapolis North, Monticello, Mounds View and North St.

Paul
Ticket info: Tickets must be purchased for each day of the tournament. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for students.
More: Call 651-638-6397 for more information.


At 26-years-old and counting, the Bethel boys' basketball winter tournament is as established as they come. The same cannot be said for Eden Prairie's boys' basketball team, which this season is playing with a brand new roster and head coach. None of this year's players had varsity experience heading into this season.

Yet the team is off to a 4-1 start. "I like where we're at," coach David Flom said. "Certainly, I would have taken a 4-1 start had you told me that before the season started.

As things have gone on, our defense and competitiveness is what I expected." The Eagles play Monticello at 8:15 p.m.

Thursday in the first round of the Bethel tournament. The Magic are off to a 2-3 start. Maple Grove is also in the tournament.

The Crimson are 4-1 and play 6-0 Mounds View at 6 p.m. Thursday in the opening round.

Flom stopped short of saying he was surprised by his team's start -- "I came in not knowing what to expect," he said. He knew he had the athletes to compete. "These guys have won here in everything they've done," Flom said.

Eden Prairie so far has been led by sophomore Ethan Wragge's 12.8 points per game. Two other players, junior Ryan Grant and senior Danny Miller, are averaging nearly 10 points per game each.

Miller, a point guard, also leads the team with five rebounds per game. "We're doing a great job of playing as a team," Flom said, noting Eden Prairie has held opponents to 31 percent shooting. "But Danny has really stepped up and helped us out-rebound every opponent so far this season.

" After the Bethel tournament, the Eagles get into the thick of their Lake Conference schedule, including a Jan. 9 date with Kansas-bound Cole Aldrich and Bloomington Jefferson.

Read more on by www.startribune.com. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Eden Prairie, Mounds View
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