MINNEAPOLIS — The last of the winter sports state tournaments kicks off Tuesday, March 18, as boys basketball players from across Minnesota head to the Twin Cities to compete.
Four teams from rural Northern Minnesota won their section championships last week in their quest for the state title.
The first to play from the Northland is Section 7-2A champs Pequot Lakes, set to face No. 2 seeded Waseca at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Target Center. The Patriots were the consolation final winners last year and are on a six-game winning spree headed into the quarterfinals.
On Thursday, Class 1A teams will take the court.

No. 1 seeded Cherry is the defending state champion in Class 1A and will play No. 8 BOLD at 11 a.m. Thursday. Cherry’s only loss this season came to Section 8A champs Red Lake County, the No. 3 seed who will face No. 6 Goodhue at 5 p.m. Thursday. This is Red Lake County’s first state tourney appearance since 2017.
5A section champions Nevis got the No. 4 seed and will play Henning at 1 p.m. Thursday. Nevis placed third last year and defeated Henning earlier in the season.
All quarterfinals, consolation rounds and third-place games are scheduled to be streamed by NSPN.tv . Find the stream at nspn.tv .
All semifinal and championship games will be broadcast live by 45TV and shown via stream at prep45.com.
-
Destructive storms with wind gusts over 100 miles per hour knocked out power for tens of thousands of northwestern Minnesotans in and around Bemidji on Saturday, June 21.
-
Plus: Extreme heat and possible severe weather could be in store for much of the Northland over the weekend; Carlos Hernandez was narrowly elected Bois Forte chairman in a special election on June 17, 2025; the Minnesota DNR and Brainerd Lakes Area Master Naturalists will hold an AIS workshop; Eveleth received a $200K grant to upgrade a city playground; Beltrami County will begin work on a new shared-use trail near Bemidji High School; and MnDOT crews are making progress on planned construction near Hackensack and Wadena.
-
Following the shooting attack that left Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark dead on June 14, 2025, their adult children issued a statement urging residents to honor their parents' memories by giving back.
-
Events this week include Karaoke for a Cause in Grand Rapids, Pride Month in the Park in Brainerd, Lake Bemidji State Park pint night and kids' fishing day in Marcell.
-
Plus: MnDOT will host a listening session at the Fosston High School Gymnasium on June 23, 2025, ahead of planned construction on Highway 2; the Minnesota DNR is seeking a wide range of perspectives for fisheries input groups on Lake Winnie and Rainy Lake; and animal experts urge pet owners to remain vigilant during bouts of Canadian wildfire smoke.
-
KAXE's weekly list of concerts near you features Stella Standingbear, Annie Humphrey, Thomas X, GB Leighton and The Jorgensons, the Virginia Sisters, Between Howls and more.
-
In the phenology report for June 17, 2025, KAXE Staff Phenologist John Latimer discusses nesting turtles and how northern plants adapt to a short summer season.
-
And: Heintzeman, other Northern Minnesotans on water stewardship task force; federal cuts could hurt one of Greater Minnesota’s leading industries; local women elected officials feature in Beltrami County panel; and St. Louis County crafting new traffic safety plan.
-
The Beltrami County Historical Society will present “Women Elected to Lead: Voices from Local Government” on Saturday in Bemidji.
-
St. Louis County is building a new safety action plan for county roads outside Duluth. The public can share safety concerns and suggestions.