Midwest Players Classic boasts big lineup, including No. 2 Central vs. defending state champs, Minnehaha Aca.

It’ll be a battle of state powers Saturday afternoon at the La Crosse Center for the eight-game Midwest Players Classic.

La Crosse Central (11-1), ranked No. 2 in Division 2, will take on Minnehaha Academy (10-2), the defending Class 2A Minnesota state champions.

The game will be featured on WKTY 96.7 FM / 580 AM beginning at 3 p.m.

Minnehaha, which defeated Caledonia in last year’s state title game, is led by Jalen Suggs, who averages 24 points and has several Division 1 offers for both basketball and football.

In basketball Suggs has offers from Baylor, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Iowa State, Marquette and Minnesota. In football, teams like Nebraska, Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota and Ohio State have expressed interest.

The tournament begins at 9:15 a.m. with the No. 1 ranked Aquinas girls basketball team playing Hayward.

The Blugolds (15-0) are the defending state champions and have won 43 consecutive games.

Here’s the schedule:

9:15 a.m. — Aquinas girls vs. Hayward
10:50 a.m. — Aquinas vs. La Crescent
12:25 p.m. — Logan vs. Kaukauna
2:00 p.m. — Caledonia vs. Mineral Point
3:35 p.m. — Central vs. Minnehaha Academy
5:10 p.m. — DeLaSalle vs. Sun Prairie
6:45 p.m. — Martin Luther vs. Minneapolis North
8:20 p.m. — Onalaska vs. Oconomowoc