Boys Basketball 2025: Alexandria makes history with Class AAA title

In the winter of 1975, the formation of the Central Lakes Conference was approved. The charter members in the group of Minnesota State High School League Member Schools were Alexandria, Brainerd, Little Falls, St. Cloud Apollo, St. Cloud Tech and Willmar. 

The conference officially began play during the 1977-1978 school year. 

While each of those Member Schools has since had a golden history of athletic tradition, something was missing from the conference: A boys basketball state championship. 

Alexandria took care of that on Saturday, March 22 with a stirring 73-64 victory over top-seeded Mankato East in the Class AAA championship game of the Boys Basketball State Tournament at Williams Arena. The No. 3-seeded Cardinals made school and conference history with a powerful run through the Class AAA bracket. 

After defeating No. 6 Byron in the quarterfinals, the Cardinals (29-3) dethroned No. 2 Totino-Grace, the three-time defending Class AAA champion, in the semifinals. When Alexandria did so, its postgame reaction was equal parts relief and elation that it qualified for the Class AAA championship game. 

With a championship at stake, Alexandria left little to chance and played with an emotional intensity that fulfilled a season-long mission. The Cardinals had to do so because Mankato East was trying to erase memories of a championship-game loss from one year ago and was riding a 28-game winning streak. The Cougars (29-2) were confident they were going to be hoisting a championship trophy and wearing blue-ribbonedgold medals.

Instead, Alexandra seized control from the start and led for more than 34 minutes of the 36-minute game. 

Senior forward Chase Thompson powered the Cardinals with 28 points and junior guard Talan Witt added 13. Thompson, a Clemson University recruit, had eight points down the stretch, and Witt had four, as did junior forward Gavin Roderick. 

“This for the City of Alexandria,” Thompson said. “Thank you so much for the support. This was a team goal all along. To accomplish that goal and win, you’ve got to do so as a team.”

Mankato East senior guard Brogan Madson tried mightily to carry the Cougars to a championship conclusion. He had 27 points, five rebounds and was the primary distributor in the Mankato East’s attack. Junior guard Lucas Gustafson had 12 points. 

Alexandria closed the first half on an 8-2 run over the final two minutes to build a 37-28 advantage at the break. Mason Witt hit a three-pointer with 12 seconds left in the first half to give the Cardinals that advantage. 

He finished the first half with 11 points and senior guard Samson Hagstrom added 10. 

Alexandria bolted to an 11-2 lead in the first four minutes, but Mankato East didn’t wilt under the early pressure and deficit. The Cougars chipped away and climbed to 14-9 in the next two minutes. 

Madson paced the Cougars with 12 points in the first half.

Third place: Brady Wooley's layup in the final seconds sent Orono past Totino-Grace, 87-85, in the third-place game Saturday. Wooley and Nolan Groves both scored 29 points. Chace Watley led Totino-Grace with 27.