Boys Basketball 2025: Caledonia gets work done inside, at the line against Minnehaha Academy

A 17-4 start. A 23-11 finish.

Caledonia was in control at Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota campus for most of its 72-56 win over Minnehaha Academy in the Class AA quarterfinal round of the Boys Basketball State Tournament Tuesday night. When the No. 5 seed Redhawks made a push, the fourth-seeded Warriors locked in defensively and advanced.

Fitta Jafar knocked down four of his seven 3-pointers in a 3 1/2-minute stretch and the Redhawks (19-10) whittled what was once a 20-point deficit down to four, 49-45, with 8:51 to play. Minnehaha Academy was held scoreless for the next four minutes.

Six-foot-6 teammates Reid Klug and Garrett Konz were effective, both making 8 of 13 field-goal attempts. Klug scored a game-high 23 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and swiped five steals. Konz scored 21, including a pair of transition dunks for exclamation points, one of which was a three-point play.

The Warriors didn't need the 3-point shot, making only two in the game. They shot 59 percent from 2-point range (23 of 39) and 76.9 percent from the free throw line (20 of 26).

Jafar led Minnehaha Academy with 21 points.

Up next: Caledonia faces No. 1 Albany in a semifinal Friday night at 6 p.m. Minnehaha Academy plays Pelican Rapids in a 6 p.m. consolation game Wednesday at Gangelhoff Center on the Concordia University campus in St. Paul.