For an eighth year, the 2016 Class 2A championship game between Jackson County Central and Braham remains the highest-scoring championship game in the history of the state boys basketball tournament, which began in 1913.
The Bombers defeated the Huskies 96-90 at Target Center on March 12 of that year.
The combined 186 points is the most for two teams in a state tournament championship game.
Also, Braham’s 96 points is tied for second most by one team in a state championship game and JCC’s 90 points is tied for fourth most.
Jackson County Central scored 61 points in the second half of that championship game. There are no official records for points in one half, but almost certainly has to be the record.
The game of basketball has changed dramatically from the era where the state tournament began, but it took 33 years - from the first state tournament in 1913 - until the 33rd in 1945 for a team to score at least 61 points in a state championship game when Minneapolis Patrick Henry defeated Ely 66-35.
Most points in a state championship game – two teams
186: Braham 96, Jackson County Central 90 (2016 Class 2A)
166: Lakeville North 84, Hopkins 82 (2014 Class 4A)
161: Orono 85, Columbia Heights (2011 Class 3A)
157: Edina 82, Duluth East 75 (OT) (1966)
157: Cretin-Derham Hall 79, Apple Valley 78 (2018 Class 4A)
155: Minneapolis Roosevelt 101, Blue Earth 54 (1956)
155: Minneapolis North 82, Osseo 73 (2003 Class 4A)
154: Southwest Minnesota Christian 81, Maranatha Christian Academy 73 (2013 Class 1A)
149: Marshall 75, Colquet 74 (1963)
149: St. Agnes 78, Morris Area (1994 Class A)
Most points in a state championship game – one team
101: Minneapolis Roosevelt 101, Blue Earth 54 (1956)
96: Braham 96, Jackson County Central 90 (2016 Class 2A)
96: Minneapolis North 96, North Woods (2017 Class 1A)
90: Braham 96, Jackson County Central 90 (2016 Class 2A)
85: Orono 85, Columbia Heights 76 (2011 Class 3A)
84: Lakeville North 84, Hopkins 82 (2014 Class 4A)
82: Edina 82, Duluth East 75 (1966)
82: Lakeville North 84, Hopkins 82 (2014 Class 4A)
82: Lakeville North 84, Hopkins 82 (2014 Class 4A)
82: DeLaSalle 82, St. Paul Johnson 64 (2015 Class 3A)
Big South Conference
Seven of the schools in the Big South Conference have played in a state championship game.
Waseca has played in a state championship game three times.
The Bluejays won their first appearance in a championship game in the one-class format in 1918, beating Duluth Central 29-10.
It took more than a century for Waseca to return to a title game, losing to DeLaSalle 63-56 for the Class 3A championship in 2019. The Bluejays won the state Class 2A crown in 2021, beating Caledonia 51-49.
Four BSC schools have played for a state title twice.
New Ulm lost both of its championship game appearances in a three-year span in the tourney’s early years, losing to Albert Lea 37-8 in 1919 and to Minneapolis Central 19-15 in 1921.
Both of Marshall’s appearances also came in the one-class system, losing to Buhl 30-29 in 1942 and beating Cloquet 75-74 in 1963.
Luverne won a one-class state tournament in 1964 when it beat Rochester 72-66 and the Cardinals lost the Class A championship game to Barnum 53-47 in 1983.
St. James won two championship games in 1972. The Saints won the 1972 Class A championship game 57-55 over Melrose and then beat Class AA winner Mounds View 60-52 in the playoff game between the winners of the two classes.
After the two-class system began in 1971, the two winners met in a playoff game until 1975.
Class AA teams won three of those games (Duluth Central in 1971, Anoka in 1973 and Little Falls in 1975). Class A won two, (St. James in 1972 and Melrose in 1974).
Blue Earth is the only other Big South school to play in a championship game, losing to Minneapolis Roosevelt 101-54 in 1956.
Conference schools that have never reached a championship game are Belle Plaine, Fairmont, Pipestone, Redwood Valley (or Redwood Falls), St. Peter, Tri-City United, Windom and Worthington.
Final one-class champion
Sherburn was the final one-class state champion when the Raiders won the 1970 state championship.
At the state tournament, the Raiders defeated Melrose 78-64, Marshall 71-60 and South St. Paul 78-62. More than 18,000 fans made their way into Williams Arena for the championship game.
It wasn’t known at the time that Sherburn would be the final one-class champion. That decision was made by the Minnesota State High School League several weeks after the state tournament.
The state title capped an undefeated season for Sherburn.
The Raiders were 18-0 during the regular season to earn the number one seed in District 5.
Sherburn opened the district tournament vs. Fairmont, the team that had eliminated the Raiders each of the three previous seasons. Sherburn would win this time around by a 73-57 margin.
The Raiders would go on to win the district by beating Delavan and Wells.
In the Region 2 tournament, Sherburn defeated Luverne 76-63 and Jackson 48-38 to earn a spot in the state tournament.
The starting five for the Raiders that season were seniors Tom Mulso, Jeff McCarron and John Tirevold, along with sophomores Pete Eiden and Paul Krohn.
There was only one state champion crowned at the 1995 and 1996 state tournaments as a ‘Sweet 16’ format was used.
Teams did qualify for state as they had in the past, in either Class A or Class AA.
Minneapolis North won both of the Sweet 16s, beating Staples-Motley in the 1995 championship game and Fertile-Beltrami in 1996.
MCW
Martin County West has been to two state tournaments since becoming a school district, 1998 and 2004.
The Mavericks reached the Class 2A state championship game in 2004, losing to Braham 73-47.
That season started a stretch where Braham compiled a record of 95-4 including 65 wins in a row.
The Bombers won three straight state titles, led by Isaiah Dahlman, who was a sophomore on the team that beat MCW.
Isaiah was the state’s all-time leading scorer when he graduated (he’s now seventh), was named Minnesota Mr. Basketball in 2006 and went on to play four seasons at Michigan State.
Early power
Mountain Lake was an early power in the state boys basketball tournament, advancing to three of the first five state championship games, although it wasn’t able to win any of them.
The Lakers broke through in 1939, beating Minneapolis Marshall 37-31 to win the state title.
Members of that team were Earl Schramm (Captain), Leslie Ogren, Sidney Falconer, Bertrand Goemer, William Johnson, Ralph Bruhn, Ralph Smith and Heinz Fruck. Vernon Soltow was student manager. Claude Miller was the coach.
State championship games
The scores of championship games in the state boys basketball tournament:
1913
Fosston 29, Mountain Lake 27
1914
Stillwater 30, Winona 4
1915
Red Wing 30, Mountain Lake 18
1916
Virginia 20, St. Paul Mechanic Arts 9
1917
Rochester 19, Mountain Lake 8
1918
Waseca 29, Duluth Central 10
1919
Albert Lea 37, New Ulm 8
1920
Red Wing 21, Mankato 10
1921
Minneapolis Central 19, New Ulm 15
1922
Red Wing 34, Madison 27
1923
Aurora 24, Austin 14
1924
Two Harbors 21, Minneapolis South 12
1925
St. Paul Mechanic Arts 20, Buffalo 8
1926
Gaylord 13, Gilbert 9
1927
Minneapolis South 32, Excelsior 13
1928
Moorhead 29, Minneapolis Edison 16
1929
Moorhead 20, Red Wing 16 (OT)
1930
St. Paul Mechanic Arts 23, Moorhead 13
1931
Glencoe 22, Buffalo 14
1932
Thief River Falls 21, Chisholm 15
1933
Red Wing 16, Minneapolis North 13
1934
Chisholm 29, St. Paul Mechanic Arts 27
1935
Austin 26, Glencoe 24 (OT)
1936
Bemidji 26, Wadena 20
1937
Minneapolis Edison 37, Virginia 24
1938
Thief River Falls 31, Minneapolis North 29
1939
Mountain Lake 37, Minneapolis Marshall 31
1940
Breckenridge 43, Red Wing 40
1941
Buhl 31, Red Wing 29
1942
Buhl 30, Marshall 29
1943
St. Paul Washington 52, Alexandria 33
1944
Minneapolis Patrick Henry 51, Crosby-Ironton 42
1945
Minneapolis Patrick Henry 66, Ely 35
1946
Austin 63, Lynd 31
1947
Duluth Denfeld 46, Crosby-Ironton 44
1948
Bemidji 38, Hopkins 29
1949
St. Paul Humboldt 47, Mankato 35
1950
Duluth Central 42, Robbinsdale 40
1951
Gilbert 69, Canby 52
1952
Hopkins 42, South St. Paul 29
1953
Hopkins 58, Hibbing 47
1954
Brainerd 49, Bemidji 47
1955
Minneapolis Washburn 67, Austin 58
1956
Minneapolis Roosevelt 101, Blue Earth 54
1957
Minneapolis Roosevelt 59, Red Wing 51
1958
Austin 66, Brainerd 63
1959
Wayzata 55, Carlton 41
1960
Edgerton 72, Austin 61
1961
Duluth Central 51, Bemidji 50
1962
St. Louis Park 62, South St. Paul 57
1963
Marshall 75, Cloquet 74
1964
Luverne 72, Rochester John Marshall 66
1965
Minnetonka 71, Faribault 60
1966
Edina 82, Duluth East 75 (OT)
1967
Edina 72, Moorhead 55
1968
Edina 70, Moorhead 45
1969
Rochester John Marshall 58, Duluth Central 42
1970
Sherburn 78, South St. Paul 62
1971
A: Melrose 64, Red Wing 53
AA: Duluth Central 54, North St. Paul 51
Playoff: Duluth Central 54, Melrose 43
1972
A: St. James 57, Melrose 55
AA: Mounds View 62, Austin 54
Playoff: St. James 60, Mounds View 52
1973
A: Chisholm 53, Melrose 52
AA: Anoka 58, Richfield 54
Playoff: Anoka 63, Chisholm 56
1974
A: Melrose 58, Mound 42
AA: Bemidji 52, Richfield 42
Playoff: Melrose 58, Bemidji 42
1975
A: Chisholm 41, St. Paul Mechanic Arts 33
AA: Little Falls 54, Robbinsdale 49
Playoff: Little Falls 54, Chisholm 50
1976
A: Marshall-University 65, Mankato Wilson 59 (OT)
AA: Bloomington Jefferson 60, Hibbing 51
1977
A: Winona Cotter 60, Pelican Rapids 47
AA: Prior Lake 52, Duluth Central 49
1978
A: Lake City 60, Breckenridge 44
AA: Prior Lake 52, Duluth Central 49
1979
A: Lake City 63, Howard Lake-Waverly 50
AA: Duluth Central 62, St. Paul Central 54
1980
A: Bird Island-Lake Lillian 78, Lake of the Woods 74 (2 OT)
AA: Minneapolis North 60, St. Cloud Tech 53
1981
A: Bird Island-Lake Lillian 49, Winona Cotter 47 (2 OT)
AA: Anoka 61, Austin 53
1982
A: Winona Cotter 48, Chisholm 46
AA: Bloomington Jefferson 59, Duluth East 51
1983
A: Barnum 53, Luverne 47
AA: Woodbury 56, Coon Rapids 50 (OT)
1984
A: Pelican Rapids 57, Winona Cotter 55
AA: White Bear Lake 51, Minneapolis North 47
1985
A: DeLaSalle 56, Winona Cotter 46
AA: White Bear Lake 67, Minneapolis North 62
1986
A: LeSueur 55, Staples 43
AA: Bloomington Jefferson 52, Duluth Central 51
1987
A: Norman County West 70, Crosby-Ironton 58
AA: Bloomington Jefferson 54, Blaine 37
1988
A: DeLaSalle 58, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 36
AA: Rocori 66, Robbinsdale Armstrong 56
1989
A: Rushford 64, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 52
AA: Owatonna 45, Robbinsdale Armstrong 43 (OT)
1990
A: Lake City 52, Mankato Loyola 51
AA: Owatonna 72, Minneapolis North 26
1991
A: Chisholm 77, Westbrook-Walnut Grove 61
AA: Cretin-Derham Hall 74, Minneapolis Roosevelt 62 (OT)
1992
A: Austin Pacelli 68, DeLaSalle 62
AA: Anoka 50, Cretin-Derham Hall 47
1993
A: Maple River 33, Bethlehem Academy 29
AA: Cretin-Dertham Hall 56, Anoka 44
1994
A: St. Agnes 78, Morris Area 71
AA: Minneapolis Washburn 66, Hopkins 65
1995
Minneapolis North 54, Staples-Motley 52
1996
Minneapolis North 80, Fertile-Beltrami 47
1997
1A: Hancock 60, Wabasso 58
2A: Caledonia 69, DeLaSalle 47
3A: Simley 61, New Prague 47
4A: Minneapolis North 61, Stillwater Area 53
1998
1A: Norman County East 75, Carlton 48
2A: DeLaSalle 53, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 52
3A: St Thomas Academy 60, Minneapolis Patrick Henry 49
4A: Minnetonka 65, Eagan 57
1999
1A: Southwest Minnesota Christian 63, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 50
2A: DeLaSalle 50, Watertown-Mayer 44
3A: St. Paul Highland Park 56, Rocori 48
4A: Mounds View 69, Minnetonka 64
2000
1A: Southwest Minnesota Christian 72, Win-E-Mac 61
2A: Litchfield 42, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 28
3A: Minneapolis Patrick Henry 59, St. Thomas Academy 45
4A: Tartan 62, Maple Grove 51
2001
1A: Southwest Minnesota Christian 65, Christ’s Household of Faith 55
2A: Kenyon-Wanamingo 52, Hayfield 30
3A: Minneapolis Patrick Henry 74, St. Thomas Academy 61
4A: Osseo 73, Duluth East 48
2002
1A: Southwest Minnesota Christian 66, Ortonville 56
2A: Litchfield 62, Lewiston-Altura 51
3A: Minneapolis Patrick Henry 61, Red Wing 44
4A: Hopkins 54, Bloomington Jefferson 40
2003
1A: Mankato Loyola 65, Ellsworth 55
2A: Litchfield 51, DeLaSalle 33
3A: Minneapolis Patrick Henry 69, Sauk Rapids-Rice 55
4A: Minneapolis North 82, Osseo 73 (2 OT)
2004
1A: Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 59, Nashwauk-Keewatin 29
2A: Braham 73, Martin County West 47
3A: Mankato West 50, Red Wing 42
4A: Chaska 71, Burnsville 57
2005
1A: Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 58, Rushford-Peterson 55
2A: Braham 63, Crookston 39
3A: Shakopee 57, Richfield 47
4A: Hopkins 71, Eastview 60 (2 OT)
2006
1A: Rushford-Peterson 55, Ellsworth 52
2A: Braham 72, Breck 53
3A: DeLaSalle 65, Duluth East 47
4A: Hopkins 69, Robbinsdale Cooper 53
2007
1A: Ellsworth 74, Cass Lake-Bena 73
2A: Holy Family Catholic 60, Maple River 57 (OT)
3A: St. Thomas Academy 56, Benilde-St. Margaret’s 40
4A: Buffalo 67, Robbinsdale Armstrong 65
2008
1A: Ellsworth 81, Minnesota Transitions 63
2A: New London-Spicer 59, Crosby-Ironton 51
3A: Benilde-St. Margaret’s 58, St. Thomas Academy 52
4A: Minnetonka 68, Henry Siblery 59
2009
1A: Granada-Huntley-East Chain 62, Ellsworth 54 (OT)
2A: Pelican Rapids 80, St. Bernard’s 68
3A: Minneapolis Washburn 58, Mankato West 45
4A: Hopkins 69, Osseo 59
2010
1A: Minnesota Transitions Charter 61, Sebeka 52
2A: New London-Spicer 62, Crosby-Ironton 52
3A: St. Paul Johnson 59, Grand Rapids 55
4A: Hopkins 76, St. Cloud Tech 56
2011
1A: Springfield 70, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 58
2A: Perham 45, Rochester Lourdes 37
3A: Orono 85, Columbia Heights 76
4A: Hopkins 64, Eden Prairie 52
2012
1A: Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 54, Southwest Minnesota Christian 45
2A: Plainview-Elgin- Millville 55, Litchfield 39
3A: DeLaSalle 57, Minneapolis Washburn 56 (OT)
4A: Osseo 49, Lakeville North 47
2013
1A: Southwest Minnesota Christian 81, Maranatha Christian Academy 73
2A: Minnehaha Academy 56, Litchfield 54
3A: DeLaSalle 50, Austin 33
4A: Apple Valley 74, Park Center 57
2014
1A: Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 52, Rushford-Peterson 40
2A: Esko 60, Annandale 41
3A: DeLaSalle 60, Austin 40
4A: Lakeville North 84, Hopkins 82
2015
1A: Rushford-Peterson 51, Maranatha Christian Academy 44
2A: Melrose 63, Caledonia 51
3A: DeLaSalle 82, St. Paul Johnson 44
4A: Apple Valley 64, Champlin Park 61
2016
1A: Minneapolis North 68, Goodhue 45
2A: Braham 96, Jackson County Central 90
3A: DeLaSalle 79, Fergus Falls 65
4A: Hopkins 64, Lakeville North 55
2017
1A: Minneapolis North 96, North Woods 49
2A: Minnehaha Academy 47, Crosby-Ironton 36
3A: DeLaSalle 72, Austin 44
4A: Apple Valley 60, Champlin Park 54
2018
1A: Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 59, North Woods 55
2A: Minnehaha Academy 73, Caledonia 60
3A: Delano 65, Columbia Heights 61
4A: Cretin-Derham Hall 79, Apple Valley 78
2019
1A: Henning 67, North Woods 42
2A: Minnehaha Academy 69, Minneapolis North 52
3A: DeLaSalle 63, Waseca 56
4A: Hopkins 55, Lakeville North 40
2020
Tournament canceled
2021
1A: Hayfield 61, Hancock 60
2A: Waseca 51, Caledonia 49
3A: Minnehaha Academy 80, Alexandria 29
4A: Wayzata 75, Cretin-Derham Hall 61
2022
1A: Hayfield 51, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 49
2A: Annandale 60, Minneapolis North 49
3A: Totino-Grace 50, DeLaSalle 44
4A: Park Center 58, Wayzata 53
2023
1A: Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 59, New Life Academy 49
2A: Albany 72, Minnehaha Academy 65
3A: Totino-Grace 50, DeLaSalle 46
4A: Wayzata 75, Park Center 71 (OT)
2024
1A: Cherry 78, Fertile-Beltrami 40
2A: Breck 76, Lake City 72
3A: Totino-Grace 73, Mankato East 64
4A: Minnetonka 72, Wayzata 64