Minnesota AAU tryouts and practices today, Harrison Barnes info

Today was a big day for Twin Cities AAU basketball teams as Howard Pulley, MN Pump n Run, and Net Gain all held tryouts or there first practice of the year.

Made the rounds today to all three and these are some of the notes from each.

First was the new Minneosta version of Pump N Run at Edina Community Center. This program is run by Tom Kroschell and the coach of the 17U team is former MN Magic Coach Jerry Robertson, who I believe is Rodney Williams grandfather, Lance Berwald was working with the big guys.
The first thing you notice about this team is its size. They have 7 footer Jake Krueser(Sibley), 6'9 Mike Rostempour(Sibley), 6'8 Kevin Noreen(MN Transitions), and 6'10 Alec Brown(Winona). Brown was at a team event and Rostempour sat out with a minor injury. Duluth East high scoring guard Dyami Starks, Osseo pg Aaron Anderson, and Wisc. forward Steve Tecker have joined Pump N Run after playing with Howard Pulley last year.

A kid to definately keep an eye on is Duluth East freshman Johnny Woodard. He will play for one of the 16U or 15U teams for Pump N Run. I know UWOle was very impressed with him last year when he went to the Duluth East/Jefferson game.

Pump N Run plans to host there own tournament in July which will feature some of the top Addidas teams in the country, They also will be holding an event in April at Bloomington Jefferson.

Next was a drive over to Minnetonka for the Net Gain practice. Net Gain is run and coached by Marquise Watts and last year featured Trent Lockett and Sam Dower. They we're the opposite of Pump N Run in that they had very little size and we're very guard heavy and have alot of lights out shooters. Cole Stafan(Minnetonka) returns as does recent Iowa Decommit Chanse Creekmur. Creekmur is a player I really like and Minnesota has interest in recruiting the SF.

One suprise for me at Net Gain was DJ Peterson(Hopkins), who I thought was playing for Pulley. Peterson looked good and will finally get a chance to be a go to player and we can see just how good he can be. He will be one of the top options next year for Hopkins.

The best part of Net Gain was a chance to watch North Dakota Super Sophomore Joe Hanstad. I wrote about Hanstad a month ago and was hoping Minnesota would recruit him so it was music to my ears today when they said they would be heading on down to the Minnesota campus for a couple hours before making the 500 mile drive back to Dickinson. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu7gbGObuLc

Watts really wants his team to get up and down the court and take advantage of all the shooters they have and Hanstad looked plenty comfortable doing that. At the end of practice, all players shot 100 free throws and Joe made 94 out of 100 including 60 in a row.

There also is a chance that Iowa big man Doug McDermott, 6'9, Ames, son of Iowa State head coach Greg McDermott, will play with Net Gain in some of the larger national tournaments.

Last it was over to Hamline to catch the last hour of Howard Pulley tryouts. Nadine was there and got some good interviews.
Pulley does not have the star power they have had in the past but they will have a pretty well balanced team and probably the most interesting for Gopher fans.

Jacob Thomas(Columbia Heights) will be the main scorer, and Marvin Singleton(Hopkins) will be a load at the 3. In the paint they will have the nations top football recruit Seantrell Henderson(CDH), who looked really good in the one game I watched him play and 6'9 PF Chad Calcaterra(Cloquet). Other players include Jordan Hughes(Mpls Henry), Peter Crawford(Benilde), Moses Sundufu(Hopkins).

Marcus Alipate(Jefferson) will start the season on the 17U B team as will Joe Coleman(Hopkins) and Andrew Hansen(Appley Valley 6'8 SO.).

Hopkins SENIOR PG Marcus Williams will play in some early events in an effort to impress college coaches and get a scholarship since he is now qualified.

The Big Suprise was that Harrison Barnes is going to play with Pulley this summer in 5-6 major tournaments that his regular All Iowa Attack team doesn't play in.

I would also like the thank the Hamline Security Guy who gave me and many others a $25 parking ticket.

JohnnyGopher said:

Today was a big day for Twin Cities AAU basketball teams as Howard Pulley, MN Pump n Run, and Net Gain all held tryouts or there first practice of the year.

Made the rounds today to all three and these are some of the notes from each.

First was the new Minneosta version of Pump N Run at Edina Community Center. This program is run by Tom Kroschell and the coach of the 17U team is former MN Magic Coach Jerry Robertson, who I believe is Rodney Williams grandfather, Lance Berwald was working with the big guys.
The first thing you notice about this team is its size. They have 7 footer Jake Krueser(Sibley), 6'9 Mike Rostempour(Sibley), 6'8 Kevin Noreen(MN Transitions), and 6'10 Alec Brown(Winona). Brown was at a team event and Rostempour sat out with a minor injury. Duluth East high scoring guard Dyami Starks, Osseo pg Aaron Anderson, and Wisc. forward Steve Tecker have joined Pump N Run after playing with Howard Pulley last year.

A kid to definately keep an eye on is Duluth East freshman Johnny Woodard. He will play for one of the 16U or 15U teams for Pump N Run. I know UWOle was very impressed with him last year when he went to the Duluth East/Jefferson game.

Pump N Run plans to host there own tournament in July which will feature some of the top Addidas teams in the country, They also will be holding an event in April at Bloomington Jefferson.

Next was a drive over to Minnetonka for the Net Gain practice. Net Gain is run and coached by Marquise Watts and last year featured Trent Lockett and Sam Dower. They we're the opposite of Pump N Run in that they had very little size and we're very guard heavy and have alot of lights out shooters. Cole Stafan(Minnetonka) returns as does recent Iowa Decommit Chanse Creekmur. Creekmur is a player I really like and Minnesota has interest in recruiting the SF.

One suprise for me at Net Gain was DJ Peterson(Hopkins), who I thought was playing for Pulley. Peterson looked good and will finally get a chance to be a go to player and we can see just how good he can be. He will be one of the top options next year for Hopkins.

The best part of Net Gain was a chance to watch North Dakota Super Sophomore Joe Hanstad. I wrote about Hanstad a month ago and was hoping Minnesota would recruit him so it was music to my ears today when they said they would be heading on down to the Minnesota campus for a couple hours before making the 500 mile drive back to Dickinson. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu7gbGObuLc

Watts really wants his team to get up and down the court and take advantage of all the shooters they have and Hanstad looked plenty comfortable doing that. At the end of practice, all players shot 100 free throws and Joe made 94 out of 100 including 60 in a row.

There also is a chance that Iowa big man Doug McDermott, 6'9, Ames, son of Iowa State head coach Greg McDermott, will play with Net Gain in some of the larger national tournaments.

Last it was over to Hamline to catch the last hour of Howard Pulley tryouts. Nadine was there and got some good interviews from Seantrell Henderson, Chad Calcaterra, and Jacob Thomas, and a few others so that is something to look forward to later this week.

Pulley does not have the star power they have had in the past but they will have a pretty well balanced team and probably the most interesting for Gopher fans.

Jacob Thomas(Columbia Heights) will be the main scorer, and Marvin Singleton(Hopkins) will be a load at the 3. In the paint they will have the nations top football recruit Seantrell Henderson(CDH), who looked really good in the one game I watched him play and 6'9 PF Chad Calcaterra(Cloquet). Other players include Jordan Hughes(Mpls Henry), Peter Crawford(Benilde), Moses Sundufu(Hopkins).

Marcus Alipate(Jefferson) will start the season on the 17U B team as will Joe Coleman(Hopkins) and Andrew Hansen(Appley Valley 6'8 SO.).

Hopkins SENIOR PG Marcus Williams will play in some early events in an effort to impress college coaches and get a scholarship since he is now qualified.

The Big Suprise was that Harrison Barnes is going to play with Pulley this summer in 5-6 major tournaments that his regular All Iowa Attack team doesn't play in.

I would also like the thank the Hamline Security Guy who gave me and many others a $25 parking ticket.

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This is kind of a big deal methinks. Playing with a group of Minnesota players, including one in Jacob Thomas who has all but said he wants to be a Gopher, is interesting. How will this affect our recruitment of him? Hard to say. But its clear that he is establishing at least some ties to the local basketball scene.

Who are the true Big Ten prospects in the AAU circuit? Will Jacob Thomas have to go the JAS route and earn his scholarship by walking-on if he's intent on be a Gopher?

Jordan Hughes is gonna transfer to St.Bernerds.

Thanks for the info Johnny, much appreciated as always

I have to say that for a sophomore, Hanstad plays a remarkably mature game. He's not especially quick, but has a good handle and plays pretty smart on the offensive end.

Not sure about him athletically yet and that's my one complaint about him based on the film I saw. Has a nice stroke from behind the line and looks like more than a capable passer though. It will interesting to see how he progresses from here.

Collegeville

I would also like the thank the Hamline Security Guy who gave me and many others a $25 parking ticket.

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Hamline has to pay the bills somehow. It's a tough economy on the schools too.

Right now I don't know if there is a sure thing Big Ten kid in MN AAU. There are alot of guys who have potential and that colleges will be watching.

Chad Calcaterra, Marvin Singleton, Jacob Thomas, Marcus Alipate for Pulley

DJ Peterson, Cole Stefan, Joe Nanstad, Chanse Creekmur for Net Gain

Jake Kruiser, Kevin Noreen, Alec Brown and Johnnhy Woodard for Pump n Run

Chris Carr has a group that will play 16U that has some potential. Orono's Jordan Smith, Armstrong's Marquel Curtis, Appley Valley's Thomas Shalk, Brooklyn Center PG Freddie Young( I really like this kid), Chaska's Jake White.

Marshall Bjorklund is undecided if he will play AAU

Ellsworth big man Trevor Gruis will play with the South Dakota Schoolers.

Jordair Jett will play with the Grassroots.

JohnnyGopher said:

The best part of Net Gain was a chance to watch North Dakota Super Sophomore Joe Hanstad. I wrote about Hanstad a month ago and was hoping Minnesota would recruit him so it was music to my ears today when they said they would be heading on down to the Minnesota campus for a couple hours before making the 500 mile drive back to Dickinson. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu7gbGObuLc

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Johnny, does Hanstad have any major offers yet, or is NDSU the only one? What high majors are showing interest at this point? My apologies, I must have missed the earlier post.

JohnnyGopher said:

Right now I don't know if there is a sure thing Big Ten kid in MN AAU. There are alot of guys who have potential and that colleges will be watching.

Chad Calcaterra, Marvin Singleton, Jacob Thomas, Marcus Alipate for Pulley

DJ Peterson, Cole Stefan, Joe Nanstad, Chanse Creekmur for Net Gain

Jake Kruiser, Kevin Noreen, Alec Brown and Johnnhy Woodard for Pump n Run

Chris Carr has a group that will play 16U that has some potential. Orono's Jordan Smith, Armstrong's Marquel Curtis, Appley Valley's Thomas Shalk, Brooklyn Center PG Freddie Young( I really like this kid), Chaska's Jake White.

Marshall Bjorklund is undecided if he will play AAU

Ellsworth big man Trevor Gruis will play with the South Dakota Schoolers.

Jordair Jett will play with the Grassroots.

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Whatever happened to the kid from Duluth East?

Friend Of Tubby said:

Whatever happened to the kid from Duluth East?

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Starks appears to have leveled off. He may have been one of those kids who matured early and was able to excel early in his HS career because of it. He did next to nothing in the Duluth East game I saw vs. Bloomington Jefferson.

To echo everyone else, thanks for the insights Johnny, that's good stuff. Still seems we're a long shot for Barnes, but the more time spent in Minnesota and with MN kids, the better.

That's why I can't.........

understand why OTS might want to leave. I mean we have the best player in Iowa, plus major prospect Creekmur, Tecker is top 3-4 in Wisconsin, Hanstad the best prospect in North Dakota...plus all the Minnesota bigs.....we can field a pretty solid National contender if we just get some stablility at the head job.

How does Joe Coleman compare to his brother?

UWOle said:

Starks appears to have leveled off. He may have been one of those kids who matured early and was able to excel early in his HS career because of it. He did next to nothing in the Duluth East game I saw vs. Bloomington Jefferson.

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I was at that game as well. If I didn't know who Starks was you'd never pick him out as a good player. At least not from that game. The Woodard kid was very good that day albeit in a complete blowout by Jefferson.

Ole, Hanstad only offer is still NDSU but sounds like they feel Gonzaga and Washington State are very close to offering and with Watts spreading the word and once he plays some national tournaments, look for his offer list to grow quite a bit.

Starks just never grew and his skills haven't improved that much since he was lighting it up as a freshman and others have caught up. I think he is still a D1 kid, just at the lower level.

Joe Coleman is smaller than Dan but he has a completely different attitude about how he plays the game. Joe takes it hard to the basket and had some pretty strong finishes. He's kind of in that in between stage right now as is Singleton, where they can become mid-high major players if they grow a few inches. If Coleman doesn't grow, I think he will end up being a D2 or low D1 kid, but if he gets closer to Dan's height, then there is definately something to work with.

I believe the term Mike Max used tonight on the Sports Show describing the sophomore class in Minnesota is "off the hook". He specifically noted Alipate and Reusse added that his size won't be an issue based on his genetics. I guess we clump Singelton in there but I don't know who else into what he is really impress with.

Reusse inferred that Rodney Williams isn't in the clear with getting admitted yet.

That's because he is not in the clear yet.

thanks for the post Johnny - i like the info

I was at Hamline last year.. transferred out this past semester, but trust me.. the parking ticket doesn't need to be paid. It's all through the school, and it really only matters if you're trying to get a parking permit for a semester. So save the $25, screw Hamline.