Q&A: Apple Valley Big Man Brock Bertram Continues to Grow, As Does His Recruitment

Q&A: Apple Valley Big Man Brock Bertram Continues to Grow, As Does His Recruitment

Q&A: Apple Valley Big Man Brock Bertram Continues to Grow, As Does His Recruitment
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/439580?referrer_id=

Brock Bertram, a 6-foot-11, junior center from Apple Valley (MN) High, is one of the top players in the state in the Class of 2016. Bertram averaged 11.5 points per game as a second year starter for the 27-2 Eagles, who lost to Cretin-Derham Hall for the Section 3AAAA title game 89-77 in overtime.

Bertram attended a recent Gopher football game and has started to receive increased attention from the home state school.

We caught up with Bertram who talked to Gopher Hole about his recruitment.

Gopher Hole: What is the latest on your recruitment right now? Where do things stand?

Brock Bertram: I went to visit Iowa a couple of weeks ago. Providence is new. Xavier, Purdue and Colorado.

Gopher Hole: What was the Iowa visit like?

Brock Bertram: It was really fun. I think that it was about three weeks ago. We got to meet everyone and get a good relationship with everyone. Checked out the facilities. Got to check out the campus and met all the players and the coaches and the coaching staff. Starting to get a really good relationship and went to the football game. Overall, a really good visit.

Gopher Hole: I know that you are starting to do some open gyms. Have you had some coaches come up for those?

Brock Bertram: I had Iowa come. Texas Tech is coming tomorrow. Tulsa, I think, is coming. Minnesota has been there. Providence, UNI and Drake.

Gopher Hole: It looks like you have really worked on your body. I know that was one thing that you really wanted to work on getting in even better shape. What things have you been doing?

Brock Bertram: I have been in the weight room with Coach Jadee (Jones) a lot. I have been running track. We've all been running track after weight room, which is really benefitting us. I am trying to eat right. Eat the right stuff and try to be active and get rest.

Gopher Hole: What are you up to weight-wise?

Brock Bertram: 240.

Gopher Hole: How about height?

Brock Bertram: 6-11.

Gopher Hole: Do you think that you will continue to grow?

Brock Bertram: I think that I am still going to grow a little bit and get a little bigger.

Gopher Hole: You lost some key seniors like Tyus Jones, Robert Tobroxen and Dennis Austin. What are the expectations for the upcoming season?

Brock Bertram: Same expectations as last year. We lost a couple of players, but we have a lot of player coming up. We are still good. We have a good chemistry and we can finish at the top.

Gopher Hole: You are going to have a bigger role this season. Is that something you are looking forward to?

Brock Bertram: For sure. I am looking forward to that. I have been really trying to pick it up. Be a leader and try to lead by example.

Gopher Hole: Do you still have the one offer, Texas Tech?

Brock Bertram: Still, Texas Tech.

Gopher Hole: What other schools are you hearing from?

Brock Bertram: Iowa, for sure. Tulsa, Texas Tech, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin. Florida State, a lot.

Gopher Hole: I know that it is still early being only a junior, but when you are looking at schools, do you look at their roster to see what big men they have?

Brock Bertram: Looking to see who is there and how big their "bigs" are. How many "bigs" they have to know if I have to know if I have a position to play on that team.

Gopher Hole: When you finally do decide on a school what is going to be the main factors that are going to make you pick School A over School B or C?

Brock Bertram: Just the right fit. Just being there and having to know that I am with a family. Having a good coaching staff and relationships with my teammates is really going to be the key thing for me.

Gopher Hole: How about proximity to home? Is that going to be a factor?

Brock Bertram: Not really. It doesn't matter where I go. I just want to be there with the right fit and wherever it is. I'll be happy.

Just not good enough to be a big 10 scholarship player. I think Texas Tech is going to be as major of an offer as he gets, but who knows...maybe I will eat my words. When I watched him last year I thought he was a D2 scholarship player and surprised to hear he even had a D1 scholly offer, let along a high major like TT. Not trying to bash the kid just think he is not good enough nor athletic enough to compete at the highest level.

Al lot of kids near 7' 0" will get D1 interest. If these guys were 6' 8" they wouldn't crack a D1 roster.

PTalberg said:

Al lot of kids near 7' 0" will get D1 interest. If these guys were 6' 8" they wouldn't crack a D1 roster.

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So you're saying that size matters?

Underrated player. 12 & 8.

Gopher Warrior said:

Underrated player. 12 & 8.

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I'd argue the opposite actually. He doesn't use his size nearly well enough, and there's really no athleticism present.

Gopher Warrior said:

Underrated player. 12 & 8.

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Brock is legit 6'8 but does not use his size advantage at all. If he did not play with Tyus last year and played for a different school, he would be a NSIC recruit. He is actually quite the opposite of underrated imo.

BuckyGopher said:

Brock is legit 6'8 but does not use his size advantage at all. If he did not play with Tyus last year and played for a different school, he would be a NSIC recruit. He is actually quite the opposite of underrated imo.

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It's hard to take your assessment seriously if you think Brock is 6'8"...I'll just leave it at that.

Richard said:

It's hard to take your assessment seriously if you think Brock is 6'8"...I'll just leave it at that.

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Looks about 6'10" to me (maybe he's grown since I've seen him). Definitely taller than 6'8"

Richard said:

It's hard to take your assessment seriously if you think Brock is 6'8"...I'll just leave it at that.

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6'9 with shoes tops. Rosters will ALWAYS list taller at least inch or even two to three inches. Hell in college, my sophomore year I was listed at 6'2 and I was 6'0 with shoes on. Brock is not athletic nor does he have a great skill set. I will say that he is a big kid, physically but I still feel that he does not use it to his advantage.

BuckyGopher said:

6'9 with shoes tops.

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He is certainly not 6'-11", hasn't grown much, if at all the last couple years.

BuckyGopher said:

Just not good enough to be a big 10 scholarship player. I think Texas Tech is going to be as major of an offer as he gets, but who knows...maybe I will eat my words. When I watched him last year I thought he was a D2 scholarship player and surprised to hear he even had a D1 scholly offer, let along a high major like TT. Not trying to bash the kid just think he is not good enough nor athletic enough to compete at the highest level.

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About the same skill set that Reid Travis had after his sophomore year, the kid is 6'9" - 6'10" entering his junior season, I thought his athleticism improved dramatically the last year, with any kind of improvement he is going to be a Div I prospect

jovs said:

About the same skill set that Reid Travis had after his sophomore year

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Is athleticism/coordination a skill set?

Reid Travis was a lot more skilled at that time than Bertram. Reid could break down players off the dribble and could even knock down threes, even though he didn't shoot them often. Very different players.