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Q&A: Maple Grove Junior Reed Nikko Talks Recent Visit to Minnesota, Updates Recruitment
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/446236?referrer_id=
Reed Nikko, a junior center from Maple Grove (MN) High, is considered one of the state's top players from the Class of 2016. Nikko, who has four scholarship offers, recently visited Minnesota.
Nikko helped lead Maple Grove to a 19-9 mark last season, losing 55-43 to Osseo in the second round of the Section 5AAAA playoffs.
Nikko averaged 9.8 points per game last season with a season-best 23 points against Robbinsdale Cooper in the first round of the playoffs. He scored in double figures in 12 of 28 games.
Gopher Hole caught up with Nikko to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on your recruitment right now? I think that you are up to four offers.
Reed Nikko: Yes. Right now, I have been talking to a few schools, mainly South Dakota, Drake, Nebraska, Minnesota. All the schools that have offered me have been after me.
Gopher Hole: I think you have offers from South Dakota, South Dakota State, North Dakota and Fairfield. Is that right?
Reed Nikko: Yes.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to go to any college football games or visit any college campuses this fall?
Reed Nikko: I visited this fall, so far, Minnesota and South Dakota.
Gopher Hole: Any plans to make any other visits in the next few weeks?
Reed Nikko: The coach at Nebraska said they are going to try to get me up there sometime this fall. So, hopefully, I'll get the opportunity to do that.
Gopher Hole: Have you had many college coaches come up to your open gyms yet?
Reed Nikko: We have had a pretty fair amount. American has been there a lot. Minnesota has been to quite a few. Nebraska has there quite a few times and so has Drake.
Gopher Hole: To be honest, you look like you have gotten a little bigger since the last time I saw you. What are you up to height and weight-wise?
Reed Nikko: I think that I am pushing 6-10 and I am up to 230, 235 almost. I have been weight lifting during the offseason and putting on the weight.
Gopher Hole: Do you feel that getting stronger has helped your game?
Reed Nikko: Yes. I feel that I can muscle guys around a little more in the post. It is not as hard to cut through contact anymore. I feel that it has made a big difference.
Gopher Hole: You had a good season last year in a tough section. Champlain Park has most of their top players back, but Osseo graduated three Division I players. What are the expectations for you guys this year?
Reed Nikko: It is going to be a tough section, regardless. They are still going to be some good teams, but I think that we are really focused on making state this year. That has been our goal from Day One. That is what we said at the end of the year last year. I think that is what our goal is going forward.
Gopher Hole: I know that you have a tough conference schedule, but it looks like you have some good non-conference games that are hopefully going to get you ready for that. Is that something you like playing good teams?
Reed Nikko: Yes, we are really excited. We get to play, I believe, Hopkins, Eden Prairie and Apple Valley. I think that there are a few more big ones that we get to play this year. We are excited about those.
Gopher Hole: Do you like the recruiting process?
Reed Nikko: Yes. I have been enjoying it. It is one of those things that I am trying to enjoy now because this isn't something that you get to go through more than once and not everyone gets to do it, so I have been just trying to enjoy the perks
Gopher Hole: What is your favorite part about it?
Reed Nikko: I don't know. It is just kind of nice being out at a restaurant and people will ask you what your plans are for college. It is kind of nice to be known a little bit.
Gopher Hole: What is your least favorite part?
Reed Nikko: Probably sometimes coaches call a little bit later than they should and missed calls at inopportune times. It is hard to complain about.
Gopher Hole: You visited Minnesota back in September, right?
Reed Nikko: Yes. I visited a football game and went to a morning practice, so they have been recruiting me fairly hard. I really like the campus. It is where my mom went to school, so it is a really nice place.
Gopher Hole: What are you hearing from them? What are they saying to you?
Reed Nikko: There are just saying that they want me to continue to develop a few more things. Hopefully, there will be an offer maybe at some time that I could get, but I think that I still have a little more work to do.
Gopher Hole: What things are you continuing to work on to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Reed Nikko: Extending my range on my jump shot has been a big thing that I have been working on this offseason. I really tried to put on some weight, which I have. I think that the next step is probably, getting a little better ball handling. Just remembering to be a leader and be vocal on the court.
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/446236?referrer_id=
Reed Nikko, a junior center from Maple Grove (MN) High, is considered one of the state's top players from the Class of 2016. Nikko, who has four scholarship offers, recently visited Minnesota.
Nikko helped lead Maple Grove to a 19-9 mark last season, losing 55-43 to Osseo in the second round of the Section 5AAAA playoffs.
Nikko averaged 9.8 points per game last season with a season-best 23 points against Robbinsdale Cooper in the first round of the playoffs. He scored in double figures in 12 of 28 games.
Gopher Hole caught up with Nikko to learn the latest on his recruitment.
Gopher Hole: What is the latest on your recruitment right now? I think that you are up to four offers.
Reed Nikko: Yes. Right now, I have been talking to a few schools, mainly South Dakota, Drake, Nebraska, Minnesota. All the schools that have offered me have been after me.
Gopher Hole: I think you have offers from South Dakota, South Dakota State, North Dakota and Fairfield. Is that right?
Reed Nikko: Yes.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to go to any college football games or visit any college campuses this fall?
Reed Nikko: I visited this fall, so far, Minnesota and South Dakota.
Gopher Hole: Any plans to make any other visits in the next few weeks?
Reed Nikko: The coach at Nebraska said they are going to try to get me up there sometime this fall. So, hopefully, I'll get the opportunity to do that.
Gopher Hole: Have you had many college coaches come up to your open gyms yet?
Reed Nikko: We have had a pretty fair amount. American has been there a lot. Minnesota has been to quite a few. Nebraska has there quite a few times and so has Drake.
Gopher Hole: To be honest, you look like you have gotten a little bigger since the last time I saw you. What are you up to height and weight-wise?
Reed Nikko: I think that I am pushing 6-10 and I am up to 230, 235 almost. I have been weight lifting during the offseason and putting on the weight.
Gopher Hole: Do you feel that getting stronger has helped your game?
Reed Nikko: Yes. I feel that I can muscle guys around a little more in the post. It is not as hard to cut through contact anymore. I feel that it has made a big difference.
Gopher Hole: You had a good season last year in a tough section. Champlain Park has most of their top players back, but Osseo graduated three Division I players. What are the expectations for you guys this year?
Reed Nikko: It is going to be a tough section, regardless. They are still going to be some good teams, but I think that we are really focused on making state this year. That has been our goal from Day One. That is what we said at the end of the year last year. I think that is what our goal is going forward.
Gopher Hole: I know that you have a tough conference schedule, but it looks like you have some good non-conference games that are hopefully going to get you ready for that. Is that something you like playing good teams?
Reed Nikko: Yes, we are really excited. We get to play, I believe, Hopkins, Eden Prairie and Apple Valley. I think that there are a few more big ones that we get to play this year. We are excited about those.
Gopher Hole: Do you like the recruiting process?
Reed Nikko: Yes. I have been enjoying it. It is one of those things that I am trying to enjoy now because this isn't something that you get to go through more than once and not everyone gets to do it, so I have been just trying to enjoy the perks
Gopher Hole: What is your favorite part about it?
Reed Nikko: I don't know. It is just kind of nice being out at a restaurant and people will ask you what your plans are for college. It is kind of nice to be known a little bit.
Gopher Hole: What is your least favorite part?
Reed Nikko: Probably sometimes coaches call a little bit later than they should and missed calls at inopportune times. It is hard to complain about.
Gopher Hole: You visited Minnesota back in September, right?
Reed Nikko: Yes. I visited a football game and went to a morning practice, so they have been recruiting me fairly hard. I really like the campus. It is where my mom went to school, so it is a really nice place.
Gopher Hole: What are you hearing from them? What are they saying to you?
Reed Nikko: There are just saying that they want me to continue to develop a few more things. Hopefully, there will be an offer maybe at some time that I could get, but I think that I still have a little more work to do.
Gopher Hole: What things are you continuing to work on to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Reed Nikko: Extending my range on my jump shot has been a big thing that I have been working on this offseason. I really tried to put on some weight, which I have. I think that the next step is probably, getting a little better ball handling. Just remembering to be a leader and be vocal on the court.
