JohnnyGopher
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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.
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.