Girls No. 1 picks: Hopkins, DLS, Sauk Centre, Goodhue

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1 WEEKLY ROUNDUP *Lindsay Whalen starred at Hutchinson but fame came later *We pick top 50 players in each class for girls *Transformed Timberwolves Volume 24 Issue No. 1 November Girls No. 1 picks: Hopkins, DLS, Sauk Centre, Goodhue When we last saw the Hopkins girls basketball team, the Royals were battling Elk River in a rare clash of undefeated teams for the state Class 4A championship. Elk River s senior-dominated lineup won that fierce duel 64-60, but Hopkins was loaded with underclassmen talent and looks like a good bet to capture its seventh state title since 2004 next March. Sophomore star Paige Bueckers is one of many weapons for Hopkins. The Minnesota Basketball News pre-season No. 1 teams in the four classes are Hopkins, DeLaSalle, Sauk Centre, and Goodhue. Sauk Centre is a three-time runner-up, including last year, looking to capture that first championship. Goodhue will be looking for its third consecutive title. DeLaSalle hopes to recapture the glory of their three-peat of The MBBN girls rankings are formulated by Kevin Anderson, whose assessments of his picks for No. 1 are presented here. The complete rankings appear on Page 15. The first boys rankings, formulated by Bruce Strand, will appear next week. Goodhue, celebrating their 2017 title, is the only defending champion ranked No. 1. Class 4A Traditional powerhouse Hopkins finds themselves in familiar territory as the program to beat in AAAA. The Royals return four starters from last year s secondplace finisher. Paige Bueckers made the USA 16U National team and traveled to Argentina for international action this past summer. Senior veterans Angie Hammond and Raena Suggs along with junior Dlayla Chakolis are bound and determined to finish the season with gold around their necks. Joining the Royals for her senior season is Kira Mosley. Continued on Page 2

2 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 2 MBBN preseason picks include one defending champ Continued from Page 1 By Bruce Strand Kelsey Peschel of Sauk Centre, a senior this year, drives against Watertown- Mayer at the state tournament last March. Class 3A DeLaSalle made it to state last year in an upset from Section 4. The Islanders ended up in fifth place at state. This year they enter the season as the team to beat. The Islanders did not have a senior on the 2017 roster. Senior guard Ayanna Gardner runs the high-powered offense. DLS has size inside with junior Mary Claire Francois, freshman sister Nora Francois along with senior Olivia Travis. Class 2A Sauk Centre was runner up to undefeated state champ Roseau last season. This year the Mainstreeters are looking to take the final step to the pinnacle. The Streeters guards drive the engine. Maesyn Thiesen is in her fourth year of running the show. Sisters Kelsey Peschel (senior) and Tori Peschel (sophomore) bring valuable years of experience. Class 1A Goodhue has won the last two Class A championships and senior Sydney Lodermeier would like nothing better than to make it back to the top of the podium in March. She will be assisted by her 6-3 sister, junior Lexie Lodermeier, and senior Emily Benrud. The Wildcats subsection will almost be a mini-state tournament with powerhouses Lyle-Pacelli and Hayfield looking to step in if Goodhue stumbles. Dad new head coach for Caledonia & talented King sibs more time with your kids, it s a blessing, King said. Brad King, the father of current two Caledonia stars and a budding third star, has become their head coach. King was named in June to succeed Josh Diersen, whom he assisted for five years. Brad King It s pretty exciting, King told the LaCrosse Tribune. I ve been very fortunate to work with this group of seniors in different sports and I m excited for the opportunity to continue to do that. King s sons Owen and Noah each scored about 20 points per game last year as a junior and freshman, respectively, and son Eli saw significant action off the bench as a seventh grader. Owen has signed with South Dakota State for basketball. Anytime you get to spend Diersen, point guard on Caledonia s 1997 state Class 2A champion team, coached the Warriors for 12 years with a record and state trips in 2013, 2014 (runner-up) and 2015 (third place). Diersen, who helps his parents and brother run a dairy farm, and has two young children, told the Rochester Post-Bulletin it was his choice to step down: This was my decision. There s a time to be with family. They re only young once. Diersen said he s very happy for King getting the job. He s a great guy. King owns and operates a construction company and a cabinetry shop. His sons and other players have worked for him in the summers, the LaCrosse Tribune noted. The Warriors were ranked No. 2 last year but got upset in the section finals by Lake City

3 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 3 Whalen, great Gopher and pro, was under the radar at Hutch By Bruce Strand Lindsay Whalen is a the greatest female player Minnesota ever produced, but her legend didn t start taking hold until after high school. they don t stand out in particular above a litany of other past stars in the state. She scored 1,996 points, hit double figures 82 straight games, posted 21 triple-doubles, and averaged 20.1 points through her career, with a high game of 35. The captivating point guard had a stellar prep career at Hutchinson but never reached a state tournament, nor was she a first-team all-state pick or a Miss Basketball finalist. She missed half her senior year with an ankle injury. Hutch folks knew she was a special talent, said Chad Urdahl, who covered the Tigers then for the Hutchinson Leader, but I don t think anyone could have predicted the career she s had. If these were deep disappointments for the teenage Whalen, she has certainly earned some consolation in the 17 years since. This summer, she captured her fourth WNBA championship with the Lynx. Her resume includes leading the Gophers to their only Final Four while transforming U of M women s hoops into a hot ticket; making first-team All-America; playing in the Olympics and collecting a gold medal; and winning more games than any player in WNBA history. It s fortunate that the Gophers saw something in Whalen that was overlooked by the committees doling out high school honors at the time. (So did Iowa, but Whalen turned down the Hawkeyes when she heard that they had Bears games on TV rather than the Vikings.) Lindsay Whalen is shown here in a Hutchinson Leader photo, recovering a tipped ball in a section tournament. With the Tigers, her coach was Andy Rostberg, better known for football (all-state quarterback on a state champ team for Hutch and now their football coach). Her most talented teammate was Kelly Brinkman, a year older, who went on to Iowa State as a distance runner. Time and time again, he (Rostberg) would just roll his eyes in disbelief over her athleticism, recalls Urdahl, who now does public information for the state House of Representatives. She and Brinkman just broke teams, and would put up 10 points in the blink of an eye. Just like she did later at the U of M, Whalen was great box office for the Tigers. When we played boy/girl double headers, Rostberg said, we had to play the girls games later and set out chairs because of the crowds we would get. The Tigers problem was that they had no height and were vulnerable to tall teams like Worthington, who ended her last two seasons. Whalen was a freshman sensation on a so-so team that lost in the section quarterfinals to Waseca But she got within one game of state as a soph and junior. Whalen s high school stats are impressive, although Continued on Page 4

4 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 4 Whalen: no state trips, but 4 WNBA titles Continued from Page 3 The Tigers were 22-2 her sophomore year with a 22-game streak that ended in the Section 2AA finals against No. 2 ranked Mankato East Whalen had 26 points and Brinkman 15, but Mankato East shot 22-for-36, led by Kristen Kachelmyer (27 points) and Jennifer Mitchell (26). The Tigers got closer her junior year, losing to top-seeded Worthington in the section finals. Twenty-five of those points came from Whalen. The Tigers took an 11-0 lead, but could not hold on, shooting just 28 percent. Her senior season was anti-climatic. She had a high ankle sprain, said Rostberg, and missed 14 games. With the graduation of Brinkman and others, the Tigers went and fell in the section semifinals to Worthington Whalen got just 14 points in her prep finale and missed 2,000 by four points. Becky Schultz led Worthington with 19 points, and can tell her grandkids that she outscored one of Minnesota s greatest sports heroes in her last prep game. Thus ended, with hardly a ripple, Phase One of Whalen s basketball odyssey. Lindsay has a very laid-back demeanor, and I don t ever recall her being emotional. Just frank, said Urdahl. Maybe it s because she knew other opportunities would be there. With Whalen passed over by the Miss Basketball committee, the award that year went to a player who had a brief (three games) tenure with the Lynx in 2005, when Whalen was starting her illustrious pro career at Connecticut. That was Susan King, who poured in 34 points per game for Holy Angels Academy and rang up 3,037 in her career. King went on to play point guard for Stanford, averaging 7.7 points in 86 games. Lindsay Whalen is shown here in a Hutchinson Leader photo during her senior year when she missed 14 games. Also picked ahead of Whalen as Miss BB finalists were Hana Peltjo of Osseo, who became a two-time Ivy League player of the year at Harvard (23.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game as a senior) and went on to three seasons of pro ball in Europe; Jenny Brenden, who scored 2,279 points for Sauk Rapids- Rice, then played for Penn State, where she was a 3-point threat off the bench; Randi Wirt, who tallied 1,793 points and 1,578 rebounds for New Prague, and went on to Colorado, not starting until her senior year, then becoming an assistant coach there; and Kate Townley, leader of Cretin-Derham Hall s state champs, who went on to Binghamton. N.Y., a small D-I team, and currently serves the Minnesota Twins as manager of minor league administration. As a big-name player who never got to state, Whalen is hardly alone. Some others are: King at Holy Angels; Norm Grow, whose 2,852 career points and 71-point game for Foley were state records for 31 years and 47 years, respectively; Megan Taylor, whose 3,300 points for Roseau was the state record at the time and starred at Iowa State; Sam Jacobson, whose 2,461 points for Park of Cottage Grove was the metro area record at the time; and Tracy Henderson, a dominant athlete at Minneapolis Henry who was recruited by every major college and wound up with Georgia. Another hoops legend who did reach state (although such a late bloomer that he wasn t even a 1,000-pointer) was Kevin McHale, who led Hibbing to a runner-up finish behind Bloomington Jefferson in 1976, on his way to the Gophers and a Hall of Fame career with the Boston Celtics. That is the short list, McHale and Whalen, of Minnesotans who became great pro players at the highest level.

5 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page pacesetter MINNESOTA Youth Basketball State Championship REGION PLAYOFFS Region Champions invited to the MN State Championship. Teams with one loss invited to the MIT. Top two teams at STATE advance to Target Center in Minneapolis. Detroit Lakes 5th Grade Girls 2017 Great Four-State Champs Lake City 7th Grade Girls 2017 Great Four-State Champs Minnesota won 5 of the 12 GREAT STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES! ML/WR 5th Grade Boys 2017 Great Four-State Champs Wisconsin joining in 2018! MN - IA - ND - SD - WI ROAD TO TARGET CENTER! 5 - state championship Wisconsin is joining in 2018! New London-Spicer 8th Grade Girls 2017 Great Four-State Champs Sauk Centre 9th Grade Girls 2017 Great Four-State Champs All grades refer to the school year. Hometown Team guideline: All players on a team must either be enrolled in the same school system or live or attend school in the same city, the same school district or the same tribal community. Smaller schools may combine to form one team if the combined enrollment of their high schools for grades 9-12 is 400 or fewer. Schools that combine should be from neighboring schools. Questions?? Call Pacesetter at or info@pacesetternet.com Website: Follow our Facebook page: Pacesetter Basketball Region Playoff Schedule ALL GRADES REFER TO THE SCHOOL YEAR 4B = 4th grade boys Teams may register for more than one region. 4G = 4th grade girls See back for details Region 1 Site Date 4G, 6G, 8G, 5B, 7B, 9B RCTC (Rochester) March 24 5G, 7G, 9G, 4B, 6B, 8B RCTC (Rochester) March 25 Region 2 Site Date 5G, 7G, 9G, 4B, 6B, 8B MN State - Mankato April 21 4G, 6G, 8G, 5B, 7B, 9B MN State - Mankato April 22 Region 3 Site Date 5G, 7G, 9G, 4B, 6B, 8B Redwood Falls March 24 4G, 6G, 8G, 5B, 7B, 9B Redwood Falls March 25 Region 4 Site Date 6G, 8G, 5B *(UPDATED) Willow River April 7 5G, 7G, 4B *(UPDATED) Willow River April 8 4G, 7B, 9B Moose Lake April 7 9G, 6B, 8B Moose Lake April 8 Region 5 Site Date 4B, 6B, 8B Paynesville April 7 5B, 9B, 8G Paynesville April 8 5G, 7G, 9G Paynesville April 14 4G, 6G, 7B Paynesville April 15 Region 6 Site Date 5G, 7G, 9G, 4B, 6B, 8B Moorhead April 14 4G, 6G, 8G, 5B, 7B, 9B Moorhead April 15 Region 7 Site Date 6G Hibbing April 14 6B, 9B, 9G Hibbing April 15 4G, 8G, 5B, 7B Grand Rapids April 14 5G, 7G, 4B, 8B Grand Rapids April 15 Region 8 Site Date 4G, 6G, 8G, 5B, 7B, 9B Bemidji April 21 5G, 7G, 9G, 4B, 6B, 8B Bemidji April 22 Minnesota State Championships Maple Grove MS 4G, 6G, 5B, 8B MIT - MN Invitational June 9 4G, 6G, 5B, 8B State Championship June 10 5G, 8G, 4B, 6B MIT - MN Invitational June 16 5G, 8G, 4B, 6B State Championship June 17 7G, 9G, 7B, 9B MIT - MN Invitational June 23 7G, 9G, 7B, 9B State Championship June 24 Team Entry Form - Minnesota Region Playoffs 3-4 game guarantee All players are from one school district. School district (Check one) Combined team. School districts (See back for details) Site: Grade Circle: Boys or Girls Team Rating: Strong Good Fair Weak (Circle one ) Team Contact Team Color/Name: (needed if two teams from same school register) Cell # Alt # Mailing address (Street) (City) (State) (Zip) address ( address required - Confirmation will be sent via - Please write legibly) Alternate Contact Cell # Send check and this form to PACESETTER, PO BOX 222, PAYNESVILLE, MN Registration also available online at $170/team before Dec. 29 $180/team after Dec. 29 The Minnesota State Champion and Runner-up in each grade are invited to the Great Five-State Championships in Minneapolis. FREE Timberwolves Tickets ( season) All players will receive a free ticket offer!

6 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 6 MBBN preseason top 50 players in each class Class 4A ANDOVER Lizzy Karp, sr C ANOKA Lily Schonecht, sr C APPLE VALLEY Mykel Parham, jr C BLAINE Theresa Mbanefo, sr C CENTENNIAL Claire Orth, sr G Sydney Stapleton, sr F CHAMPLIN PARK Amanda Pollard, sr G CHANHASSEN Sidney Brastad, sr G CRETIN- DERHAM HALL Autam Mendez, sr F Frannie Hottinger, jr F Haley Moore, sr F EASTVIEW Macy Guebert, jr G Megan Walstad, sr F EDINA Olivia Coughlin, sr G FARMINGTON Sydney Blandin, sr G FOREST LAKE Abigail Groeneweg, jr F HASTINGS Krystal Carlson, sr F Mallory Brake, so F HENRY SIBLEY Tori Nelson, jr F HOPKINS Paige Bueckers, so G Angie Hammond, sr C Raena Suggs, sr G LAKEVILLE NORTH Taylor Brown, sr F Kiara James, sr C Lauren Jensen, so G MAPLE GROVE Katrina Theis, sr F MPLS SOUTH Morgan Hill, sr G MINNETONKA Kayla Mershon, sr F Megan Walker, sr G MOORHEAD Sam Haiby, sr G MOUNDS VIEW Lindsey Becher, so F NEW PRAGUE Emily Russo, so F OWATONNA Sydney Schultz, sr F PARK CENTER Sommer Blakemore, sr G PRIOR LAKE McKenna Hofschild, jr G ROBBINSDALE ARMSTRONG Carly Krsul, jr F Masengo Mutanda, jr G ROSEMOUNT Helen Staley, fr F ROSEVILLE Kaylee Nelson, jr G Sam Halbe, Moorhead ST. FRANCIS Sydney Zgutowicz, sr F ST. LOUIS PARK Lindsey Olson, jr G ST. MICHAEL- ALBERTVILLE Mackenzie Kramer, so G ST. PAUL CENTRAL Aliza Karlen, so F STILLWATER Sara Scalia, jr G Alexis Pratt, fr G TARTAN Kendra Ekereke, jr F WAYZATA Kallie Theisen, jr F Mimi Schrader, sr G WHITE BEAR LAKE Jordan Ferrand, sr C WOODBURY Rachel Hakes, sr G Class 3A AUSTIN Abby Lewis, jr F BECKER Madi Kerzman, sr C BEMIDJI Rumer Flatness, jr G BENILDE-ST. MARGARET S Aiana Whitfield, jr G CHISAGO LAKES Carmen Backes, sr G DASSEL-COKATO Anna Peterson, sr G DELANO Morgan Frank, jr G DELASALLE Ayanna Gardner, sr G FARIBAULT Grace Amacher, sr G FERGUS FALLS Katelyn Strand, sr G Lily Pearson, jr F FRIDLEY Patience Williams, so F GRAND RAPIDS Heaven Hamling, sr G Hannah DeMars, jr F HERMANTOWN Taylor Vold, sr F HIBBING Abbey McDonald, jr G Continued on Page 7

7 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 7 MBBN top 50 players in each class Continued from Page 6 HILL-MURRAY Delaney Runyon, jr G HOLY ANGELS Riley Thalhuber, sr G Destinee Oberg, jr C HUTCHINSON MaKenzie Rensch, sr G MAHTOMEDI Emma Grothuis, sr F Annika Sougstad, sr F MANKATO WEST Ashley Gustavson, jr G MONTICELLO Anna Olson, so F MOUND-WESTONKA Jennifer Schaible, jr C NEW ULM Joey Batt, jr G NORTH BRANCH Cianna Selbitschka, so F NORTHFIELD Annika Hoff, sr C ORONO Madeline Loder, sr G PRINCETON Julia Bjurman, sr G RED WING Tayzha Buck, sr G ROBBINSDALE COOPER Ju Gaston, sr G Aja Wheeler, jr G SARTELL-ST. STEPHEN Alexis Winter, sr G SAUK RAPIDS-RICE Bailey Becker, sr G SIMLEY TeTe Danso, so C Ravyn Miles, so G ST. ANTHONY VILLAGE Samantha Sibbet, so G ST. CLOUD APOLLO Lariah Washington, jr F ST. CROIX LUTHERAN Audrey Gadison, sr G ST. PAUL COMO PARK Makayla Van Nett, sr G Raiyne Adams, sr G ST. PAUL HIGHLAND PARK Kaylnn Asberry, 8th G WACONIA Sidney Zieske, sr G WASECA Madison Gehloff, jr G WILLMAR Cayle Hovland, sr G Hannah Johnson, jr G WINONA Selena Lor, sr G ZIMMERMAN Naomi Hagstrom, sr F Class 2A ANNANDALE Hannah Purcell, jr F Allie Spaulding, sr C ATWATER-COSMOS- GROVE CITY Madison Denton, sr F BARNESVILLE Nicole Herbranson, sr G Shea Oman, New London-Spicer BYRON Ayoka Lee, sr C CALEDONIA Katie Tornstrom, sr G DILWORTH- GLYNDON-FELTON Natalie Steichen, sr G EDEN VALLEY- WATKINS Halle Jansen, so G ESKO Bridget Yelin, jr C GLENCOE- SILVER LAKE Mckenna Monahan, sr G HOLY FAMILY Shea Thompson, sr G JORDAN Paige Johnson, sr G LITCHFIELD Laney Huhner, jr G MARANATHA Kylie Post, sr G Jaclyn Jarnot, sr F MPLS. EDISON Shanice Vaughn, sr G MPLS. NORTH Monique Wooten, sr G MINNEHAHA ACADEMY Mia Curtis, so G Taytum Rhoades, jr G NEW LONDON-SPICER Shea Oman, sr G NORWOOD- YOUNG AMERICA Bren Fox, sr C Kali Grimm, sr G NEW RICHLAND- HARTLAND- ELLENDALE-GENEVA Betsy Schoenrock, sr C OSAKIS Lauren Savageau, sr G PEQUOT LAKES Olivia Lane, jr F PINE ISLAND Emilie Rucker, sr F PLAINVIEW- ELGIN-MILLVILLE Hayley Dessner, sr C PROVIDENCE ACADEMY Maggie Murphy, jr F Continued on Page 7

8 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 8

9 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 9 MBBN top 50 players in each class Continued from Page 7 ROSEAU Kacie Borowicz, jr G RUSH CITY Elena Herberg, jr G Shawna Mell, jr F SAUK CENTRE Tori Peschel, so G Maesyn Thiesen, sr G Kelsey Peschel, sr G SOUTHWEST CHRISTIAN Lauren Jones, jr G ST. AGNES Adaya Sandifer, sr G K Lynn Lewis, sr G ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL Kate Tomczik, sr G Megan Voit, jr G STAPLES-MOTLEY Claire Wolhowe, sr F ST. PETER Olivia McCabe, sr G THIEF RIVER FALLS Tiahna Nicholson, sr G Kylea Praska, sr G TRACY-MILROY- BALATON Kaylee Kirk, sr G WATERTOWN-MAYER Monika Czinano, sr C WINONA COTTER Josie Huelskamp, sr G ZUMBROTA-MAZEPPA Lauren Miller, sr C Class 1A ADA-BORUP Mariah McKeever, jr G Maddie Smart, jr G ALDEN-CONGER Erika Bute, jr G BADGER-GREENBUSH- MIDDLE RIVER Carly Mekash, sr F Maddi Janicke, sr G BELGRADE- BROOTEN-ELROSA Morgan Gronli, sr G BIGFORK Haley Grover, sr G Lexi Becker, sr G BOLD Makenna Steffel, jr G CANBY Norah King, sr C CEDAR MT.-COMFREY Taylor Rose, sr F CLEVELAND Caitlin Brink, jr G CROMWELL-WRIGHT Teana Hakamaki, sr G Shaily Hakamaki, so G DEER RIVER Hope Schjenken, jr G GOODHUE Sydney Lodermeier, sr F GRAND MEADOW Jordyn Glynn, jr G Riley Queensland, so G HAYFIELD Carrie Rutledge, sr G Maggie Streightiff, sr F HERITAGE CHRISTIAN Taylie Scott, jr G Heaven Hamling, Grand Rapids HOUSTON Alyssa Rostad, jr G KINGSLAND Lauren Buchholtz, jr G LAC QUI PARLE VALLEY Grace Hegland, jr F Kelsea Lund, sr G LEROY-OSTRANDER Haley Hungerholt, jr G LESTER PRAIRIE- HOLY TRINITY Marissa Radtke, fr G LYLE-PACELLI Kristi Fett, sr C Brooke Walter, sr G MACCRAY Piper Asche, jr C MINNEOTA Lydia Sussner, jr F MT. IRON-BUHL Mary Burke, sr C NICOLLET Brooke Skrien, sr G ORTONVILLE Madysen Stegner, sr G PARK CHRISTIAN Karley Motschenbacher, so G RANDOLPH Alyssa Whitson, sr F RED LAKE Alexis Desjarlait, sr G RED ROCK CENTRAL Haley Simonson, jr G RUSSELL- TYLER-RUTHTON Tina Haroldson, sr G ST. CLAIR Megan Mettler, sr C SLEEPY EYE Madi Heiderscheidt, sr G Sarah Ibarra, sr G SOUTHWEST MN CHRISTIAN Brooklyn DeKam, sr F Emily Nerem, sr G SPRING GROVE Lauryn Bohr, sr C ST. CLAIR Megan Mettler, sr C Olivia Drummer, sr G WABASSO Madison Guetter, jr C WEST CENTRAL Ella Van Kempen, jr F WHEATON- HERMAN-NORCROSS Emma Schmidt, sr G Briona Edwards, sr C

10 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 10 Playing for home town still best way to go By Jeff McCarron Pacesetter Sports director Each year high school basketball teams, especially the girls teams, are losing players to burnout, injury, and specialization in one sport. Is chasing the dream a fantasy causing boys and girls to miss out on the real dream of playing for their high school? Let s start with the girls. Many volleyball players who used to play basketball are opting out to play club volleyball, which seemingly has no set season. Many choose to specialize in volleyball because they feel they have a better chance for a college scholarship. Some feel pressure from parents to take this route. Some prefer a sport with less fatigue and chance for injury. Some enjoy the club s travel experiences with families, and playing with like-minded girls dedicated full-time to one sport. For most, it is some combination of all those reasons. Jeff McCarron Metro areas, with school districts bordering each other and having less identity as hometowns than outstate schools, are moving rapidly toward a club mentality in which parents and players specialize in one sport through individualized training and club team participation in off-season competition. The club system is common in Europe and much of the world. The USA s system of high school competition is rare in the rest of the word and in danger of shrinking here. With much influence from media promoting the pros and D-1 athletes on television, some starry-eyed parents and players set their dreams accordingly. The dream of winning high school championships is falling victim to that of playing for a major college and then the NBA/ WNBA, the result of the regular brainwashing we receive from TV, web pages, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, etc. The lure of big money causes many top male college players to enter the NBA draft early. With players sold on these fantasies, traveling to an AAU tournament in Las Vegas trumps high school competition as the best path to being recruited for that higher level. Surprise, surprise. Many players who specialize are finding they are more prone to injuries since they are passing up the crosstraining exercise from playing a variety of sports. Also, studies have shown that players in multiple sports become BETTER at each than had they specialized in one. Many learn that specialization can burn them out sooner and they quit before making varsity or college level. Some who reach the pros are also finding that the life is not as glorious as they had expected and pine for the college experience they can never recapture. What price can be placed on missing out on college, playing for your school, your community and your collective teammates and families? When you play for Paynesville, for example, you play for the people of the towns and farmlands in the district who wear green to show their pride in you. You compete with teammates who are neighbors. With the Minnesota Gophers, you may play for the university and the state, but your teammates could now be from Florida, New Mexico, or Montana. With the Timberwolves, you again play for the state, but your teammates could be from Bulgaria, Russia, or Australia. The connection thins out as the competition heightens. While players and parents may seek more money, fame, and travel, there is still no place like home when it comes to the quintessential experience of playing for your high school and community with friends and neighbors. The current team should never be undervalued. Why give up playing for your school basketball team in order to play in JO volleyball tournaments hoping it will help you get a college scholarship? Why leave your school teammates to play in an AAU tournament with non-teammates out of state? College coaches are experts at finding the best players -- wherever they play. College coaches and pro scouts -- and employers -- are also experts at recognizing character. Were you loyal to your school and your teammates? Through Pacesetter Sports, we seek to do our part by supporting Hometown Team culture school teams with multiple-sport athletes by providing off-season instruction and competition within a seasonal timeframe. We offer our youth team basketball 5-state playoff system as a big-time experience for hometown teams at the Target Center in Minneapolis to counter the allure of playing in AAU tournaments in distant cities. A Hometown Team culture is what we believe, in the end, is the best path for players, teams, families, schools, and communities.

11 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 11 By Bruce Strand Leaving a year early Armstrong, Austin stars don t return for senior seasons A pair of likely all-state boys basketball players left their schools a year early Race Thompson of Cooper and Both Gach of Austin. Race left early to get prepared for his freshman year mentally and physically, explained Armstrong coach Greg Miller. No hard feelings, as I have been his coach since fourth grade and am happy to see him in college playing ball. Thompson, a 6-foot-9 forward, is a freshman for the Indiana Hoosiers rather than a senior for the Cooper Hawks, having opted to simply forego his senior year and accept a scholarship early. Thompson averaged 19.6 points and 8.9 rebounds last year. That makes him, incidentally, the fourth child of former Gopher football great Darrell Thompson to enter college sports. Dominique was an All-American volleyball player for Wisconsin. Indigo is playing Race Thompson volleyball a San Diego State. True is playing football at Iowa Western Community College. Armstrong was 18-9 last year and a probable Top Ten team this year before Thompson graduated early. Miller said his team is not top 20 but we should be competitive. His son, Isaiah Miller, along with Ben Inniger, grandson of former NDSU coach Irv Inniger, will be two energy players who will be great leaders for us. Both Gach Gach, a 6-foot-4 guard ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the state by 247sports.com, has cast his lot with Arizona Compass Prep School. Austin coach Kris Fadness told ABC 6 News on August 30 that Both, who averaged 18 points last year, felt the move will help him develop more as a player. Both and Duoth Gach, twin brothers, led Austin to the state Class 3A finals and a 29-3 record last year. Both made the all-tournament team. Douth stayed in Austin. New Pacesetter event: girls and boys JAMborees Three teams from Pacesetter girls preseason Top 20 were among the participants in the inaugural Pacesetter Varsity Girls Pacesetter JAMboree in Grand Rapids on Nov. 18. Grand Rapids (No. 5, 3A), Bigfork (No. 5, 1A), and Walker-Hackensack-Akeley (No. 18, 1A), all participated along with Greenway, Nashwauk-Keewatin, Pine River-Backus, Nevis, and Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City. Each team started by scrimmaging three separate opponents. Then in the afternoon, the teams matched up with a like opponent on the main court for a half game, preseason showcase in front of all the other teams. The afternoon games started off with a bang. Grand Rapids was pitted against their District 318 sister school Bigfork. Bigfork took an early lead but were eventually edged out by Grand Rapids in the closing minutes It was not a defensive struggle. Asked if they came away from the JAMboree with something to work on, Bigfork coach Greg Powell said, Defense. The Pacesetter Boys Varsity JAMboree will be held Saturday, Nov. 25, showcasing Grand Rapids (No. 15, 3A), Bigfork, Cass Lake-Bena (No. 11, 1A), Cromwell-Wright, Blackduck, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley, and Northome-Kelliher, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

12 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 12 The new Timberwolves By Terry Kunze MN Basketball News columnist The Minnesota Timberwolves, always a playoff team in the summer, may finally have the talent to attain the lofty expectations of their followers. The Wolves, coached by Tom Thibodeau, are predicted by the experts to be a playoff team and even picked as high as fourth or fifth in the tough Western Conference. Predictions are predictions, and as the season evolves, it will be interesting to see how they progress. This is a team of talent and shortcomings, and I would like to give you my opinion of the pluses and minuses of this club. First off, this is a team that has to outscore opponents to win games, not an easy task, especially on the road. With poor team defense, allowing opponents to shoot 50 percent or better, they must be very consistent on offense to win. Team success starts with Andrew Wiggins. He is the go-to guy who demands a double team night in and night out. He is a nightmare matchup because he is too big at 6-8 for two guards and too quick for the three s to handle. Terry Kunze Although criticized for being soft and not defending, he is well worth the max deal he signed with the Wolves. Not only is Andrew a great scorer (22-plus points per game), he is also durable, missing one game in three years due to injury. The coaching staff must be careful not to run him too many minutes per game which may cause fatigue in the late season. Although criticized by some fans, he should not be traded for any two or three in the NBA. He is a 22-year old blossoming superstar that all clubs would love to have on their roster. Next is Karl Anthony-Towns, a 7-foot buzz saw causing great matchup problems for opponent centers. Towns has a fine low post game, but he can also face up and shoot the three. Like Wiggins, Towns is durable and has not missed a game due to injury. He, also like Wiggins, should become a superstar in this league, and although it is a slow process, the end result could be tremendous for the Wolves. On the defensive end, Towns is a liability and there is no way to deny that. Strong, bulky posts kill him on the block due to his lack of strength. But he runs the court, scores and plays with great enthusiasm, and although his shot selection is shaky, he is blossoming into the real deal. Towns is a double-double machine that will only get better as the season progresses. This brings us to Jimmy Butler a 6-7, 225-pound two or three man with toughness. Butler, acquired from Chicago to rejoin Thibodeau, who relied on him greatly with the Bulls, should get the Wolves 15 points, six rebounds per game and be a defensive stopper. He is searching for his place in this club and has spent the early season getting other players involved. He will have to score more,. Hopefully his defensive toughness will be adopted by his teammates. Again, the coaching staff must not wear him out by the time the fourth quarter comes around. They must watch his minutes. One constructive criticism I would suggest for the staff is that they are playing the starters too many minutes and not allowing the second unit the opportunity to grow and become more effective and productive on the court. With Jeff Teague, 6-2 point guard replacing fan favorite Ricky Rubio, the Wolves have a new look. Teague has great speed and quickness, but he does not pass or defend as well as Rubio. On the plus side, he is a better pick and roll guard and shooter. The Wolves will be running more and this will allow Wiggins to operate on a broken floor before help can come. At this moment, I really cannot say if this is a good move or not, but I do think that the staff felt they wanted to go in another direction because Teague will be a more consistent scorer especially in the last two minutes of a close game. This brings us to the third new addition in Taj Gibson, a 6-9, 235-pound warrior. Taj, like Butler, is tough and durable. He rebounds, defends, and does all the dirty work. He has improved his shooting and though no plays are run for him, he will get ten points and ten rebounds and show up big in the plus minus categories. He is a good pickup and will give the Wolves better defending and consistent rebounding. These first five are solid, and with better defense, they could be a nice playoff team. The big question is whether the second unit can hold Continued on Page 13

13 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 13 Kunze assesses transformed T-wolves Continued from Page 12 fort when they come in the game. In the early games, the second unit minutes have been sparse and must increase if they are going to be successful. This is kind of a Catch 22: Are the second unit minutes sparse because they have not earned them, or sparse because they have not had the opportunity to earn them? Nemanja Bjelica, 6-10, 235-pound power forward, has greatly improved his game. An excellent three-point shooter, he is a face up nightmare for power forwards. He can put the ball on the floor and is a definite scoring threat. He leads the second unit in minutes and has been solid in his role. Gorgui Dieng, 6-11 backup post, is struggling to find his role on this team. Being a starter for most of his career, coming off the bench and not having consistent minutes has brought him some struggles. Dieng rebounds, defends, takes charges, and has an adequate midrange shooting game. It has been difficult for him to develop a rhythm playing an average of 14 minutes a game. Jamal Crawford, a 6-5 shooter, can change the complexity of the game. Being a streaky shooter, he can hit four or five in a row and is especially dangerous on the broken floor shooting in transition. He does not do much on the defensive end, but he can score and is an overall valuable addition for the Wolves. Shabazz Muhammed is a real mystery. Although athletic and a nightmare for players his size, you never know what he will do in any game. His shot selection is unpredictable and at times he plays out of control. He does not seem to have the trust of the coaching staff and will be pulled after a couple of bad decisions on the offensive end. He has talent and may be able to adjust his play to conform to the coaches wishes. It would be unfortunate to lose him. Jimmy Butler, rejoining his former Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota, is the team s crucial addition. Tyus Jones is another mystery. He knows how to run a team and is a gifted passer and set up man. His strength and quickness have greatly improved as well as his defensive ability. I wish he would look to score more because he gives them no point production and at times needs an invitation to shoot the ball. He must score more or they will be looking for another backup at that position. Any finish out of the playoffs is not acceptable for this team this season, barring key injuries. Too many excuses have been offered for failure and if they want to win, they must defend. And let s face it, defending is 90 percent effort. It is the coaching staff s responsibility for defense. Too often I hear it was not our day or we didn t feel right or other excuses. You must win the battle between the top of the circles by getting up and down the court. You must cut harder in offensive schemes and move the ball. One of the first things a defensive coach tells a defender is to make the offensive player dribble. That is not hard to do when playing the Wolves. Passing up a shot because a teammate has a better shot is what good teams do. San Antonio is a great example of that. Decision-making is a growth ability, and if done correctly, it develops trust, which is mandatory to be successful as a team. Once you establish a pecking order, these things will happen. The Wolves have the pieces but still need better shot selection, better ball movement, and better energy on the defensive end. They must not accept losses and must be self-accountable for them. We fans should not want the Wolves to succeed more than the players. Let s hope they prove that the ingredients they have allow them to reach new heights this season. We wish them a playoff season and look forward to supporting them. Terry Kunze, leader of Duluth Central s 1961 state champions, and former Gopher and European pro player, is a MN Basketball News analyst.

14 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 14 Hall of Fame adds coaches Linbo, Dolan, Knothe, Vorwald, Ross Five coaches Skip Dolan, Terry Knothe, Kerry Linbo, Ron Vorwald and the late Ray Ross were inducted into the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame at the group s meeting Oct. 28 in Minneapolis. Don Skip Dolan, Annandale coach for 36 years, has ten conference titles and six state tournament appearances (one runner-up and two third-place finishes) and a record of Dolan has also coached softball for 27 years with four state trips. He has coached conference champions in four sports. Dolan was a 1,000-point scorer at Renville High School and made all-conference eight times in football, basketball and baseball. Terry Knothe, St. Charles coach for 36 years, has nine conference and three sub-section titles and a record of Holding their HOF plaques are (from left) Kerry Linbo of Byron, Skip Dolan of Annandale, Terry Knothe of St. He has also coached Charles and Ron Vorwald of Worthington. The other honoree was the late Ray Ross of Mpls. Washburn. 16 conference champion teams in boys and girls golf. A native of Richland Center, WI, he played college basketball at Winona State. Kerry Linbo, Byron coach for 31 years, has six conference crowns and a state appearance in 2013, and an overall record of He is also a longtime football assistant and got the Butch Nash Award in The Hayfield native played football, basketball and baseball at Rochester Community College and baseball at UW-Lacrosse. Ron Vorwald, Worthington coach for 24 years ( ), notched five conference championships, three state trips and an overall record of Vorwald played for a state champion basketball team in Bloomington, WI, and helped the football team go 18-0 his last two years. A football player for Iowa State two years and Mankato State for two years, he was also a football assistant coach at Worthington. Ray Ross was Minneapolis Washburn s coach from 1931 through 1956, capturing five Minneapolis championships, five Twin Cities titles, and three state trips in the one-class tournament, highlighted by the team that had a 23-game winning streak and emerged as state champion. The former Gopher baseball and basketball player also coached baseball for e30 years and won the state baseball title that same year, He died in *The MBCA recognized coaches of the year for each class: Matt Halverson of Goodhue in 1A, Dave Galovich of Crosby-Ironton in 2A, Dave Thorson of DeLaSalle in 3A and Bryan Schlettler of Wayzata in 4A. *Named to MBCA s Hall of Honor for service to basketball were Frankie Bly, Wes Knutson, Dick Milinkovich, Rich Penick, Bruce Strand and Steve Winfield.

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16 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page 15 MBBN Girls Preseason Top 20 Class 4A 1. Hopkins 2. Eastview 3. Lakeville North 4. Minnetonka 5. Centennial 6. Cretin- Derham Hall 7. Wayzata 8. Forest Lake 9. St. Michael- Albertville 10. Park Center 11. White Bear Lake 12. Moorhead 13. Edina 14. Champlin Park 15. Roseville 16. St. Francis 17. Andover 18. Stillwater 19. Anoka 20. Owatonna Class 3A 1. DeLaSalle 2. Holy Angels 3. Hutchinson 4. Cooper 5. Grand Rapids 6. Mahtomedi 7. Simley 8. Northfield 9. Waseca 10. Hill-Murray 11. Chisago Lakes 12. Willmar 13. Zimmerman 14. Orono 15. Waconia 16. St. Paul Como Park 17. Hermantown 18. Alexandria 19. Big Lake 20. Faribault Class 2A 1. Sauk Centre 2. Minnehaha Academy 3. Rochester Lourdes 4. Norwood- Young America 5. Roseau 6. Eden Valley- Watkins 7. Dilworth- Glyndon-Felton 8. Byron 9. Rush City 10. Maranatha Christian 11. New London- Spicer 12. Annandale 13. Thief River Falls 14. St. Peter 15. Tracy- Milroy-Balaton 16. St. Cloud Cathedral 17. Pequot Lakes 18. Duluth Marshall 19. Barnesville 20. Jordan Class 1A 1. Goodhue 2. Lyle-Pacelli 3. Hayfield 4. Mountain Iron-Buhl 5. Bigfork 6. Ada-Borup 7. Lac qui Parle Valley 8. Cromwell-Wright 9. Southwest MN Christian 10. Sleepy Eye 11. Mayer Lutheran 12. Wheaton- Herman-Norcross 13. Badger- Greenbush- Middle River 14. Red Lake 15. Cedar Mount.- Comfrey 16. Wabasso 17. Stephen-Argyle 18. Walker- Hackensack- Akeley 19. Belgrade- Brooten-Elrosa 20. Sacred Heart (East Grand Forks) Roseau, state Class 2A champs last year, graduated a Ms. Basketball finanlist but are strong again, ranked No. 5.

17 Pacesetter Newsletter Minnesota Basketball News November 24 Page Pacesetter Youth Basketball Great Five-State Championships Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin teams to vie for titles at Target Center Boys and girls teams from five states, in grades 4-9, will play in the 2018 Pacesetter Youth Basketball Great Five-State Championships, which will be returning to newly-renovated Target Center in Minneapolis after playing in the Xcel Energy Center last summer. Pacesetter Sports, which began in 1980, has now invited Wisconsin youth teams in grades 4-9 to join teams from Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota in the Pacesetter Great 5-State Championships for Over 1,000 teams are expected to play in Pacesetter state playoffs. The champion, and possibly the runner-up, from each state will advance to play in the Pacesetter Great Five-State Championships in Minneapolis at the Target Center, which has just undergone a $145 million renovation. This youth basketball playoff system supports school and community-based teams and is sponsored by the Minnesota Lynx and Timberwolves. The Pacesetter Great State games are scheduled to coincide with Lynx home games, so all players and families can attend a game. The Timberwolves support the Pacesetter playoff system by providing a free ticket offer to every participating player for the following season. In 2018 Minnesota teams will compete in an 8-region playoff system in Rochester/Stewartville, Mankato, Redwood Falls, Moose Lake/Willow River, Paynesville, Moorhead, Grand Rapids/Hibbing, and Bemidji. Iowa will hold regional playoffs in Cedar Falls/Waterloo and Pella. North Dakota will hold regional playoffs Moose Lake-Willow River (blue jersey) defeated Williston (red) in the 2017 fourth-grade finals. in Fargo and Mandan. South Dakota will hold a state championship in Yankton, and Wisconsin, in its first year in Pacesetter, will hold a state championship in Ripon. All teams that qualify for the Great State games at the Target Center will play three games in an 8-team bracket, using three courts, with all teams guaranteed at least one game on the main Target Center floor. The champions of last year s Great State games included the following teams: 4th grade girls Bismarck Energy (ND) 5th grade girls Detroit Lakes (MN) 6th grade girls Bismarck Intensity (ND) 7th grade girls Lake City (MN) 8th grade girls New London-Spicer (MN) 9th grade girls Sauk Centre (MN) 4th grade boys Thompson (ND) 5th grade boys Moose Lake-Willow River (MN) 6th grade boys Sioux Falls (SD) Hurricanes 7th grade boys Cedar Rapids Jefferson (IA) 8th grade boys Cedar Falls Outlaws (IA) 9th grade boys Kindred-Richland (ND) All playoff sites are limited to 16 teams in each gender/ grade group. Teams may get further information and register online at