Summer 2017 All-State Class of 2021
Watching the incoming freshmen all summer has been incredibly fun. It seemed like every AAU weekend we discovered another two or three great young talents full of promise and energy, all looking to get noticed prior to their first season…
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Continue ReadingWatching the incoming freshmen all summer has been incredibly fun. It seemed like every AAU weekend we discovered another two or three great young talents full of promise and energy, all looking to get noticed prior to their first season of high school ball. Except most of the players selected for our Class of 2021 All-State squad have already played varsity ball. Tamia Ugass has been all-conference twice in St. Paul. Kendall Coley and Erin Lamb have pushed the 30-point mark in varsity games. Kendal Cox and Jade Hill and Kaylee Van Epps and Helen Staley and Katie Borowicz and several others have been huge pieces of their respective high school teams as 8th graders. Bottom line? This group is good.
Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves here, but most educated observers are in agreement: The Class of 2021 may go down as one of the very best before it's all said and done. With a tip of the hat to many more who didn't manage to slip into the lineup, here are best performers of the summer from the 8th grade division.
FIRST TEAM
Center – Tamia Ugass, 6'3″, Stars 8th Hersch (Roseville)
Tamia is a big, athletic post with solid skills, excellent footwork and a quick first step. She combined exceptionally well this summer with point guard Katie Borowicz to make Josh Hersch's 8th grade team one of the state's best. Ugass is a strong defender who rebounds hard and blocks shots, and she can knock it down from three-point range, too.
Power forward – Jenna Johnson, 6'1″, North Tartan 8th West (Wayzata)
When you describe Jenna's game, the one word that always comes to mind is 'smooth.' She just makes it all look so natural. The North Tartan 8th West forward gets to the basket with ease, and has terrific touch around the rim. She can shoot it from anywhere and is a consistent scorer. She's also not afraid to get physical inside when necessary. An outstanding talent who is going to do great things.
Small forward – Kaylee Van Eps, 5'10″, Fury 2021 Blue (Chaska)
Kaylee plays with tremendous maturity and poise, and has exceptional strength and size. Her basketball IQ is off the charts. She rebounds hard and blocks shots. She shoots the ball well and runs the floor. She works very hard and is a strong defender. What else can you say? Van Eps was an impact player at Chaska in 8th grade. We're fired up to watch her freshman year unfold.
Point guard – Jade Hill, 5'9″, Tayler Hill 8th Elite (Minneapolis South)
Tayler Hill 8th Elite was the 2021 team to beat this summer, thanks in no small part to point guard Jade Hill. She's crafty. She's smooth. She has great handles and even better feet. It's like everything happens in slow motion for Jade, and it's beautiful to watch. She was very good one year ago, but a season of high school ball and a nice growth spurt made her even more impressive this summer. A shining star.
Shooting guard – Takara Mason, 5'6″, North Tartan 8th Coley (Tartan HS)
Takara is a virtual Swiss Army Knife for Tylor Coley's squad. She can play any position and play it well. Mason is probably best at the 2 spot but loves to hammer to the hoop like a power forward. She is strong and stocky, yet super athletic with tremendous vertical. She can also shoot it from way downtown with high percentage. Let's hope she returns to 100 percent after knee surgery.
SECOND TEAM
Center – Helen Staley, 6'1″, North Tartan 8th Kuppe (Rosemount)
Helen might be a center, she might be a power forward, she might be a 3. Whatever spot you put her in, Staley is probably going to excel. She has a rare skill set. She is an extremely strong physical presence who pounds the boards and dominates inside. She's also mobile enough to defend four positions. Throw in a great mid-range game, a high IQ, and a consistency from three and you have a terrific package.
Power forward – Nora Francois, 6', North Tartan 8th Coley (De la Salle)
Jenna Johnson earned the nod as our first-team selection at the 4. In reality, it was a coin flip with Nora Francois, who had an exceptional summer for North Tartan Coley. A smooth, athletic big with nice touch, Nora is an exceptional shooter with a fabulous mid-range game and the ability to get to the basket through traffic. She may have the highest upside of any player among the 21s.
Small forward – Kendall Coley, 6', North Tartan 8th Coley (St. Louis Park)
Defending North Tartan Coley can be a nightmare. If you focus too much on Nora, here comes Kendall, a pure shooter who can get hot. Sizzling hot. She's long and lanky and lean, and she's still growing, but this coach's kid can dominate a game on any given night. Somehow, when her team is desperate for points, Coley gets the job done, and she has barely scratched the surface of her enormous potential.
Point guard – Ellie Dague, 5'9″, North Tartan 8th Kuppe (Henning)
Ellie is the unassuming star of the class of 2021, thanks to a rare combination of size, strength and skill that makes here extremely difficult to defend. Dague is a natural scorer with great handles and a sweet pull-up jumper. She never seems to get rattled under pressure and is incredibly reliable. She's also a wonderful distributor whose unselfishness makes everyone around her better.
Shooting guard – Kendal Cox, 5'9″, North Tartan 9th West (St. Michael-Albertville)
It would have been easy to overlook Kendal in the selection process. After all, she played summer ball with the 9th graders, and has already had a season as an impact performer at the 4A high school level. Is she really a 2021? Truth is, Kendal is one of the most highly-skilled, versatile, intelligent players in the class and she brings it every night with tough defense and intensity. A top-tier prospect.
THIRD TEAM
Center – Kierra Wheeler, 5'10″, Tayler Hill 8th Elite (Cooper)
Kierra is big and strong and physical. Ask any of the other 2021 posts and they'll probably tell you she is the one they dread the most. Kierra plays punishing defense, but it is her offensive skills that make her a standout. Wheeler can handle the ball, makes terrific passes, and is already a proven high school scorer.
Power forward – Erin Lamb, 6'1″, Southern Minnesota Fury 2021 (Stewartville)
Erin Lamb is gifted in so many ways. She's long and lean and athletic. She floats to the hoop with ease and finishes with a deft touch. But it is her pure scoring ability that makes Lamb really special. How many players put up 29 points against 6'6″ Yokie Lee of Byron, a Kansas State commit? Enough said.
Small forward – Cassidy Carson, 6', Stars 8th Hersch (Eastview)
It's no secret that Eastview HS is a 4A power with a history of excellent shooters. Next in line is Cassidy Carson. In addition to outstanding range and pure form, Carson can also put the ball on the floor and take it to the hoop with unbelievably long strides. She can play any position, including point guard.
Point guard – Katie Borowicz, 5'3″, Stars 8th Hersch (Roseau)
Katie is the third of a very talented trio of super sisters from Roseau, and she is the most dynamic one of all. Katie has three speeds: faster, faster, fastest. She is crafty and quick and can handle the ball with the best of them. Did we mention she already has a state championship? A true warrior on the floor.
Shooting guard – Andrea Tribble, 5'6, Tayler Hill 8th Elite (Cooper)
Tayler Hill 8th Elite has speed to burn, and there is no faster rocket ship than Andrea. This year, Tribble took her game to a whole other level and is among the best in the class of 2021. Andrea is a deadly weapon with outstanding ball skills, great basketball smarts, and a motor that will not quit.
Stock Raisers
Center – Sophia Hart, 6'4″, Fury 2021 Blue (Farmington)
Sophia isn't a polished product just yet, but this gem is beginning to shine. At 6'4″ with a daunting wingspan, Hart has the physical tools and a ton of potential. Over the course of the summer, her ball skills improved, her strength increased, and her impact on the game kept growing.
Power forward – Maggie Czinano, 5'11″, Fury 2021 Gold (Watertown-Mayer)
Maggie missed a portion of the summer with an ankle injury, and she plays on the lower profile Fury 2021 Gold squad, but she did enough to deserve serious recognition. The younger sister of Iowa-bound Monika, Maggie is more mobile and athletic and can play every position. Great things lie ahead.
Small forward – Adalia McKenzie, 5'8″, Tayler Hill 8th Elite (Park Center)
Tayler Hill 8th Elite has no shortage of speed and athleticism. It's a high compliment, then, to say that Adalia is the most athletic of the bunch. Truth is, McKenzie is the purest natural athlete in the Class of 2021 and her skills are now catching up to her gifts. Adalia's potential is off the charts.
Point guard – Paige Meyer, 5'6″, Comets 8th Elite (Albany)
In a class of very good guards, Meyer is better than most. Paige is a hard-nosed, physical point with terrific court vision and a presence beyond her years. She's also a brilliant ball handler, her first step is explosive, and her ability to change speeds with ease makes Meyer extremely difficult to defend.
Shooting guard – Paige Kindseth, 5'9″, Top Flight 2021 South (Farmington)
Paige spent most of the summer toiling in obscurity on the “other” Top Flight team, but word got around that this strong, physical 2 guard was a good one. She joined NT Coley in Iowa and put up an impressive 25 points a game, serving notice that she is a player on the rise.