DTA Academy 8 has been hiding in plain sight all season
For one reason or another, some teams just seem to fly under the radar. In the case of the 8th graders from DTA Academy, even the radar went missing. Turns out, the 2022 AAU club based in St. Cloud has…
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Continue ReadingFor one reason or another, some teams just seem to fly under the radar. In the case of the 8th graders from DTA Academy, even the radar went missing. Turns out, the 2022 AAU club based in St. Cloud has been hiding in plain sight the whole time. With a record of 16-3, and a top 5 finish in the D1 state tournament, it has become clear that these girls are good, and people are finally starting to notice. “Obviously that’s nice but it’s not unexpected,” said head coach Marqus McGlothan. “We came into the year feeling like we are the best team in the state. That was the mindset that we had. That’s how confident I am in our players.”
OK, that might be a bit of a stretch, but that’s how coaches are supposed to feel about their teams, isn’t it? DTA came into the tournament seeded 9th and finished 5th. They opened by dispatching Fury Yellow by 15 before suffering their first loss of the year to a team at their own age level – an 11-point defeat by Fury 2022 Blue. DTA rebounded with a one-point win over UVA Lady Rebels before knocking off the defending champions Stars Kolden by 13. Not bad for a new team – except they really aren’t.
McGlothan coached the Comets Elite 2022 squad last summer and brought the core of that team to his own program. They play a free-flowing style that offers players a lot of latitude in decision-making. There are really two key ingredients in DTA’s winning recipe: defense and the three-point shot. McGlothan and assistant coach Jesse James have enough size inside to be a threat, but probably do more damage from beyond the arc. The kids have also bought into the D-first philosophy. “We don’t have a lot of varsity players on our team so we really have to lock it in on defense,” McGlothan said. “If we can keep a team under 40 we should win that game. That’s pretty much what we have been doing.”
Kiera Albers of Maple Grove led the 2022 state tournament in made three-pointers.Kiera Albers can definitely bomb it
DTA’s best shooter from distance is 5’2 guard Kiera Albers of Maple Grove. Albers spent two years with North Tartan before playing last summer with Stars Kolden. This year she joined DTA because of McGlothan’s reputation for player development. “Kiera is a phenomenal shooter. In my opinion she is the best shooter in the class,” Marqus said.
That’s high praise given that the class includes such long bombers as Kianni Lockett and Emma Miller, but Albers certainly demonstrated her abilities at the state tournament, finishing 5th in scoring in the division. She was better than 40 percent from beyond the arc and led the event in made threes playing againts the #1, #3 and #4 seeds.
“Because she is so small, being able to shoot from the three-point line doesn’t really help Kiera because people are still able to close out on her,” McGlothan said. “We have spent a lot of time lately on her shooting from NBA range, which forces players to have to come out and guard her. We have also been working a lot on improving her ball-handling ability, and that has really helped her both get her shot off and get to the basket more. ”
Albers plays at her own pace, maintaining control and not letting defenders rattle her. She is aggressive and intense and plays hard every time out. Albers played freshman ball at Maple Grove this winter where she led the Crimson youngsters in scoring and assists.
Here are some others on the DTA 8 roster we are watching, starting with Madi, Madi and Maddie.
Madison James, F, Princeton – James is one of just two DTA players with varsity experience. She appeared in 25 games in the Tigers’ rotation. At 5’10, with nice handles and plenty of range, she can score and had a 24-point performance against Fury Yellow. James is DTA’s most versatile player. “Once she gets stronger I think that will allow her to showcase all of the things that she can do,” McGlothan said. “In my opinion she is our most skilled player with her ability to shoot and handle and pass. She just has to mature.” With shoes that measure size 12 men’s, you can be fairly certain there is more size to come.
Madi Herkenhoff, F, Albany – The 6-foot post got a late start in basketball, playing for the first time as a 5th grader before joining McGlothan a year later. She is improving fast thanks to a boatload of one-on-one work with James, who has helped her develop a hook shot she can execute with either hand. “She is without a doubt our most improved player. I remember in 6th grade she could barely make a layup consistently,” McGlothan said. “She is also our team leader and the one who is most vocal.” Apparently dad is about 6’4 so Herkenhoff may have room to grow, as well.
Maddie Thorfinnson, G/W, Minnewaska – The 5’10 Thorfinnson plays point guard for 2A Minnewaska but she’s on the wing for DTA. She is long and versatile, and is never afraid to attack the basket. “Like a lot of my kids she needs to get stronger,” said McGlothan. “I feel like in this area a lot of the kids are not in the weight room, they’re not doing all of the things that people are doing in the Twin Cities. When we play teams like the Fury, they have size and strength and look like varsity players. Our girls need to get in the weight room.”
Lauren Feddema, G, Buffalo – Feddema’s game is all about speed. The 5’5 guard can also shoot the three, but it is her lightning quick feet that are Lauren’s calling card. “She is one of the fastest players in this class without question,” said McGlothan, who teaches 7th grade language arts at Athlos Academy in St Cloud. “Whereas Kiera brings us more of a controlled pace, Lauren allows us to get into transition quicker. I’m trying to get her to shoot the three more often, but she’s very aggressive going to the basket and she plays a lot bigger than what she is.”
Adeline Kent, G, Becker – The 5’6 guard runs track and she has the quickness to prove it. That really shows up on defense where Adeline usually draws the toughest assignments. To be honest, though, she struggled with turnovers at the beginning of the season and we didn’t really see her as a factor six weeks ago. Her progress has been impressive. “She has put the work in,” McGlothan said, “and she has been giving me a lot more offense than I was expecting from her.”
Learning from some of the best
McGlothan and D.J. Philllips started DTA (Development Through Athletics) four years ago, and have worked with a number of high-profile male and female players. That includes Kenzie Kramer of St. Michael-Albertville, the #2 player in the class of 2020, who has been with McGlothan since 7th grade. The program’s focus is on player development, and the first 45 minutes to an hour of every practice are spent strictly on skill work. Many of his 2022 players also work with McGlothan on an individual basis.
“Our focus is on advancing the kids as basketball players, not just system players. We want these kids to be good regardless of who they are playing with,” said McGlothan, who admits that there can be an adjustment period for kids who are not used to his hard-nosed coaching style. “That’s how you find out who is tough and who is not. We pride ourselves on being one of the toughest teams out there.”
Much of the approach and philosophy McGlothan uses was gleaned from two sources: men’s coach Tom Izzo of Michigan State – where Marqus was a student manager – and from his dad Marty, who is an AAU stalwart in Milwaukee. Marqus’ team growing up won a national championship and seven straight state titles. He was always more interested in coaching than playing, however, and his dad handed him the whistle to coach a U15 boys team when Marqus was just 17. That summer McGlothan became the youngest coach to win a Wisconsin state championship.
Photo top: When Coach Marqus McGlothan speaks the players of DTA Academy listen. He and assistant coach Jesse James have put together a solid group of 8th graders for the St. Cloud-based program.