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Linz Verbals North Dakota State
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North Dakota State is getting a lot of fire power with the verbal commitment of Hannah Linz. The Eden Valley Watkins senior- to- be has already eclipsed the 2000 points mark last year. "I'm excited about the opportunity to be |
| part of North Dakota State's program and to work with their new coaching staff," said Linz. She added, "I have met players and had the chance to play with Rachelle Eckmann who also verballed and will be a future teammate and they're all really great. There's a lot of excitement at NDSU around the women's basketball program. The coaching staff and Athletic Department have a plan for what they'd like to accomplish, and I plan on working hard to do what I can to be a part of making that happen." |
* gPrep congratulates John Robinson on being named new head coach of Como Park High School!
H. B. Discovers New Respect for Athletes' Will to Win!
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"... Every athlete on the world’s stage has paid his or her dues. There are NO FREE RIDES.
Only the top athletes make the cut, forming America’s elite." Continued... |
Taylor to Announce College Choice in November
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Two-time Minnesota State Champion Theairra Taylor has narrowed her list of college
prospects now to six. The list includes Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Marquette, Minnesota, UCLA and Iowa. The Saint Paul Central incoming senior will make all five official visits then announce her decision early November. Taylor is one of the state’s top athletes and one of the nation’s top shooting guards.
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Megan Nipe Workout Video
Centennial's Superstar Megan Nipe gives you an exclusive insider look at her workout, as she prepares for the 2008-09 girls high school basketball season. See Ballers Billboard and click the play button!
Jordan Jaguar Slows Down for a gPrep Q&A
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On the heels of verbaling to the Kansas State Wildcats, the big 12 regular season
champions, Brittany Chambers takes time out of |
her busy summer to chat with
gPrep. The 5’9“ state record holder for the most points (47) scored in a tournament, talks about everything from her will to win… to her favorite cereal… to court butterflies… to her toughest defender… to her difficult decision to choose basketball over volleyball. Continued...
Gophers Missing From Hill’s List Of Colleges
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Minneapolis South’s Tayler Hill has narrowed her list of colleges and the University of Minnesota is missing from the list. Hill is considering Rutgers, Duke, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Texas, California, Louisville and Marquette. Her father Paul Hill informed gPrep of the news. |
Rothfusz Going D1, Verbals UND
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Eden Prairie's Carly Rothfusz verballed UND today while on campus. The 6'0" shooting guard has been looking forward to this day since she started playing 5th grade travel basketball. Rothfusz is an all-conference player from the Lake Conference. |
Centennial's Megan Nipe Is Back!
Read NEW BLOG
"... Personally this one was harder than the rest. A couple games into the tourney, I pulled my quad and had to sit out for a game and a half and struggled to get back into a rhythm for the rest of the tournament." Continued...
gPrep Q&A With Kara Elofson & Her Dad Rod Elofson
gPrep: Had you been told Kara’s scholarship was safe… despite an apparent coaching change?
Mr. Elofson: “Yes.”
gPrep: By whom?
Mr. Elofson: “Coach Sylvia Crawley (outgoing Ohio University women’s head coach) and Coach Semeka Randall.”(new Ohio University women’s head coach)
gPrep: Did your parents talk to the university itself?
Mr. Elofson: “No.”
gPrep: Kara, what was your response?
Kara: “I was shocked and in disbelief that the coached pulled my scholarship, that I was told would be mine unless I chose otherwise. I couldn't believe that she couldn't just tell me instead of my parents.” Continued...
VIDEO - The Hoop It Up video is now loaded to the Ballers Billboard. Click on the orange play-button to play the video in the moving gallery. Or, go into the menu, at the bottom left of the Billboard, then click on Video_Hoop It Up.
Hoop It Up Champion
Team Basketball Plus won the Hoop It Up 3 on 3 championship against the Divas, 20-12. Theairra Taylor, Tina Fisher, Cassie Rochel, Hanna Potter and Carissa Wolyniec played for the winning team. They finished undefeated at 6-0. The Divas put up a good fight with former Northwestern Star Melissa Miller, raining 3s from downtown. But in the end, Team Basketball Plus' youth, size and quickness proved to be too much.
** View Hoop It Up Gallery, Championship
** View Hoop IT Up Gallery, Day 1
Minnesota's Finest Can Play Street Ball Too
The 3-on-3 Hoop It Up Tournament at Dunwoody College got under way Saturday with Team Basketball Plus going 4-0. Basketball Plus, coached by Jimmy Rogers, is loaded with elite talent: Theairra Taylor, Tina Fisher, Cassie Rochel, Hanna Potter and Carissa Wolyniec. Team Basketball Plus did an old fashion beat down on Lady Ballers and Team Divas. The B-Towns Geek Squad is also loaded. Kennedy’s superstar Brittany Zins, Aubrey Davis and Bailey Lund make up the team. The Championship is Sunday at noon. Look for an old fashion showdown at Dunwoody.
Chambers To Play In The Big-12
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Brittany Chambers, one of the state's all-time great players verbaled the Kansas State Wildcats. The Wildcats are the Big 12 regular season Champions. Minnesota Lynx Nicole Ohlde attended Kansas State. Chambers holds the Minnesota state record for most points scored in a tournament game, 47 points. The 5'8" guard is a great decision maker running the fast break. She generates easy transition buckets for her team with her |
excellent floor vision. Chambers is a rare athlete who has the ability to take over a game at anytime and against any opponent. Chambers is also an elite volleyball player.
Smart Decision
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Ada-Borup’s senior-to-be Nicole Smart has verballed the University of North Dakota. The 5’8” guard has scored more than 2000 points in her young career. Smart has started varsity since the eighth grade. She made the 2008 All-gPrep Team because of her ability to make plays in the clutch.
"I visited UND a couple times, and I really liked what I saw and heard from them. The coaches were easy to talk to and the players were really nice. UND also has |
a really good program going, so that helped my decision," said Smart. She added, "It's also close to Mayville where my sister plays, so that will be nice having her close to me."
Lady Cats Prowl For New Talent
* The Minnesota Stars 15U Lady Cats are looking to beef up their roster next Spring. They’re looking to add one wing and two solid posts who are interested in being apart of a very exciting 16/17U team. Players will compete in some major events in Minnesota and throughout the country. For more information, contact Coach Ahmil Jihad at ahmil07@yahoo.com
Hamline Thanksgiving Tourney Set
* It is said that the road to the Target Center runs through Hamline. St. Paul Central has been in Pat Paterson Girls Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament at Hamline University for the last 2 years, the end result back-to-back state championships. Totino-Grace was also there. They won the 3A-State championship. Here is this year’s tournament schedule.
A Weighty Issue To Bounce Around
*Should a baller expect a college or university to hold up its end on a verbal commitment? Likewise, should a college or university expect a teenager to honor her commitment to attend the institution?
Are we asking too much of either party to follow through on its word a year later and at what cost? Is there a window of opportunity at which either side can renege without harsh criticism or fault?
Or, should the parties be held accountable and the spoken word be binding, sans ink and paper? Still, why not wait until signing day if neither side can be trusted to keep his/her word? Continued...
See previous poll results
Scholarship Controversy!
gPrep readers are outraged and disappointed about the Ohio University scholarship controversy involving Hopkins' incoming senior Kara Elofson. If you'd like to voice your opinion about Kara's scholarship being revoked, you can leave a comment by clicking here.
*** Click here to submit a comment on the scholarship controversy! ***
* The Sweet 16 photo gallery is now posted.
Don’t miss the 7 annual adidas Stars Shoot-out!
Kennedy Sweet Sixteen Champion!
Bloomington Kennedy 47, New Prague 40: In the championship game, class 4A Kennedy beat class 3A New Prague. New Prague made it to the championship game by knocking off Centennial earlier in the day. And in the third place game, it was Centennial 88, DeLaSalle 44.
Ohio Revokes Elofson’s Scholarship Offer
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gPrep has learned that Ohio University is apparently reneging on a scholarship offer to Hopkins’ incoming senior Kara Elofson. You’ll recall back in January, gPrep reported Elofson verbaled with the Bobcats for a full-ride basketball scholarship. On Friday, August 1st, Ohio contacted Elofson’s parents with its reversal,
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despite a promise that her scholarship would be honored by the incoming coaching staff.
The news comes, as the basketball summer recruiting season is coming to an end, and Elofson has already turned down other college scholarship offers. Attempts to reach Bobcats Head Coach Semeka Randall were unsuccessful. Elofson averages nine points and eight rebounds per game. She is assigned the toughest defensive assignment, always guarding the other team’s best player. If there are any colleges still looking for a great player, Elofson is available. Readers can comment to this story.
Nike Nationals
* North Tartan Larson, playing without star player Shakila Boler, came up short at Nike Nationals. They finished with a 1-4 record in pool play. North Tartan did not qualify for a bracket spot, Boler was out with a leg injury.
* Check out Sunday's Meltdown Gallery!
* The Minnesota Elite Camp all star game gallery is now posted.
Lady Monarchs Fly Away With the Crown
* The North Tartan Meltdown 2008 concluded in Bloomington tonight with four teams crowned as champions. The Midtown Lady Monarchs took care of the Minnesota Stars Martin. The Stars had no answer for the Lady Monarch’s Tori Rule, who controlled the pace of the game from start to finish and the hot shooting of Diamond Lane and Bethany Doolittle.
The Heat Too Hot To Handle
* The NC Heat showed why it’s the premiere AAU team in Minnesota. Not only did they beat the Minnesota Stars Borowicz, but they did it without two of their core players , Megan Nipe and Annie Berner. Tayler Hill put on a clinic in the championship game with 27 points, knocking down NBA range 3-pointers and taking players off the dribble. Katya Leick showed why she is the “Real Deal”, by dominating the game from a physical standpoint as well as scoring 12 big points. But, the Heat all summer played a suffocating type of in-your-face defense that reeks havoc for other teams. Tempestt Wilson and Maggie Weiers picked up the slack for a Heat team that was short handed with only six players in the championship game after Mandy Poke left after half time to go to work.
Metro Stars Take The Gold Crown
* In semi-final action, the Metro Stars 15U beat the Minnesota Stars Smith 16U.
The final was 52 – 42, Metro Stars. Advancing to the finals, the Metro Stars 15U faced the Minnesota Suns 16U. The Stars beat the Suns, 54 - 48. The Metro Stars really jelled during the second half of their season. They went 4-1 in Portland, then 5-0 in Chicago to win the Gray Division and finally, 5-0 in the North Tartan Meltdown to win the Gold Bracket.
North Tartan Takes Silver Crown!
* North Tartan 15U won the Silver Division Championship over the Dakota Schoolers.
* Check out Saturday's Meltdown Gallery!
North Tartan Meltdown 2008
Twelve undefeated teams are battling it out at the North Tartan Meltdown 2008 at John F. Kennedy High School and Activity Center in Bloomington. Competition is fierce. All teams have perfect 3-0 records. College coaches are on hand, with potential college scholarships. So, ballers can’t help but bring it. The Minnesota Stars Martin will take on the Midtown Lady Monarchs Monday, July 28th for the championship. Semi-final action will feature: the NC Heat Hill, Metro Stars Black, Minnesota Stars Borowicz, NT Crosby, NT 15U, MN Suns 16U, MN Lakers, Metro Stars 15U, the Dark Schoolers and the MN Stars Smith. Don’t miss it!
7th Annual Adidas Stars Shoot-Out
Catch a shooting star Saturday, September 27th! It’s the 7th annual Adidas Stars Shoot-Out at the Hopkins Lindbergh Activity Center in Hopkins. The best girls high school players in Minnesota and surrounding states will compete under one roof. Last year more than 100-college coaches were on hand to scout the talent. Girls, grades 7 through 12 are eligible to participate. The cost is $125. per baller. Each player is guaranteed 3-4 games, college information, NCAA informational seminar, an Adidas Stars Shoot-Out t-shirt, quality coaching from the top High School coaches and more! The registration deadline is Tuesday, September 23rd. To sign up online, visit MinnesotaStars.org and click on “Adidas Stars Shoot-Out”. Or, call Mark Smith at (612) 581-6100.
River City Classic
*The NC Heat lost a close one this morning. Tayler HILL, Megan Nipe and Annie Berner were named to the All Tournament Team.
Chicago Midwest Tournament
13U Stars Shine!
*Minnesota Stars (Martin) reached the championship game
but came up short against the Maywood, Illinois Dribblers, 59-38.
They finished runner-up with a 5-1 tournament record.
Lady Cats Champions!
*Minnesota Stars (Lady Cats) also reached the finals by toasting
Madison, Wisconsin (Bulls Elite) 43-31
and taking care of the Lady Lightening (Gold)
38- 26 in the championship game.
This is the fourth time this summer the Lady Cats have reached
the finals in a National tournament and the second time they've
walked away with the Championship. Tyisha Smith (Minneapolis South)
and Brianna Williams (Hopkins) were named to the all-tournament team.
*2008 Minnesota Elite Camp
Minnesota Elite Camp Announces All-Star Roster!
Three-on-Three Champ:
*Kendra Harris - Cretin-Derham Hall
*Heather Kamps, Stillwater
*Rachel Leitz, Champlin Park
*Kara Poirier, Regis (WI)
Three-Point Champ:
Rachel Leitz
One-0n-One Champ:
Erica Gress, Apple Valley
*River City Classic in Memphis
NC Heat in Final Four
The NC Heat won the Platinum Bracket at the River City Classic in Memphis and will play at 9am on July 25, 2008. If they win, the NC Heat will play for the championship at 2:15pm.
Lightning Strikes, Division One Dream Comes True
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Eastview Lightning High School sharp shooting guard Sam Mehr will play the game of her dreams. Since third grade, Mehr has dreamed of playing Division One basketball. Now she’ll get her chance. Mehr has verbally committed to the University of South Dakota Coyotes. Eastview’s incoming senior guard verbaled the Coyotes on Monday, July 21st.
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Chicago Midwest Update
* The Minnesota Stars Martin 13U is off to a great start! They beat the Bolingbrook Panthers. Brooklyn Park’s Jade Martin led the way. The final was 63–35.The Minnesota Stars Martin will play Wed, July 23rd at 2pm & 4pm at Elgin Community College.
* Minnesota Stars Lady Cats 15U stumbled out of the gate against the
Maywood Illinois Dribblers 16U. During the second half, the Lady Cats
regained their balance and took care of the Dribblers. The final
was 52–40, Minnesota. The Lady Cats will play at 4 & 7pm at Judson University.
* Minnesota Elite Basketball Camp kicked off Tuesday, July 22nd. Highlights
include team practice, a speaker from the University of Minnesota on NCAA rules and all-star games on Friday, July 25th.
* Owls finish Runner-Up At Alexandria League
MYAS Prep Showcase
Lakeville North 54, Benilde-St. Margaret's 41:
The Lakeville North Panthers are hungry! They stayed on the prowl by forcing turnovers on defense. Both Cassie Rochel and Rachel Banham are playing with a lot of confidence. Their games have been elevated to another level. And, the team is continuing to gel. Point guard Kaiya Sygulla is taking care of the ball and is making great decisions, both on the break and in the half court offense. Kelsie Ammann can knock down shots from the perimeter, and Ashley Prather just flat out knows how to win. This team has a lot of weapons. Look for the Panthers to stay on the prowl this coming season!
Rogers Breakdown, Bohlig Shines At The Buzzer
St. Cloud Tech 42, Maranatha Christian Academy 40: Tech's freshman-to-be Bobbie Bohlig hit a clutch free throw with no time left on the clock to send the game into overtime. Bohlig hit another long range jumper to send the game into a 2nd overtime. St. Cloud Tech went on to win in sudden death double overtime. See photo gallery
* New to Photo Store: 2008 Sections, Jordan vs. Minneapolis Roosevelt
* NC Heat Finishes 2nd; Hill, Leick & Berner Named National AAU All Americans!!!
* Augustus Shows Why She’s Minnesota’s “Top Cat”!
National AAU, NC Heat Advances to Final Four
* The NC Heat beat FG-Breakdown 58-51 to advance to the Final Four of the National AAU championship in Orlando, Florida. The Heat is now two wins away from a National Championship. Tayler Hill scored 22 points in the win. Continued...
* NC Heat Devastates TN Raiders, Advances to Sweet 16
* PhotoStore new arrivals: Section Championship games, Chaska vs. Kennedy & Eastview vs. Park
The Heat Comes Up Short, 2nd in Atlanta
Ohio Glory got the best of the NC Heat Wednesday, Thursday, July 9th.
The Heat was ice cold from the floor.
They were down 18-4 late in the first half. With just under 5 minutes left in the first half,
the NC Heat began to press, closing the gap to 24-21 at halftime.
The Heat went back to a half court match up for man for most of the 2nd half.
They did manage to take the lead twice… at 28-27 and 30-29. Then it was Ohio's 12-0 run that made the score 41-30, 4 minutes left in the game. There was no Heat run to match.
The final score was 54-38, Ohio.
Read the NC Heat's complete Atlanta report in Cyber Court.
gPrep PHOTOS Now Available!
After numerous requests from ballers, their families, fans, coaches, teams, schools, sports professionals, magazines and businesses, gPrep is stepping
to the line to make its professional basketball photos available to ALL. It’s
a slam dunk! Never before has gPrep’s product been available for baller’s basketball scrapbooks, or family keepsake. Every action photo is taken by one of the nation’s elite award winning photojournalists. The raw emotion captured in each timeless photo is UNPARALLELED. You’re guaranteed to RELIVE every glorious triumph and heartbreaking defeat as well as
hard fought hoop possession and baller court wizardry. gPrep’s colorful
eye-popping website graphics are equally as impressive. Each is a custom
one-of-a-kind creation. And, now they can ALL be yours to keep! Just click on PHOTOSTORE for details. Enjoy and THANK YOU for your continued support!
What are the skills needed to be a complete player?
Lakeville North Clinches Championship
Lakeville North won the Breakdown Tournament Saturday June 28th at
Lakeville South. Lakeville North beat Northfield, Park of Cottage Grove
and New Prague to win the title.
Hancock Varsity GBB team goes 3-1 at New London Spicer Pacesetter Tournament.
NO Luck For Leick, Hard Work Pays Off
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Park Cottage Grove High School Senior Katya, “The Real Deal”, Leick has verbally committed to the University of Nebraska, which plays in the Big 12 Conference. Leick’s versatility makes her a big time Division I player. She has the
rare ability to play ALL five positions on the floor. At 6’1”, Leick has the physical tools to be great. The forward can post-up, take players off the dribble, run the point or shoot the three point shot. She's also a member of
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the elite NC Heat, one of the Minnesota’s premier AAU teams.
This year Leick was ranked #8 among gPrep’s Top 30 Juniors. Perhaps, what makes Leick so special is her willingness to compete, scrap
and knock down game winning shots at the buzzer. Leick has a cold-blooded step-back jumper from 3-point range and a lot of instinctive fundamental moves. Leick is also a tough competitor. Look for her to step in and contribute right away for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Congratulations!
Summer, A Critical Time For Graduating Seniors
* One of the most critical windows is fast approaching for high school
graduating seniors, heading to college this fall. The transition into college is NOT easy. This summer athletes should
take time to unwind, to reflect, to review, to recharge and prepare to
start anew. Ballers should enjoy these few short months but not
squander them. Continued... |
