Fury AAU players make the most of their showcase opportunity on MLK Day

With a record of 3-13, it has been a rough season so far for the Chaska Hawks, and they have unfortunately become quite adept at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. It happened again Monday at the Minnesota Fury MLK Day Classic at St. Kate's when they muffed a defensive rebound in the closing seconds, enabling White Bear Lake to score at the buzzer for a 51-49 victory. In spite of their woes, the Hawks have some of the best young prospects in the Minnesota, but it's hard to deliver Ws when you are relying on kids in 8th and 9th grade to carry the mail. One of those kids is freshman Kaylee Van Eps, rated #2 in the Class of 2021. "We turned it over on three of the last four possessions and then we missed that defensive board at the end," Van Eps lamented after the game, "but I think overall we played really well, especially in the second half when we came back." Chaska trailed by 10 at halftime, but came out strong after the break. Another of the Hawks' highly touted youngsters – 6'1" 8th grader Mallory Heyer – executed two consecutive steal-and-score sequences midway through the half. On the next possession, freshman Destinee Burch did the same thing. Then Heyer made four free throws in a row, but Chaska couldn't close the deal. That's kind of how their season has gone. "All of those little mistakes keep adding up," Van Eps said. Now that we are into the second half of the season, every game matters. But the MLK Day event was about more than just results for the eight teams involved. The Minnesota Fury AAU club hosts the annual gathering as a way to showcase some of its top players. For the seniors – kids like Kenzie Rensch (Augustana) of Hutchinson, Kali Grimm (New Hampshire) of Norwood-Young America, and Jordan Ferrand (South Dakota State) of White Bear Lake – it's icing on the cake. For the youngsters, it's a means to showcase their talents. "Historically around the country this is a big day for basketball but not really here in Minnesota," said Fury director Nick Storm. "It's great opportunity for the kids to play in front of college coaches, and it's not just certain kids who get that opportunity but the whole team. It's also fun for them to be able to watch each other in high school games and support each other." One player the coaches came to watch was 5'3" junior point guard McKenna Hofschild of Prior Lake. She has a number of nice mid-major offers. There has not been much interest from Power 5 schools, however, so the fact that Pac 12 Washington came to watch was encouraging. "To me she deserves to play at that level," said Storm, who is a tireless promoter of his players. "It's just a matter of someone looking past her size and honing in on the things that she can do well, which is a lot." Other Fury prospects there included juniors Courtney Crouch of White Bear Lake and Carly Krsul (#12) of Armstrong, who wasn't able to play because of a hand injury. Simley sophomores Ravyn Miles (#12) and Sydney Stensgard (#26) were also on display. Powerful 6-foot freshman forward Emily Kulstad of Prior Lake (top 25) had another nice game. Erin Lamb of Stewartville, top 10 in 2021, led her team to an upset of Norwood-Young America. Van Eps and Heyer are bound to play in D1 Perhaps the two most intriguing prospects on display were Van Eps and Heyer. Van Eps is a 5'11" wing with a vast array of skills. She is big and strong and versatile, and is already a proven high school star. "I think teams are definitely playing me differently now, but if I'm getting face-guarded or I'm getting doubled, I just look for somebody else because I know they are going to be open," she said. Unselfish to a fault, Van Eps is now taking things in her own hands a little more. "In the past I would drive and then kick it out. Now I am driving and taking my own shots." It's so easy to forget that Van Eps is barely into high school. She doesn't look like it, doesn't act like it, and doesn't play like it, which is why she already has nice Division 1 offers. Yes, she is a little unorthodox. She's also deadly effective. "Kaylee is a little bit odd to watch because she looks a little bit herky jerky at times, a little awkward," Storm said. "But then you see her with the ball in the open floor, or trying to chase somebody down on defense, and you see that she has speed and athleticism. She is one of those kids who just does a little bit of everything. She can score, she's long, she can shoot, she can drive, she can handle the ball." Like Van Eps, Heyer has a big body, solid skills and a motor to match. She is strong, finishes well through contact, and boxes out hard. She is also tied with Van Eps as Chaska's leading scorer. This kid has high D1 prospect written all over her. "Mallory is phenomenal and she just keeps getting better," Storm said. "The most impressive thing about her to me is for a kid that has been dominant because of her size is to have the kind of motor that she has. That's what really sets her apart… The fact she can be the best player on the floor as an 8th grader in a varsity game is very impressive."