The 2022s are leading Metro Stars back to the future

The moms got the flowers, the girls got the Ws and the rest of us got a glimpse at the future of Metro Stars AAU. The 8th graders in black and green turned in a series of nice performances over the weekend at the May Madness event in Eden Prairie. They captured the top 2022 division with a 39-35 win over Minnesota Rise 8 Busse in the championship game, showing clearly why they are a top 5 seed entering the AAU State Tournament on Friday. Led by Legacy Christian coach Arthur Crutch, Metro Stars 2022 has a number of impressive young players, but there were a few in particular who caught my attention:

Kara Hoag, Maple Grove – The diminutive point guard, who is only slightly north of 5 feet tall at this point, is quick and athletic and plays with the game with a high degree of confidence. She is a gritty, aggressive defender with sound understanding of the game. Hoag is a very good ball handler, who can break opponents down one-on-one or beat them in transition with flat out speed. She moves the ball effectively and is a strong floor leader. Kara reminds me a lot in her style and approach of Mimi Schrader, the D1 commit from Wayzata, although she has a very, very long way to go to achieve Mimi’s level of performance. Crutch said Hoag is working on perfecting her floater to overcome the obvious disadvantages of her size. If there is a growth spurt ahead, Hoag could be a legitimate factor in the class of 2022.

Nia Holloway, Eden Prairie – A 6’0 forward with superior athleticism, Holloway is raw to be sure but she showed high-end potential on the weekend. Eden Prairie coach Ellen Wiese was no doubt salivating on the sidelines picturing the possibilities for Holloway. She is really long, and can leap with the best of them. Nia has nice instincts on the glass and showed good touch at the rim. Yes, there is a lot of work to be done but the upside is huge. Holloway reminds me a lot of Patience Williams (Fridley/E1T1) or Tee Tee Starks (Simley/North Tartan), two premier 2020s who were in a similar position two years ago.

Jersey Castillo, Andover – I first saw the 5’6 combo guard last fall at a showcase in Minneapolis. I was impressed with her then and I’m more impressed with her now. She has excellent handles and can finish with either hand. She demonstrates the ability to slow the game down and make good decisions on a consistent basis. Jersey is also fearless. Castillo knows she’s good – you can see it in the way she plays with confidence and control – and she’s going to get better.

Grace & Maria Counts, Providence – Unfortunately Grace was hurt this weekend but Maria illustrated quite well that she has the same kind of high-end post potential as her older sister Anna, a 2018 Providence graduate who recently earned a ride to D2 Minot State. Maria is smart and strong and tenacious. It will be interesting to see the sisters evolve over time because there is no shortage of great DNA among these descendants of NBA great Mel Counts.

There is no question that the play of Metro Stars 2022 is important for the future of the club, which is going through a rebuilding phase. Wiese’s elite 2018 team, which included the likes of Rachel Hakes, Haley Moore, Amanda Pollard and Andrea Abrams, has moved on to college and the 8th graders appear ready to lead a resurgence for the Metro Stars. The 2021s have a core of players from Northfield, including #41-ranked Lizzie Berkvam and #53 Annika Richardson. They earned the #22 seed at state. The 2020 team is the former Minnesota Stars Cosgriff squad, which started out with the Metro Stars a few years back and returned this year with Hopkins alum Ana Garcia at the helm. Seeded #23, their top player is Sese Burks of Henry Sibley.

While those teams are competitive, the 2022 group is at a much higher level. At the State Prelims one week ago, they scored wins over Fury 2022 Yellow by 11 and the favored Ballin’ Pretty 8th squad by 4. They lost to the UVA Lady Rebels and top-seeded Fury 2022 Blue. The Metro Stars will open state tournament play Friday night against #12-seeded MN/WI Force.