Wayzata freshman Mara Braun took it to a whole new level this week and we were wowed
We knew Mara Braun was great – that’s why she’s #4 in the Prep Girls Hoops Freshmen 50 – but what we saw earlier this week was a whole different level of greatness. On Monday night in Stillwater, the 5’11 freshman guard from Wayzata completed one big play after another down the stretch and in overtime, enabling the now 8-0 Trojans to escape with a 78-76 win on the Ponies’ home floor. Simply put, Braun was spectacular. There were times – and I’m not making this statement without careful consideration – when I thought I was watching Paige Bueckers. She was that good.
[caption id="attachment_21261" align="alignright" width="300"] Wayzat's Mara Braun is ranked 4th in the Prep Girls Hoops class of 2022. She plays AAU ball for North Tartan Sinn (2021).[/caption]
Braun has a combination of length and athleticism that is potent at both ends of the floor. She can shoot it, handle it, block it and she can score. Mara did all of that and more Monday. Braun plays up a year in AAU ball for Ruth Sinn’s North Tartan 2021 squad. When we talked this summer about Braun’s potential, the University of St. Thomas coach said this: “Defensively we can put her on the ball and she has got these arms from here to Texas," Sinn said, stretching her arms as wide as she possibly could. "Offensively she can get through people with her speed and then she can use that length to finish… She can score in multiple ways. She can kill you from the outside, she can take the ball into the hoop, she's starting to be able to finish in contact. She’s also an unbelievably good three-point shooter."
That’s a nice combination is it not? Consider Monday’s events. Braun was the first sub off the bench for Wayzata and had a decent first half. Despite some difficulty finishing at the rim, she still managed 6 points and the Trojans trailed 34-33. Stillwater opened the second period on a run, building an 11-point lead. Then this happened:
- Mara made a field goal to close the gap to 8.
- With 7:37 remaining, Braun scored on a beautiful stutter-step drive, drawing the foul and finishing the three-point play at the line.
- Just 27 seconds later, Mara buried a 3-pointer to close the gap to 6.
- After Wayzata took the lead, Braun knocked down another 3 at the 4:42 mark. That capped a 14-1 run in which she had 9 points.
- The teams traded baskets in last few minutes, and Stillwater was up 2 with about 20 seconds to go. Braun had the ball on the far right sideline. After hesitating for just a second, she put a step on the Ponies’ defender that was as quick and deceptive as you will ever see. From there Braun took three, perhaps four, monster strides to the basket where she softly deposited the ball for two more points. The game was tied at 70 with 14.4 seconds on the clock.
- That gave Stillwater’s Alexis Pratt enough time for one final drive, but as she rose up for the shot, Braun stepped in front with her arm outstretched and swatted the ball out of harm’s way. There would be overtime.
- After Mimi Schrader made two huge 3s to give Wayzata a cushion – she was 0 for 9 from the field up to that point – Pratt tied the game at 76 in the final 30 seconds of OT.
- With less than 20 seconds remaining, Braun put a move on her defender on the left side, cut sharply towards the basket and was fouled really hard on the way up. Mara calmly made both free throws and Wayzata held on to win. She finished with 24 points.
