I watched live basketball on Saturday That’s not normally a newsworthy event but after two months of waiting and wondering it was a big occasion. It was an even bigger deal for the 26 Northern Sun Conference freshmen who suited up for the first time as college basketball players. I had the privilege of being there live and in person at Winona State as the D2 athletes of the NSIC played their first games in more than 300 days.
With no fans in attendance for the Winona State vs UM-Duluth encounter, and the tension of the oddest of opening days being quite obvious, it was an unusual environment, but it was live basketball being played at a very high level. Some 14 of the 16 teams in the league tipped off – the game between Sioux Falls and the University of Mary was called off due to COVID protocol – in Minnesota and South Dakota, and the freshmen saw their first action.
Vanessa AlexanderVanessaAlexander
6'0" | C STMA | 2020StateMN
of Winona State and Taya HakamakiTayaHakamaki
5'7" | CG Cromwell | 2020StateMN
of UMD saw their first action in the later stages of a 68-47 Duluth win. The Bulldogs’ Shaily HakamakiShailyHakamaki
5'8" | CG Cromwell | 2020StateMN
did not see action. Neither did Gus BoyerGusBoyer
5'10" | CG Waseca | 2020StateMN
, who will miss this season with an injury. They were among the two dozen freshmen who played Minnesota high school basketball who are rostered this season in the NSIC. There are 127 Minnesotans overall in the league. Every team has at least three.
Concordia-St. Paul leads the way with 13 from the Gopher state – the Golden Bears’ entire roster – while Bemidji State, UMD and MSU-Moorhead have 11 apiece. There are 10 home-grown athletes on the roster at UM-Crookston, St. Cloud State and Southwest Minnesota State. We should also note that a 27th player also committed to an NSIC program in 2020 but big post Katelyn MarunichKatelynMarunich
6'2" | C Proctor | 2020StateMN
(ranked #62 in the class) from Proctor has now medically retired due to chronic knee problems.
Four other members of Minnesota’s class of 2020 made D2 commitments, as well, but not in the Northern Sun. Mary FultzMaryFultz
6'1" | PF Stillwater | 2020StateMN
of Stillwater is at Missouri Western, Kayla BohrKaylaBohr
5'10" | CG Blaine | 2020StateMN
of Blaine is at UW-Parkside, Ka’Tia CummingsKa’TiaCummings
5'9" | CG Tartan | 2020StateMN
of Tartan is playing for Fisk University in Nashville, and Aurora RobertsAuroraRoberts
5'11" | CG Tartan HS | 2020StateMN
of Tartan graduated early last season to attend Lees-McRae College in North Carolina.
HOW DID THEY DO?
The star of the day among the rookies was clearly Lydia HaackLydiaHaack
5'3" | PG Elk River | 2020StateMN
. Earning the starting point guard role at Upper Iowa, Haack had a banner day on Saturday. The Elk River graduate, who played AAU ball for North Tartan, had 30 points on opening day. Haack, whose sister Gabi Haack is the starting point guard at Division 1 Bradley, shot 9-for-16 from the field and 14-of-14 at the free throw line to lead the Peacocks to a 75-71 overtime win in St. Cloud.
“To be a freshman point guard in this league is a huge,” said Upper Iowa coach Nate Oakland, “but she has handled it every step of the way. Lydia is a true point guard who was able to keep our team even-keel vs a very good St Cloud State team. She is very competitive, very driven and we are excited about her future here.”
Alas Haack came back to earth in Sunday’s rematch as the Huskies pretty much shut her down, holding Haack to just four points, all at the free throw line, in her 24 minutes of action. SCSU won the game 66-50 as the teams split the two-game series. Her Upper Iowa teammate Alaina BrenningAlainaBrenning
5'9" | PG Rogers | 2020StateMN
had a solid first weekend as did SDSU rookie Tori PeschelToriPeschel
5'9" | CG Sauk Centre | 2020StateMN
of Sauk Centre who both saw plenty of playing time.
So which other Minnesota freshmen made an impressive debut in the NSIC over the weekend?
Lindsey BecherLindseyBecher
6'1" | C Mounds View | 2020StateMN
of Concordia-St. Paul (Mounds View) had 12 points, 7 rebounds and 7 blocks Saturday, going 6-for-7 from the field as CSP routed UM-Crookston. Lindsey followed that up on Sunday with a spot in the starting lineup that produced 13 points, 7 rebounds and 7 blocks. She was a top-25 prospect in the class of 2020.
Sarah KumaSarahKuma
5'7" | CG Lakeville North | 2020StateMN
of Concordia-St. Paul (Lakeville North) played 23 minutes in her debut, finishing with an impressive scoreline of 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. On Sunday Kuma played top-5 minutes off the bench, going 6 and 4 on the day. Kuma was ranked #37 in 2020.
Karley MotschenbacherKarleyMotschenbacher
5'9" | CG Park Christian | 2020StateMN
of MSU-Moorhead (Park Christian), a top-30 prospect, played 27 minutes in her debut Saturday, parlaying the opportunity into 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 Assists.
Paige ThompsonPaigeThompson
6'3" | PF Hawley | 2020StateMN
of MSU-Moorhead (Hawley) played 21 minutes for the Dragons on Saturday. She had 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists as Moorhead fell to Augustana before capturing the rematch on Sunday in Sioux Falls.
THE FRESHMEN
Here is the entire lineup of freshmen from Minnesota who are on NSIC rosters, including their final Prep Girls Hoops prospect ranking in the class of 2020.
Bemidji State
A note of thanks to the athletic department at Winona State for enabling members of the media to attend their game on Saturday. Let’s hope the rest of the NSIC, and the high school programs in Minnesota, do the same so that we can bring you the best coverage possible.