10 memorable moments from the AAU summer
The 2021 AAU summer season has reached its conclusion in Minnesota and tryouts for next year’s teams are already under way. That means it’s time for a quick look back at some memorable moments from this summer’s campaign. It’s also…
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Continue ReadingThe 2021 AAU summer season has reached its conclusion in Minnesota and tryouts for next year’s teams are already under way. That means it’s time for a quick look back at some memorable moments from this summer’s campaign. It’s also time to hand out our Prep Girls Hoops post-season awards. Coming up in the days ahead we’ll bring you a variety of accolades to recognize the athletes and coaches who delivered big performances at the biggest moments of 2021. Categories include:
- Most Valuable Players by class
- All-Star Teams by class
- Coach of the Year
- Breakout Player of the Year
- Newcomer of the Year
- Defensive Player of the Year
- Hard Hat All Stars
In the meantime, here are some highlights from spring and summer basketball, circa 2021. Click the headline to read more about the highlighted event.
10 MEMORABLE MOMENTS
Week #1: Suns Spring Showcase launched the summer season
The summer season began within hours of the conclusion of the state high school tournament as the Minnesota Suns Spring Showcase got us rolling. The first two summer standouts we told you about were Aubrey Akervik Aubrey Akervik 5'11" | SG Byron | 2023 State MN and Taylor Hill Taylor Hill 5'8" | CG Rochester Mayo | 2023 State MN of Minnesota Stars 2023 DeSart.
Week #5: North Tartan sweeps the State Prelims
After a few warm-up weekends, the temperature was turned up several degrees as the AAU State Prelims took center stage. North Tartan made it clear they were ready to do business by sweeping all four top seeds for the big dance in classes 2022 through 2025.
Week #7: McGee shares spotlight with North Tartan’s trophies
North Tartan almost pulled off a clean sweep at the AAU State Championship, winning titles in 2022, 2023 and 2024. It was Minnesota Stars Borowicz who prevented that, however, as they prevailed once again in the Class of 2025. Kendall McGee Kendall McGee 5'10" | CG Benilde-St. Margaret's | 2025 State MN ‘s buzzer-beating three was the dramatic difference-maker.
Week #8: Prep Girls Hoops Circuit comes to town
The Prep Girls Hoops Circuit established itself across the country in 2021 and was a huge success everywhere it went. Wayzata was the site of the Legacy Region Finals as the PGH Circuit came home to Minnesota for the first time where Willow Thiel Willow Thiel 5'11" | PF Perham | 2024 State MN and Mya Morris Mya Morris 5'7" | PG Perham | 2023 State MN (photo) of West Central United stood tall.
Week #9: Olson takes flight at the Summer Kickoff
We wrote about Olivia Olson Olivia Olson 6'1" | CG Benilde-SM | 2024 State MN ‘s stellar play at the Minnesota Stars Summer Kickoff and foreshadowed her upcoming opportunity to make a splash nationally. Two weeks later that’s exactly what she did while earning a spot on the U16 U.S. National Team. Olivia is now a consensus 2024 Top-5 in the country.
Week #10: Introducing the Class of 2025 Watch List
Every summer we do extensive due diligence on the incoming 9th graders to determine who will make the Freshmen 50 in the fall. The first result of that work this year was the 2025 Watch List where we picked 20 players we’re paying particular attention to.
Week #11: The best of Summer Jam
The North Tartan Summer Jam has long been one of the highlights of the AAU season. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic impacted travel for a lot of AAU clubs that normally play a national schedule, Summer Jam did not disappoint, nor did the returns of Myra Moorjani Myra Moorjani 5'8" | CG Eden Prairie | 2022 State MN and Tessa Johnson Tessa Johnson 5'11" | SG St. Michael-Albertville | 2023 State #36 Nation MN .
Week #12: Updating the Prep Girls Hoops prospect rankings
Eight months had passed since we last updated the Prep Girls Hoops prospect rankings, a way-too-sizeable gap in time created by the compressed high school season and altered viewing opportunities. It turned out the wait was worth it as the number of coaches viewing the rankings soared this year.
Week #13: The D1 coaches return at the Mill City Invitational
July marked the revival of the NCAA live period which enabled Division 1 coaches to return to the gym for the first time in nearly two years. It was like a giant family reunion at the Minnesota Fury’s Mill City Invitational where Olson was the guest of honor.
Week #14: Unsigned seniors & more make their case at the Meltdown
The summer grind concluded last week at the North Tartan Meltdown, the final Minnesota stop of the season as the live period was winding down. More than 200 college coaches watched as players did their best to leave a positive impression, many for the final time.