5 under-recruited seniors you need to see
Last week we published a recruiting update of Minnesota’s senior class. Over the weekend one more player made her commitment as forward River Landers of Grand Meadow signed on the dotted line with the University of Northwestern in St. Paul. There’s still plenty of talent out there for the taking, however, and today we offer you 5 under-recruited seniors you need to see.
Kora Forsline Kora Forsline 6'1" | SF Mesabi East | 2022 State MN – forward, Mesabi East
Location, location, location. When it comes to recruiting, a player’s particular geography can be a help or a hindrance. In Kora’s case doing great work up on the Iron Range has left her largely out of the spotlight. That’s unfortunate because this Top 75 prospect is a scholarship-level performer all day long. She has been dominant for the Giants this season, averaging 22 points and nearly 12 rebounds per game. She recently scored her 1,000th career point and will probably hold the Mesabi East career rebounding record by season’s end. At 6’1 she’s got size and length, she gets up and down the floor at a sprinter’s pace, leads her team in three-point shooting percentage and is the back-up point guard. Did we mention she’s also an all-star in the classroom?
Shelby Mortenson Shelby Mortenson 6'1" | PF Yellow Medicine East | 2022 State MN – forward, Yellow Medicine East
The 6’2 post has been a walking double-double this season and is averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for the Sting. Last year she led the Camden Conference in blocked shots for the third year in a row with 89 total. Not surprisingly Shelby can also rebound the basketball. As she demonstrated so ably at the Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo last fall, Mortenson has a big body, nice length and the willingness and ability to get physical down low. She can also move well in transition and has added to her offensive repertoire. She has a nice little hook shot and can finish with either hand at the basket. Shelby’s field goal percentage has improved substantially and she is working to extend her range, as well. Mortenson played AAU for the Dakota Niners.
Malia Nelson Malia Nelson 5'9" | CG Dover-Eyota | 2022 State MN – guard, Dover-Eyota
Last week we talked to a couple more college coaches about Malia. Frankly I find it hard to believe she is still available. Offering one of the most attractive combinations of skills and abilities with a serious dose of sandpaper, Nelson is a unique talent. If you read our weekly recap you already know she became her school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,718 points last week. That’s impressive, especially when you consider that her sister Madison was a high school star and a standout in both Division 1 and professional basketball. Nelson is a Top 75 performer who also offers terrific intangibles and an undeniable work ethic.
Lucy Hertel Lucy Hertel 5'7" | CG Holy Family | 2022 State MN – guard, Holy Family
If you read our coverage of Holy Family’s dramatic win over Minnetonka on Martin Luther King Jr. Day then you already know what Lucy is capable of. Hertel had the game of her life that day, leaving her fingerprints all over a contest loaded with Division 1 talent and played at the highest pace and greatest degree of intensity you’ll find in high school basketball. Lucy’s game has always been defined by her grit and physicality and utter fearlessness, none of which has diminished in spite of missing a full season with an ACL injury. If anything Lucy is even more intense now, and she’s putting up numbers, too. Hertel is averaging nearly 11 points per game, with a high game of 28, to go along with 5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.6 steals. Lucy is a difference-maker who will have a huge impact at the next level.
Justine Jameson Justine Jameson 5'10" | PF Park CG | 2022 State MN – forward, Park Cottage Grove
The long, lanky, 5’10 forward is an excellent athlete who has the speed and quickness to elude most defenders and make her way to the basket expeditiously. And she has been doing that an awful lot lately as a recent 29-point outing against Roseville will attest. Justine is leading Park Cottage Grove to a new level of quality. She is averaging over 16 points per game and has been in double figures in 16 of 18 games. She spent her AAU career on a relatively low-profile team and Park has been a little off the radar over the past couple of years, as well. That hasn’t stopped Justine from improving her game substantially. We won’t be at all surprised if she turns out to be a late bloomer who is a star at the next level.