AAU State Tournament Top Shooters

The AAU State tournament was one for the books. We saw every type of game this past weekend; whether it was a blowout, overtime, or a nail biter that came down to the last possession. The one thing I know for sure is that Minnesota has a plethora of elite knock-down shooters. Who comes to mind when you think of the best shooters in the state? For us it includes [player_tooltip player_id="178263" first="Laura" last="Hauge"] who had one of her best tournaments this year knocking down 11 threes, which included the four she hit in the championship game. As well as [player_tooltip player_id="178277" first="Jordan" last="Zubich"] of Minnesota Fury who hit 15 triples. Shooting seems to have really elevated in the last 10 years. The three-point shot has become a hot commodity, where some teams are putting up 20 three-point attempts per game. Kids are adding to their shot by making a move before shooting the rock, like the step-back, dead leg, or the pump fake, one dribble to avoid getting the shot blocked. The following girls shot lights out at the AAU State Tournament. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="339128" first="Steph" last="Cink"] - Southern Minnesota Fury 2024</strong> Cink was the standout shooter of the tournament hitting more threes than anyone else this past weekend. The guard from St. Clair was on fire in the first two games where she knocked down six threes apiece. The 5’6 guard can flat-out shoot the ball and can get hot quick. She ended the tournament hitting 13 total threes and a total of forty-three points in three games. <b>[player_tooltip player_id="178272" first="Mikayla" last="Thomas"] - Minnesota Fury 2024 UAA</b> The small forward from Spring Lake Park has a great build and can play both the guard position and the forward position for her team. With her length she is able to shoot over most of her opponents and is fast enough to get past bigger forwards. Her best game was the first one of the tournament, where she knocked down six three-pointers, putting up 22 points. She ended the weekend with 11 total threes and 47 points in four games. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="304916" first="Kristi" last="Kottke"] - Minnesota Rise Purfeerst 2024</strong> Kottke had one of her best tournaments this season. The combo guard from Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart is a pure shooter and doesn’t need much time to get her shot off. Her team is constantly trying to get her open from beyond the arc. She can spot up and shoot and is really good at using the ball screen to get off her shot. She can also get hot especially if you continue to go under the screen. Her best shooting came in the third game where she knocked down four of her 10 total threes. She ended the tournament with 43 points in four games. <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="178274" first="Amy" last="Thompson"] - MetroStars USSB 2023 </strong></p> The 5’10 shooting guard from Stillwater had a strong showing in the tournament demonstrating her shooting skills throughout. Thompson showed up big in the championship game, knocking down big shots when the team really needed it. She dropped three triples in the championship game, trying to keep her team close with the champs and had a total of eight on the weekend. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="396431" first="Gabby" last="Fineday"] - Minnesota Suns/Starks Academy 2025</strong> Fineday is evolving as a basketball player and continues to get better. Her role on the team is to get open at the three-point line and knock it down. The guard from Cass Lake-Bena is only a freshman and has great form, footwork and timing to get the shot off. In three games she scored 34 points which included 24 points from beyond the arc. <strong>OTHER HIGHLIGHTS</strong> I can’t leave out the "splash sisters" who shot lights out all weekend. [player_tooltip player_id="212489" first="Sophie" last="Hawkinson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="252381" first="Maddyn" last="Greenway"] from the North Tartan 2025 Nike team put up a total of 19 triples, eight of them coming in the championship game where Hawkinson had three while Greenway knocked down five. <em><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Top Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="339128" first="Steph" last="Cink"]</span></em>