AAU Week #11: Recapping the MN Suns Xplosion

The talent-rich Starks Elite AAU program out of Duluth formed an alliance this year with the Minnesota Suns, a partnership that is helping both clubs advance their big-picture objectives and promote their athletes for the next level. That didn’t stop Starks from swooping into the Suns Summer Xplosion in Wayzata this weekend and slipping out the back door with some of the shiniest hardware available. The two marquee teams in the Starks stable – 2023 Select and 2025 Rising – each captured their division thanks to some stellar team play and a few terrific individual performances. Their achievements top the charts here as we recap Week #11 of the 2022 AAU season. PLAYER OF THE WEEK Anna Saari – 2026 guard, Starks Rising We love watching Anna play. Listed at just 5’3, it has becoming routine for opponents to underestimate the diminutive guard from Duluth Marshall. Once again this weekend, however, more than one opposing player discovered to their peril that Saari is a baller. She averaged over 17 points per game in the tournament and Anna’s performance in a terrific battle with North Dakota Attack on Saturday was one of the most entertaining we have seen all season. Saari has incredible speed in the open court – she might be the fastest player in the Class of 2026 – and possesses the skills to take advantage of it. Combine that with stellar range, the ability to draw contact and score inside repeatedly, and a gritty, physical approach to things and you have a potent combination. She averaged 10 points per game on varsity this winter as an 8th grader and twice topped the 30-point mark. That’s heady stuff. She also averaged 4 rebounds per game (remember, she’s 5’3), 3 assists and 2 steals. In a Starks backcourt where 2028 phenom [player_tooltip player_id="433933" first="Chloe" last="Johnson"] draws most of the attention, the play of Saari (top photo left) and Chloe Carlson of Proctor (top photo right) is often overshadowed. Carlson also had a terrific weekend, averaging 15 ppg and making big plays at both ends of the floor. The compete level these two kids bring to the dance is off the charts. Don’t let the innocent faces fool you because these two are ferocious. As for Johnson? Well, she offered up her usual level of excellence as Starks Rising won the championship despite bringing just five players to the competition. TEAM TO WATCH MN P.R.E.P. 2024 Blue Star Coach Chris Buerman’s 2024 squad did not play in the AAU State Tournament, electing instead to compete on the road that weekend. Watching them Saturday at the Suns Summer Xplosion I couldn’t help but wonder how well they might have done. The squad made it all the way to the championship game in the top Aces Division, falling in the final minute to Suns 2024 Blue Star which is a formidable group to be sure. MN P.R.E.P. is a quality team with some very nice prospects, seven of whom are ranked by Prep Girls Hoops in the Class of 2024. That includes #26 [player_tooltip player_id="302295" first="Helen" last="Ben"] of Park Center along with [player_tooltip player_id="302306" first="Kate" last="Drury"] of Chanhassen, [player_tooltip player_id="304927" first="Ella" last="Kletti"] of Mahtomedi, [player_tooltip player_id="304919" first="Itoro" last="Etuko"] of Totino-Grace, [player_tooltip player_id="339107" first="Jordyn" last="Schmittdiel"] of White Bear Lake, [player_tooltip player_id="350438" first="Jadyn" last="Spann"] of Champlin Park and [player_tooltip player_id="339117" first="Evyn" last="Eppinga"] of Anoka. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/Naomi-Crushshon-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1655167600.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-445411 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/Naomi-Crushshon-scaled-crop-2048x1345-1655167600-e1655167866282-208x300.jpg" alt="" width="208" height="300" /></a> One player who isn’t on the list – yet – is Park Center shooting guard Nyomi Crushshon. We loved what we saw from Nyomi this weekend. We’re told she is the cousin of University of Illinois guard Adalia McKenzie, who was the #1 prospect in the Class of 2021 as well as Miss Basketball and also played at Park Center. There is a definite resemblance, including the strong athletic build and level of competitiveness. Nyomi knows how to get downhill at speed and loves to attack the basket. She has the strength, agility and handles to beat defenders one-on-one to score at the rim. Coach Buerman, who was recently hired as the new varsity coach at Coon Rapids, loves to play fast and is keen on aggressive, in-your-face defense. That’s perfect for Nyomi, who has quick hands, quick feet, defends with high energy and frequently forces turnovers. She shows nice leadership ability and is a strong communicator, too. Crushshon’s outside shooting is improving and she’s learning to change speeds with the ball, two assets that will definitely help Nyomi raise her stock. While we’re at it we need to mention Kaylee Buerman, who did an admirable job running the MN P.R.E.P. offense in the championship game. We’ll circle back to Kaylee in the near future. SLEEPER OF THE WEEK <img class="alignnone wp-image-445424 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/Lily-Peper-scaled-e1655168153294-184x300.jpg" alt="" width="184" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="436101" first="Lily" last="Peper"] – forward, Suns 2023 Black Lily has been lurking in the background for a long time, quietly putting in the time to develop her game, building her confidence, gradually adding pieces to the puzzle and waiting for her opportunity to earn big minutes at Roseville. Standing around 5’11 with great length and one of the smoothest shooting motions around, the small forward/wing is now ready to take center stage just in time for her senior season. Peper is an excellent rebounder, moves well, and can finish around the rim consistently. We love her calm demeanor. Nothing seems to rattle Lily. She’s patient and smart and always gives off the air that she’s got things fully under control. Peper has hit countless big-moment baskets over the years with textbook shooting for Suns Black. It may have taken some time but college coaches are onto Lily now and she holds D3 offers with more on the way. Peper may prove to be one of the great sleepers of the senior class. NAMES TO REMEMBER <img class="alignnone wp-image-445412 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/Mara-Holle-scaled-e1655167900477-196x300.jpg" alt="" width="196" height="300" /> Mara Holle – forward, Suns 2025 Blue Star The freshman from Blaine has been a pleasant surprise for Mike Contreras’ team this summer. Standing 5’10 with nice length, Mara is extremely versatile and has played in the 2, 3 and 4 spots for the Suns where she has proven that she can effectively defend both guards and bigs. With a sizeable wingspan and relatively good mobility, Holle can make life difficult for opponents of all sizes. She can also shoot the ball with a high rate of success. Mara has formed a nice combination with Allison Berns, who we told you about a couple of weeks back. Playing behind the likes of [player_tooltip player_id="220845" first="Molly" last="Garber"] at Blaine, Holle has yet to make a big splash on varsity but you can be sure that’s coming in due course. Kaelyn Willems – guard, Minnesota Suns 2025 Black Willems is the younger sister of Chaska graduates Kelsey Willems, who plays D2 ball at Augustana in Sioux Falls, and Kylie Willems, also a collegian. Kaelyn has clearly inherited their passion for the game and has a reputation as a tireless worker who is highly coachable and eager to improve. Offensively her strength is the dribble drive but we saw her knocking down some big three-pointers, too, with a nice high arc and a soft release. Kaelyn is about 5’7 with good length and long strides. She is an authoritative passer with good court vision. She has quality instincts on the floor and her decision making on offense has shown marked improvement. With long arms and active hands she is a capable defender, both in the team concept and one-on-one. Kaelyn isn’t flashy but she is effective and she’s only just getting started. Marissa Weness & Jensen Rogers – MN P.R.E.P 2026 Marissa and Jensen play for coach Brittanie Phelps’ collection of incoming freshmen. Both are from St. Michael-Albertville. Both are guards. It’s there that the similarities end, but together they have been a highly effective duo. Marissa is long and lean. She’s got long arms and quick hands, a nice combination when your goal is to wrap up the ball handler and force turnovers. That’s exactly what she did in the opening minutes of the game we watched Saturday, cashing in at the other end with a transition basket. Weness plays with an air of confidence about her, she is vocal on the court, and her skill set is solid. Jensen is a strong, stocky guard with quality handles and nice court vision. She showed us the ability to see the small seams, picking and choosing carefully when and where to slip through an opening for a good scoring opportunity. Her patience was impressive. Jensen demonstrated a nice floater and the ability to make quality passes to open teammates at the right time. This was our first look at the two incoming freshmen. It won’t be our last. <img class="alignnone wp-image-445413 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2022/06/Maia-Stevens-1-scaled-e1655167938422-194x300.jpg" alt="" width="194" height="300" /> ONE MORE THING It’s always great to see kids reappear after a long-term injury. Although she dipped a toe in the water for a half last weekend, the Suns Xplosion marked the first time [player_tooltip player_id="392479" first="Maia" last="Stevens"] took to the court with Minnesota Suns 2024 Blue Star for real after being out since January with a torn PCL. The big guard from Minneapolis Washburn looked pretty solid, but it can take time for players to work themselves back into game shape so we’ll reserve judgement for now. We just wanted to say ‘Welcome Back’ to Maia. Who doesn’t love a good comeback.