2029 AAU State Champions: North Tartan EYBL

They say the cream rises to the top. It's not surprising then that the two most talent-laden AAU lineups in Minnesota's Class of 2029 should wind their way through the field all the way up to the AAU State Championship game. The meeting of #1 seed [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] EYBL and #2 [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] UAA featured seven of the top 10 prospects in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2029, and 16 of the top 25. In addition, the two highest-rated prospects in North Dakota participated along with a likely top-five from Minnesota's Class of 2030. With that kind of firepower in the house, it was bound to be a great game.   The first half was back and forth throughout as the two teams met in the 2029 championship game for the third consecutive year. At the break, the Fury held a slim 32-30 lead. The Fury stayed on top until the final five minutes of the contest when Becker guard [player_tooltip player_id='884449' first='Andie' last='Changamire'] cashed in to make the score 59-58 in favor of the defending champions. On the home stretch it came down to [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan']'s success at the free throw line, which enabled them to lead by as much as 8 points. By the time Wayzata's [player_tooltip player_id='932145' first='Brielle' last='Denkmann'] scored for the Fury with under 3 seconds remaining it was too little too late. Final score: [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] 70 [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] UAA 66.   #2-ranked [player_tooltip player_id='897060' first='Madeleine' last='Hamiel'] of Cretin-Derham Hall and #7 [player_tooltip player_id='925046' first='Jordan' last='Staloch'] of Jordan had 20 points apiece for the winners while 8th grade guard [player_tooltip player_id='1120672' first='Jaycie' last='Helmer'] of Mounds View scored 14. Denkmann, the 3rd-ranked prospect in the class, had 18 for the Fury with [player_tooltip player_id='939004' first='Alysen' last='Purcell'] of Annandale being the only other one to reach double figures with 11.   [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] opened the tournament with a pair of lopsided victories – a 76-23 win over Crossfire Bluestar on Friday and 66-24 against [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'] Schultz on Saturday. They defeated [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] S40 in the semifinals Sunday morning by a score of 76-26. The Fury scored wins over [program_tooltip program_id='712362' first='Legacy' last='Hoops'] Elite (90-46), [program_tooltip program_id='712700' first='Minnesota' last='Suns'] S40 (75-42) and [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] Blue (71-57) to reach the final.   Although Tartan repeated as champions, this year's road to the title was different. The team has a new coach in former Apple Valley star Lyndsey Robson, who had a successful collegiate career at UW-Green Bay and Alabama-Birmingham. She was handed the keys to the high-octane Tartan machine in the 11th hour before the AAU season began.   Last year, 2029 #1 [player_tooltip player_id='872714' first='Beckett' last='Greenway'] was the team's quarterback as everything ran through the Providence Academy point guard. This year Beckett was promoted to the 2028 squad and Helmer, one of the premier players in the 2030 class, was inserted in her place. Other additions included Bismarck Century standouts Kinley Thornton and Kaylie Welstad of North Dakota and [player_tooltip player_id='1264767' first='Elaine' last='Schwarz'] of Blooming Prairie, who is emerging as one of the summer's real success stories.   [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] won last year's championship game by a score of 60-45. In 2024 they prevailed over the Fury in a 44-43 nail-biter. In 2023 they knocked off the [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'] in the championship game. [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan']'s blend of offensive firepower and a commitment to defend continues to deliver when there is hardware to be had.   Championship team members with their tournament points totals: [player_tooltip player_id='897060' first='Madeleine' last='Hamiel'] (46), [player_tooltip player_id='1120672' first='Jaycie' last='Helmer'] (42), [player_tooltip player_id='925046' first='Jordan' last='Staloch'] (35), Kaylie Welstad (32), [player_tooltip player_id='1264767' first='Elaine' last='Schwarz'] (30), Kinley Thornton (30), [player_tooltip player_id='1243841' first='Sawyer' last='Backer'] (27), [player_tooltip player_id='884449' first='Andie' last='Changamire'] (23), [player_tooltip player_id='1095939' first='Raegan' last='Kelm'] (21)   TOP FINISHERS   1st – [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Nike   2nd – [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] UAA   3rd – [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] Blue   4th – [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] S40   5th – [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] 3SSB Hersch   6th – Hoop Habits Elite   SCORING LEADERS   65 – [player_tooltip player_id='932145' first='Brielle' last='Denkmann'], [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] UAA   47 – [player_tooltip player_id='1233100' first='Rinlee' last='Bergan'], [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Southeast   46 – [player_tooltip player_id='897060' first='Madeleine' last='Hamiel'], [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] EYBL   42 – [player_tooltip player_id='916513' first='Kaylie' last='Nelson'], [program_tooltip program_id='712697' first='MN' last='Crossfire'] P32   42 – [player_tooltip player_id='1120672' first='Jaycie' last='Helmer'], [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] EYBL   42 – [player_tooltip player_id='903306' first='Mariah' last='Udeani'], Hoop Habits Ellite   42 – [player_tooltip player_id='1314500' first='Wynne' last='Birk'], [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] Hersch   41 – Piper Nelson, [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United']   38 – [player_tooltip player_id='1246847' first='Greta' last='Layton'], [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United']   37 – [player_tooltip player_id='994012' first='Taylor' last='Nesvig'], [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United']

They say the cream rises to the top. It's not surprising then that the two most talent-laden AAU lineups in Minnesota's Class of 2029 should wind their way through the field all the way up to the AAU State Championship game. The meeting of #1 seed North Tartan EYBL and #2 Minnesota Fury UAA featured seven of the top 10 prospects in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2029, and 16 of the top 25. In addition, the two highest-rated prospects in North Dakota participated along with a likely top-five from Minnesota's Class of 2030. With that kind of firepower in the house, it was bound to be a great game.