Fresh faces we liked at the Heat’s Battle for Mom

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of my favorite times of the year is upon us! The [program_tooltip program_id='712689' first='Minnesota' last='Heat']'s Battle for Mom tournament is usually one of the first events to kick off the AAU season and, per usual, I'm here for it! Forest Lake High School was jammed packed with teams getting their feet and working out the kinks. I was on the hunt for some fresh faces and I think I may have found a few. Let's go!!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='615435' first='Savannah' last='Tepoorten'] - 2027 - MN Queens</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6'1 Tepoorten from Benilde-St. Margaret's is a classic post. She rim runs, sets good screens and rolls hard every time whether she gets the pass or not. I watched her when the guards didn't hit her to see how she would respond, and she never held her head down or barked at her teammates, she just moved on to the next play. When she did get it, just marked it down as she finished around the rim with great consistency and touch. She rebounded and guarded her position well causing obvious frustration for her opponents as she blocked and altered shots all day long. Tepoorten is positioned to have a big summer with the work she's putting in.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Chelby Wothe - 2028 - Minnesota Starks</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While the Starks team didn't get the outcomes I'm sure they were seeking, it definitely wasn't from a lack of effort from Wothe. The 5'7" guard from Pequot Lakes picked up and guarded from baseline to baseline making it tough for the opposing guards to get comfortable . You could just see the business-like approach in her demeanor. Offensively, she relentlessly attacked the rim putting pressure on her opponents when the opportunity presented itself. Wothe also showed the ability to knock down shots when left open and had no problem moving the ball to teammates for better looks. She's a gamer and the kind of player I'd want on my team in any situation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Navaeh Grosse - 2029 - [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury']</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From the start of the first game I watched on Saturday, Grosse was all business. The Eastview guard scored the first 8 points for the Fury in a barrage of ways. Steals in the open court for layups, beating her defender off the bounce, and knocking down open 3's. She was as determined a player as I've seen as her team played up in the top 8th grade division and took care of business going 3-0 on the day. She moved well without the ball and wasn't solely concerned with just scoring as she absolutely gets after it on the defensive end. She's a bucket. Don't believe me? Just watch!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">[player_tooltip player_id='644107' first='Inarah' last='Nesbitt'] - 2027 - MN Queens</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Queens trotted out 13 players including the dynamic [player_tooltip player_id='659130' first='Jaliyah' last='Diggs'] and [player_tooltip player_id='644101' first='Samira' last='Taylor'], so I was curious who'd be able to establish themselves as players were rotating in and out at a breakneck pace. Look no further than Bloomington Jefferson freshman [player_tooltip player_id='644107' first='Inarah' last='Nesbitt'] (pictured above). The 5'8" wing was a menace on the offensive boards and was just a relentless getting to the basket and finishing time after time for the hoop and the harm. Nesbitt knocked down the 3 ball when left open and played with great energy and pace. I look forward to keeping tabs on this top-50 prospect as her upside is tremendous.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Maiya Allen - 2026 - [program_tooltip program_id='712689' first='Minnesota' last='Heat'] Lynch</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing alongside [player_tooltip player_id='339192' first='Leilani' last='Abraham'] during the high school season at St. Anthony Village has certainly helped Allen start to come into her own. I've watched her gain confidence throughout the winter season and it was on full display during the tournament as she attacked the rim with consistency and vigor. She didn't let a few misses stop her from being aggressive and she kept putting pressure on her opponents. Defensively Allen moves well laterally and has great anticipation. She is poised to have a huge AAU season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->