Recruiting Report: Kaleb Nelson (2017)
Waseca went to the state tournament thanks in large part to one of the premier perimeter scorers in the state last season. Nick Dufault is in college now. Kaleb Nelson has stepped into that role brilliantly. Averaging 20 points per…
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Continue ReadingWaseca went to the state tournament thanks in large part to one of the premier perimeter scorers in the state last season. Nick Dufault is in college now. Kaleb Nelson has stepped into that role brilliantly.
Averaging 20 points per game for the 14-1 Waseca Bluejays, Nelson’s emergence as a scoring machine has been the key reason the team looks as good as ever.
Anytime a team loses a guy who scored as much as Dufault did, a reasonable expectation would be for that team to take a step back the next season. That hasn’t happened with the Bluejays at all. Nelson said the strong start hasn’t surprised them at all.
“I think our team expected to be this good,” said Nelson. “We have a lot of guys who are confident and just good basketball players. We lost a lot from last year but as a team I think we’re better. We’re better defensively too and that’s been a big key for us. We have guys that we can rely on if our top scorers aren’t having a good game. Guys have proven they are capable of stepping up.”
Nelson averaged 11.5 points per game as a junior and was one of the big risers during the spring and summer AAU season. His 3-point shooting is a huge asset but he’s also improved a great deal as a ball handler, facilitator and defender.
He’s drawing a lot of local college interest but said he’s not in a big rush to make a decision.
“Talking to a few colleges still,” Nelson said. “Augsburg, Bethany [Lutheran], St. Mary’s and Jamestown. After that game [against Marshall Saturday] Briar Cliff talked to me as well. I’m probably going to wait out the season or at least wait until the end of the season before making a decision.”
Nelson put on a big show Saturday in a 78-61 loss to Marshall, scoring 31 points and hitting shots from beyond NBA 3-point range. It wasn’t the quadruple overtime thriller like the one from last March that’s become something of a legend, but Nelson said he’s looking forward to another crack at the Tigers.
And if Waseca is going to get back to the state tournament, the Bluejays will likely have to go through the Tigers.
“I think they had a chip on their shoulder from the last time and we took them lightly,” said Nelson. “We’ll see them again down the road. I can’t wait for that game.”