Comets Shootout: Kale, Lucas and The Bigs!

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1560827' first='Kale' last='Misegades'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1560798' first='Lucas' last='Gustafson'] stood out in the backcourt and Minnesota has a lot of developing 2026 bigs! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1560827' first='Kale' last='Misegades'] - Healthy and Winning</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Henning junior [player_tooltip player_id='1560827' first='Kale' last='Misegades'] missed much of the winter season because of an injury but he returned in time to push his team to the Class A Consolation championship. It was a 24 point per game partial season. A season that had its rewards, but not quite the chance to make the impact a full season would have. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One weekend into his 17 and Under season with the Comets, Kale is making an impact. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We saw Minnesota State-Moorhead, Jamestown, Minnesota-Duluth, Northern State, St. Cloud State, and Southwest Minnesota State in the gym this weekend (that I saw) and there is no doubt they saw what Misegades did. And what did he do?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Everything. [player_tooltip player_id='1560827' first='Kale' last='Misegades'] did a lot of everything for the tournament champion Minnesota Comets. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Score? Kale shot 28 of 48 for the weekend across five games. Double figures in four of five games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Create? I had him for 26 assists on the weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Board? Two double figure board games grabbing 41 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Steals? I didn't track them but I saw at least a half dozen. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This young man scored efficiently because his patience and skilled attack found the space to get lane and his balanced and touched in attempts were constant. This is a young man that gets to his base and finishes and he did it at a constant rate. And his team won all five games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2838655,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Lucas-Gustafson.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Lucas-Gustafson.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2838655" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1560798' first='Lucas' last='Gustafson'] - It's Your Time</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When I saw Mankato East the past two years Lucas was good, but it was [player_tooltip player_id='1437303' first='Brogan' last='Madson'] running things, and rightfully so. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When I saw [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] the past two years at the 2026 level, Lucas was good but it was [player_tooltip player_id='1560807' first='Isaac' last='Olmstead'] running things, and rightfully so. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But now it's his turn. Lucas is running the show for the Fury and there hasn't much change as wins are still coming. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When it comes to range, quick release, and knocking out shots in a small window, Lucas is deadly. If he gets that quick separation into space and you didn't react perfectly (and if you aren't lucky enough to be 6'5) chances are the shot is going in. His crafty finishes after a ball reversal or a quick transition were equally as impressive. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gustafson had 19 in the semi-final, Lucas scored 18 in the first 15 minutes against the Stars, he scored eight quickly in the title game, and hit for 20+ on Saturday. Gustafson's time as the top guard is now and so far he has stepped up to the standard. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2621291,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/Mikka-Muurinen.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/Mikka-Muurinen.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2621291" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Greg Stein Greg Stein Media</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Miikka Muurinen - Best Prospect Ever at the Shootout?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you walked into the gym or went to my Twitter (@RyanJamesMN) this morning chances are you asked yourself two questions: "Who is that?" and "What is he doing here?"</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The "who" is Miikka Muurinen and the "what" is something we will get to in a second. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Muurinen is either the 6th ranked prospect in the nation, or the 8th, and he has offers from Duke, Kentucky, UCLA and North Carolina as well as the new age NIL powers with so much money, like Texas Tech and Alabama. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>His five star game was clear as he runs better than anybody in the gym despite being 6'10/6'11, he's ask quick off his feet as anybody, Miikka showed off that NBA range, and he also posted up and nearly tore off the rim with dunks on five different occasions. Touch, size, agility, explosiveness, body control: it's all there to be a future Lottery Pick. And in about 26 minutes of time Miikka scored 26 points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So why was he playing? Miikka is from Finland but he has moved to America playing at AZ Compass Prep this winter. And now he is in the Twin Cities because his agent lives here, and his trainer (as well as coach today) Mitch Ohnstad lives here. As he prepares for college hoops next year, or another year of prep school hoops, or the pros, or whatever he does, he is here. And today he played with Select. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Is Miikka the highest ranked prospect every to play at the Comets Shootout? We started throwing out some names...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Matthew Hurt was ranked 9th. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rashad Vaughn was ranked 8th in his class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Miikka is currently ranked 6th in the 2026 class so assuming I didn't forget that Cole Aldrich or Tyus Jones played up there once, I think Miikka is the highest rated player to ever play at the Comets Shootout. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2838656,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Stephen-McGee.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Stephen-McGee.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2838656" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2100912' first='Stephen' last='McGee'] - The World is Yours</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Minnesota Comets were the deepest team in the field this weekend and that is why the won the event at 17 and Under.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One element that helped was the 6'10 size and length of [player_tooltip player_id='2100912' first='Stephen' last='McGee'] of Greenway. His ability to block shots and contest others was so important because the other contenders did not have that. Stephen also rebounded well, finished the chances in the paint he got, and really had everybody thinking, man he plays like Ahjany Lee did in high school a few years back. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McGee can move laterally, he has quick bounce, the agility is there getting up and down to make plays, and the potential is all there. If the work continues to follow, McGee can go as far as he wants to. He is raw but the ceiling is high and can be reached if he continues to work to improve. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":2838657,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Ethan-Miller.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Ethan-Miller.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2838657" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quick Hitters - Size is in Minnesota</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McGee wasn't the only Big man in the 2026 class that raised eye brows. There was a healthy list of names that will surely show up on the college coaching boards of the NSIC, MIAC, WIAC, Juco, UMAC, and every other coach that was there. They include....</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'8 [player_tooltip player_id='1628773' first='Isaac' last='Asmus'] of Comets Petermeier (Aitkin)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'8 [player_tooltip player_id='2120494' first='Cameron' last='Cramble'] of Fury Antl (Irondale)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'8 [player_tooltip player_id='2120492' first='Ethan' last='Miller'] of Fury DeLo (Zumbrota-Mazzepa)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'8 [player_tooltip player_id='1874800' first='Brayden' last='Gorton'] of Fury DeLo (Minneapolis Washburn)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'6/6'7 [player_tooltip player_id='2381759' first='Reggie' last='Parker'] of Lace Up (Rochester Mayo)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'8 [player_tooltip player_id='2118833' first='Kevin' last='Kemp'] of [program_tooltip program_id='2075685' first='Minnesota' last='Select'] (Eagan)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'7 [player_tooltip player_id='2434178' first='Drew' last='Gullickson'] of [program_tooltip program_id='2076003' first='West' last='Central United'] (Fertile-Beltrami)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6'8 Jack Welch of [program_tooltip program_id='2076005' first='West' last='Central Wildcats'] (Pelican Rapids)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->