The 17U Weekend: The Final Weekly Top Five!

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We had a full weekend of play and we give you our weekly top five teams from 17U!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Weekly Top Five!</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(1) Minnesota Comets Elite. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(2) [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] Antl. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(3) [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] Reyes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(4) Minnesota Lace Up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(5) Real Phenom.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Undefeated</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Comets Elite (5-0). They were the deepest, most skilled, and most complete team in St. Cloud. They worked together far better than any other team and when you are deeper as well, it makes you pretty much unbeatable the first week of the season (for most of the teams). [player_tooltip player_id='1560827' first='Kale' last='Misegades'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2118495' first='Talan' last='Witt'] were outstanding. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Real Phenom (4-0). Phenom was in Omaha last weekend and they were in the fifth pool of six out of eight pools. They beat the Rocky Mountain Fever, the KC Spurs, and the second Team FVV squad on their way to a 4-0 record. Every win was by double figures and two of the games were blowouts. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='2075674' first='Minnesota' last='Heat'] Tuma (4-0). Sometimes playing in the second division might be better than playing in the top division. Why? You get a chance to win four games while teams that got in the top group ahead of you went 0-4 or 1-3. Now after winning four games, a team like Heat Tuma has confidence and experience together and maybe they can go back to the high level and win more than just a game. Good weekend for Heat Tuma.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Quality</strong> <strong>4-1/3-1 Run</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] (4-1). You lose [player_tooltip player_id='1560741' first='Will' last='Kirsch'] to [program_tooltip program_id='2455790' first='Howard' last='Pulley']. You lose [player_tooltip player_id='1560807' first='Isaac' last='Olmstead'] to Hoop Habits. What's next? More wins. More [player_tooltip player_id='1560798' first='Lucas' last='Gustafson']. More [player_tooltip player_id='1560747' first='Alex' last='Schroepfer']. Just keep on winning. Fury overcame some tough challenges to get to the finals but that double overtime win over Sanford ND (ECI) took a lot out of them and they didn't have the depth to win it. But still a heck of a weekend for a team that just keeps winning. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] Reyes (3-1). Semi-finals? What? They weren't supposed to be there! But Fury Reyes turned Select over late, they got huge shots from [player_tooltip player_id='2119593' first='Lars' last='Osteraas'], and Big plays from [player_tooltip player_id='1960892' first='Henry' last='Knutson'] and they earned their way to the finals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Powerhouse Minnesota (3-1). They were in Chicago at the Prep Hoops event and they were in the fourth pool out of 16 competing against some of the better Illinois Teams. Good weekends from [player_tooltip player_id='2119645' first='Tyrel' last='Pride'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2382252' first='Maverick' last='Maros'] helped them have a winning weekend despite a few players at prom. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Minnesota Lace Up (3-1). What a statement these guys made. [player_tooltip player_id='2381759' first='Reggie' last='Parker'], that's a name to know. This 6'6 agile power forward was a force. [player_tooltip player_id='1560762' first='Danny' last='Myszkowski'], that's a guard that can play. The Simpson Brothers - Denard Simpson and Markese Simpson - these athletes can defend most players at the 17u level. And some of the Rochester area guys who played JV this year also stepped up. They pushed Fury to the edge and won the rest of their games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southwest Stars (3-1). One of my favorite backcourts in 17u this year will be [player_tooltip player_id='2524646' first='Griffin' last='Epema'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2823917' first='Gunner' last='Liebl']. These are two of the best guards from the state tournament this year and two guys that I think are going to have huge summers. Epema is playing up a level, Liebl is always taking his game to another level. Won three of four games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Next Weekend!</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Appleton, Wisconsin has somewhat of a Border Battle feel to it with teams from [program_tooltip program_id='2075672' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'], WOTN, Lace Up, Minnesota Rise and others heading to a great facility to play a Friday/Saturday event to take on some of the better teams from Wisconsin at a similar level of play. Teams like Wisconsin Blizzard, Team 1848, Wisconsin Academy, Wisconsin Plamakers and more. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I also see the [program_tooltip program_id='2075674' first='Minnesota' last='Heat'] has a one day event in Forest Lake this Saturday so there should be some teams there (or maybe if you need some games, call Willie!).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Outside of that though, I have not seen another event that teams are in which makes sense as this is a holiday weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->