MN Comets 17U Kuhl: Season Review

The club season is in the books, which means it is time to look back and review the spring/summer. The team we are highlighting today was an active member of the Prep Hoops Circuit. They have ballers who deserve your attention, and we wish them luck in the future!   See below for a boatload of information on MN Comets 17U Kuhl...   We have player comments, pictures, a Q&A session, and stats.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_64e1ea.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_64e1ea.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2947337" style="width:215px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/SeaonReview-.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/03/SeaonReview-.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-1842251" style="width:215px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   Program: [program_tooltip program_id='2888391' first='Minnesota' last='Comets']   Age Group: 17U   Head Coach: Brian Kuhl   Assistant Coach: Jon Young   Roster & Schedule   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_d51fc4.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_d51fc4.png?w=819" alt="" class="wp-image-2947338" /></a></figure>   Player Comments from Coach Kuhl & Young   [player_tooltip player_id='1560842' first='Ryan' last='Ascher']   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_198c40.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_198c40.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2947339" style="width:361px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   "Ryan is a 5'11 Guard from Wayzata. Ryan began the season on a minutes restriction as he returned from an ACL tear. But he came on strong in the second half of the season! He can score at all 3 levels & is able to defend quick PGs!"   "Ryan was unguardable at times. His first step so explosive. He finishes with both hands and has a nasty midrange game. "Get the ball to Ryan" in transition usually worked for someone to get a good look. Ryan is a physical defender who can guard 1-3 for us. Mental toughness off the charts."   "Ryan led us in free-throw percentage. But, in some ways, his story inspired the spirit of our team. He was returning from an ACL tear, and the emotion and spiritual aspects of his recovery story really resonated with the boys."   [player_tooltip player_id='2436921' first='Jairus' last='Appleton']   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_deb7ad.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_deb7ad.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2947341" style="width:371px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   "Jairus is a 6'0 PG from Wayzata. Jairus is an ELITE on-ball defender & has infectious energy. His combo of quickness & strength allows him to lock down multiple positions. He also improved a ton as a playmaker as the season went along!"   "Jairus is so fun to coach. He is everywhere defensively. Not sure I have ever coached a better on-ball defender. He locked down college-offer kids in July. Improved game management and understanding of true PG play as the season went along. Improved outside shot confidence and use of left hand. GREAT teammate and great/infectious energy."   "Jairus didn't lead us in any statistical category (though he was VERY close in assists), but he was an absolute game changer with his on-ball defense. I would argue that no one is better than Jairus as an on-ball defender. When you combine that with the growth he showed as a lead guard, I can't imagine that a JUCO wouldn't benefit greatly from having Jairus (even if he doesn't ever get off the bench for his STACKED Wayzata team)."   [player_tooltip player_id='1874905' first='Konnor' last='Young']   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_c1b1e5.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_c1b1e5.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2947342" style="width:381px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   "Konnor is a 5'9 Guard from Coon Rapids. Konnor is a shooter! But Konnor was also the best screener on our team. Konnor really understands off-ball spacing & movement at a high level, & plays with good pace & tempo!"   "Konnor got better each tournament. He set so, so, so many screens for his teammates. Konnor ever stops moving on offense, but it isn't just moving for the sake of moving. He really understands spacing and off-ball movement. Konnor is obviously undersized, but he is a tough, physical and scrappy defender. Konnor takes charges and rakes bigs when they put the ball down. Shot 39.6% from 3 in July (21/53)."   "Konnor didn't lead our team in any statistical category, but we were very often a better team when he was on the floor despite his size. He understood spacing, pace, and off-ball movement better than anyone else, and he was also almost always in the right spot defensively. While we didn't typically close games with him, we always felt very confident when Konnor was on the floor vs the opponents' reserves. Konnor contributed to our team culture with a “never back down” attitude that rubbed off on the entire group."   [player_tooltip player_id='2462338' first='Lane' last='Pettis']   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_d1ad97.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_d1ad97.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2947348" style="width:393px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   "Lane is a 5'10" Guard from Big Lake. Lane is a lethal shooter with deep range! Lane was our best 3-point shooter percentage-wise. Lane also doesn't turn the ball over very much. He grew throughout the season in his understanding of our style of play & shot selection! Unfortunately, he injured his ankle and missed our last couple of tournaments."   "Lane has a solid work ethic. He tries to win every drill. Going downhill left, he is tough to stop. Finishes at the rim and has a nasty midrange pull-up. Shoots the 3 at a high clip and has a quick release. Great pace in transition. Improved screener and defender."   [player_tooltip player_id='2825707' first='Joseph' last='Couwenhoven']   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_83beb7.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_83beb7.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2947364" style="width:416px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   "Joe is a 6'4 Wing from Chisago Lakes. Joe was our most talented scorer & has great length, athleticism, and upside. He scores from all over but is deadly in transition! This was his 1st year playing AAU, so he has tons of room to grow!"   "Joe has an unrivaled passion for his craft. Joe goes to practice to work and improve. Joe is an absolute nightmare in transition. Joe drastically improved his footwork at the rim to play off two feet and finish on balance as the season progressed. Joe is a reliable shooter who can get really hot, he gets to the FT-line a ton, and competes so hard…all the time. He is a joy to coach."   "Joe was our team leader in points and steals, but he was also the spiritual/emotional leader of this team. No one has more passion than Joe and I attribute a huge part of our great record in close games to Joe's passion and competitiveness. He simply knew when it was time to “win” and he wasn't going to allow a different outcome!"   [player_tooltip player_id='2825710' first='Avandre' last='Brandt']   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_0c711e.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_0c711e.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2947366" style="width:423px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   "Avandre is a 6'4 wing from Staples-Motley who is an incredible athlete w/ great length, enabling him to make plays very few players can make. Avandre is focused on continuing to improve his basketball IQ & decision making!"   "Avandre is a highlight tape in transition. His length and athleticism alters shots defensively, his speed and quickness gets him to the rim vs taller players. Avandre is developing his outside shot to take advantage of closeouts and he improved throughout the season with his half-court offensive IQ in regards to when to attack, shoot, or one more pass."   "Avandre was our team leader in blocks and dunks!! He gave us the most highlights of anyone and the stretches of games when he was hitting shots really raised our level of play to a level we couldn't otherwise reach."   [player_tooltip player_id='2825709' first='Eli' last='Rutten']   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_d4506f.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_d4506f.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2947367" style="width:458px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   "Simply put, Eli was our best player. I don't know which coach wouldn't love to have Eli. He is ideal in every way. Eli is a 6'2 do-everything Guard from Staples-Motley, who contributes in all stat categories. Eli has a very well-rounded game with virtually no weaknesses. He "wins the day" each day & loves to be coached! His statistics in July were ABSOLUTELY INSANE! (17.3 ppg on over 50% shooting from 3)."   "Eli is a college player with a bullet! He is great coming off screens into hop-3's. He improved rim attack, allowing him to get to the FT more by the end of the year. Eli is an underrated defender who guarded 1-4 for us. He has the mindset of a college player!!! Work ethic, classroom, court, teammate, all A+."   "Eli was our team leader in: FG%, 3pt%, Points Created, TO Ratio, Points per FGA. He was also the guy who everyone relied on to consistently be our best player and to lead us."   [player_tooltip player_id='1560879' first='Jackson' last='Boll']   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_0b39a4.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_0b39a4.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2947372" style="width:458px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   "Dennis Rodman—I mean, [player_tooltip player_id='1560879' first='Jackson' last='Boll']—is a 6'4 rebounding machine. He's the best rebounder I ever coached. He is consistently the hardest worker on the floor, has an improving set shot from 3, and & has an improving post game! There isn't any coach in the world who would absolutely love to have [player_tooltip player_id='1560879' first='Jackson' last='Boll'] on their team!"   "Jackson has an unreal work ethic. Every shot is his rebound—every time. Jackson improved his post-up capabilities as the season progressed, and he is a very solid passer out of the high post with good court vision. Jackson is one of the most coachable kids you will ever find."   "Jackson was our team leader in rebounding and effort! I have never coached a better rebounder, nor have I coached someone who works harder than [player_tooltip player_id='1560879' first='Jackson' last='Boll']!"   [player_tooltip player_id='1560742' first='Amani' last='Kuhl']   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_61e04d.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_61e04d.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2947411" style="width:463px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   "Amani is a 6'3 Point Forward from Elk River. Amani is the ultimate glue guy & teammate. He connects the dots better than anyone I have seen. He has a tremendously high IQ, guards multiple positions, is extremely versatile, plays within the system on both ends of the court, shoots a solid percentage, and takes care of the ball better than pretty much anyone you will find. He loves to create for teammates and is absolutely tremendous at initiating the offense in a manner where we always start each possession with an advantage."   "Amani is a crazy high-IQ player. He has a tremendously calming presence, which was absolutely critical to our success in close games. Guys just got him the ball, he organized us, and everyone relaxed because they knew we would have a good offensive possession if the ball was in Amani's hands. Amani had the highest +/- on the team for a reason. Amani attacks the paint, looking to find shooters and to create an advantage to begin the offensive possession rather than shooting difficult 8-foot floaters. Amani has solid footwork, is a knockdown shooter on open 3s, and DOES NOT turn the ball over. Amani was also one of our two primary defenders and did a tremendous job against our opponents' scoring wings."   "Amani was our team leader in: assists, fewest turnovers, assist/TO ratio, true shooting percentage and was one of our 2 top defenders. Amani contributed to our team culture with his calming presence, which was a huge reason we were so successful in close games."   Team Stats   Team Statistics: 18-18 record; .430 FG%; .353 3pt%; .663 FT%; 30.9 Reb per game; 14.8 Ast per game; 6.3 Stl per game; 3.1 Blk per game; 14.5 TO per game; 58.6 ppg; our opponents averaged 58.1 ppg   Individual Stats   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_673e8a.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/image_673e8a.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2947415" /></a></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/QA.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/QA.jpg?w=865" alt="" class="wp-image-2511663" style="width:253px;height:auto" /></a></figure>   With Brian Kuhl   PHD: What are some of your best memories from off the court?   "One of my favorite things about AAU is bringing together 9-10 guys who are either “rivals” or do not know each other and creating a cohesive team of guys who enjoy each other. That takes some time, but the out-of-state tournaments with hotel stays are the best for creating those bonds, especially early in the season. So, I'd have to say that my favorite off-court memories are just seeing the boys bond, hang out together, and become friends, particularly watching them hang out together at the hotels at the out-of-state tournaments."   "For one of those tournaments, my bedroom was right next to the room in which all of the boys gathered to watch Duke vs. Houston in the Final Four. I'm not sure how many people on the same floor were able to sleep that night, but our boys had a blast watching that game together and arguing about each team and the players."   PHD: Can you tell us about a memorable play or game that sticks out to you?   "I would say that my favorite game was probably the 4th game at the Great Plains Alliance. We won in OT on a buzzer-beater by [player_tooltip player_id='2825709' first='Eli' last='Rutten']. But what set up the play was the huge contributions from other guys throughout the game that allowed me to draw up a play that I knew would give Eli space to create because of how they were guarding some of our other players, particularly [player_tooltip player_id='1874905' first='Konnor' last='Young'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1560742' first='Amani' last='Kuhl']. Eli delivered, the guys mobbed him, and we all celebrated because that win is the one that finally got us back to .500 after we were really bad early in the season."   "But my favorite stretch of the season is when we beat all three [program_tooltip program_id='2076001' first='Wear' last='Out the Net'] teams in the course of one week."   PHD: Who was your "go-to" player when you needed a basket?   "[player_tooltip player_id='2825709' first='Eli' last='Rutten']. If Eli isn't getting offers from every D3 school in Minnesota, then I really don't understand what they would be looking for. The kid is a tremendous player. Best shooter I have ever coached, but he is also an A+ kid. He is a high-IQ player and a great competitor. He plays QB for the football team, which made it all the way to the State Championship game last season. He is a proven leader, a proven winner, and a kid that every coach would absolutely love to coach."   "But we could draw up plays to either get Eli an open 3 or to give him space to create, and he could take advantage either way! If I were starting from scratch to build a team, [player_tooltip player_id='2825709' first='Eli' last='Rutten'] would be very high up my list as the guy I would like to build around because he is a great player, a great leader, the most coachable kid I have ever seen, and he will perform in the clutch when you need him."   "Are there better players in the state? Sure. But I would grab Eli and have him in my corner and go to battle against almost anyone."   "The fact that he is unranked by Prep Hoops is a travesty!! (Sorry, the rankings are well done, and I totally respect what Prep Hoops does, but this guy should be in there). [player_tooltip player_id='2825707' first='Joseph' last='Couwenhoven'], too."   PHD: Who was your most improved player?   "There were probably two, and for totally different reasons."   "[player_tooltip player_id='2825707' first='Joseph' last='Couwenhoven'] was our most improved. He came in with a TON of raw talent, but with very little basketball experience. This was his first ever season playing AAU and he really only started playing organized basketball in 9th grade. So there were lots of growing pains (and there still will be) with shot selection, decision making, turnovers, defensive lapses, etc. But very few kids care as much as Joe, and I'm not sure I have coached anyone with Joe's passion. Joe is also a bright kid. So that combination of things allowed him to begin to understand these concepts and to show steady and continued growth in these areas as the season went along. He still has lots of opportunities for growth in front of him, but Joe displayed that he understood the messaging and he started reflecting that in his play in the second half of the season."   "[player_tooltip player_id='1560742' first='Amani' last='Kuhl'] didn't improve so much physically as he rediscovered and regained his confidence, and his understanding of the value that he can bring to a team. As the stats show, he is not a big time scorer or a flashy player. But his extremely high IQ, nearly flawless decision making with the ball and his versatility and reliability defensively made him one of our most important players. He went from early in the season running away from the ball and running to the corner offensively because that is what he does in the winter season, to eventually demanding that teammates give him the ball so that he can organize and initiate our half court offense. His decision making with the ball is as good as anyone out there, and that is reflected in his off-the-charts assist/TO ratio. We because a much better team when he embraced the role of being our Point Forward. When that happened, we knew for certain that we were going to have a good half court possession each time and our offensive efficiency increased dramatically, even if Amani wasn't the one scoring the ball very often."   PHD: How did the team improve from the start of the season to the end?   "We were a bad team early in the season. Really bad. And it was painful at times. If you watched us, you would think that either (i) we were totally uncoached or (ii) maybe we are coached but we have a lot of guys who maybe have never played basketball before. That resulted in a 7 game losing streak early in the season. We had a 3-7 and 4-8 record, and we were losing to teams that, frankly, were not great. But we deserved to have that record."   "But our guys grew so much in their basketball IQ, decision making, cohesion, trust for each other, identifying and embracing roles. They also really bought into our offensive and defensive philosophies."   PHD: Who were a few of your hardest workers?   "No one on earth works harder than [player_tooltip player_id='1560879' first='Jackson' last='Boll']. He absolutely gives maximum effort on every play, every time, every game. He is the best rebounder I have ever seen, and 90% of that is because he believes that every ball is his and he goes after the ball harder than everyone else on the floor. He is so much fun to coach because every team needs a heartbeat and a motor, and Jackson does all of that without having to be asked to do it. I can't imagine that some UMAC or MIAC coach would love to have a guy who just gives absolutely everything he has, plays super physically, gets you extra possessions and doesn't care about having the ball. As a guy playing 10-12 minutes a game in college, I think he would be a huge asset for any D3 program and most NAIA programs, too."   PHD: Can you talk about a time when the team overcame adversity?   "Oh man, overcoming adversity was the name of the game for this group. First, we overcame a pretty dreadful 7 game losing streak early in the season to come together and become a really good team in the second half of the season."   "But our last 2 tournaments were the most adversity I have ever seen coaching basketball. We had more injuries than I have ever seen. Ultimately, we finished the last tournament WITH ONLY 3 HEALTHY PLAYERS!!!! That's right..6 of our 9 guys were out with injuries. So our last tournament we had “guest players” playing for us in every game. We played multiple games with only 5 players (including the guest players) and in the very last game we had only 3 of our players plus 2 guest players play the entire game. Yet we still were super competitive playing good competition in the last 2 tournaments. It was so fun to watch our guys just have a “next man up” mentality and to just continue to play no matter what was going on. We ultimately only went 2-2 in each of the last 2 tournaments. But we could have easily gone 0-4 in each tournament given the number of injuries we had. But the guys all valued the opportunity to compete and battle, and they were able to pull out some wins against some very good teams even though we were severely shorthanded."   PHD: Who was your top post player?   "We didn't really have a post scorer. But [player_tooltip player_id='1560879' first='Jackson' last='Boll'] manned the paint for us, and I wouldn't trade [player_tooltip player_id='1560879' first='Jackson' last='Boll'] for anything. He is extremely physical, fights with everything he has, and rebounds better than anyone I have ever seen. He does continue to improve his back to the basket game, but his game is more about winning the physicality inside, controlling the glass, getting second possessions, and making people feel it if they try to score at the rim. He isn't afraid to use his fouls!"   PHD: Were there any memorable buzzer-beaters, upsets, or clutch performances?   "[player_tooltip player_id='2825709' first='Eli' last='Rutten'] was on a different planet in July. He averaged 17.3 points on over 50% shooting from 3 in July. In our last tournament, he average 22.7 ppg and shot 15/23 from 3 (this was only 3 games because he wasn't able to make it to our Friday night game)."   "But, as described above, the 4th game at Great Plains Alliance was a buzzer-beater victory in OT, with Eli making the game-winner."   "Other than that, beating all 3 of the WOTN team in a week was a highlight of the season for us."   "We also had a triple OT game that we lost. That was one of the best games with which I have been involved, though we came out on the losing end when all was said and done. Still, [player_tooltip player_id='2825707' first='Joseph' last='Couwenhoven'] hit a crazy 3 at the buzzer to send that game to OT and [player_tooltip player_id='1560879' first='Jackson' last='Boll'] made a layup at the buzzer in OT to send the game to the second OT. That was probably the best game of the season, though not quite as fun at the end since we ended up losing."   PHD: What kind of identity did this team take on?   "This was my favorite team that I ever coached. It was far from the “best” team I ever coached, but it was my favorite."   "We were not very good at all at the beginning of the season. But we had 9 guys who just stuck with it and learned to really trust each other and appreciate what each player contributed to the team. I have never coached a team that really bought into each other as much as this team. They understood that not everyone needs to score 20 ppg to be a good player. We need defenders, ball handlers, high IQ players, scorers, rebounders, playmakers, shooters, etc. And they really valued the contributions that each player brought to the table. It brought me so much joy and pleasure to see a team click in this way, and our results on the court really showed it as well. We were 3-7 and 4-8 at one point and endured a 7 game losing streak early in the season, yet we managed to climb back and finish at .500 despite an insane number of injuries late in the season."   "Our identity became: (1) trusting and valuing each other, (2) understanding quality shots (paint touches with kick outs, extra passes, passing up good for great, etc.) and (3) defense. I am first and foremost a defensive coach and I cannot stand coaching a teach that is poor defensively. So we drilled defense a lot early in the season and our guys embraced it and went from an extremely undisciplined and out-of-position defensive team to a very good and fundamental defensive team in the second half of the season."   PHD: Who emerged as an unexpected contributor or breakout star?   "[player_tooltip player_id='2825709' first='Eli' last='Rutten'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2825707' first='Joseph' last='Couwenhoven'] are our two “stars” with the most college potential. Each should have absolutely massive senior seasons. [player_tooltip player_id='1560879' first='Jackson' last='Boll'] is as good of a rebounder at the high school level that you will ever see. But our team turned the corner when [player_tooltip player_id='1560742' first='Amani' last='Kuhl'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2436921' first='Jairus' last='Appleton'] both embraced defense AND running our offense."   "Amani is a natural point forward, which is a somewhat unnatural and underappreciated way to play basketball. But it really worked for us once he embraced that role. Amani and Jairus also ALWAYS guarded the opponent's best players and were fantastic defensively. Jairus would typically guard the point guard and Amani would guard the best scorer who was a 2, 3 or 4."   "Jairus's on-ball defense is the best I have ever coached. He single-handedly shuts down PNR actions. He gets over screens and still stays connected to the ball handler and then cuts off the ball handler. It is so much fun to coach a kid who takes so much pride in locking down the other team's playmaker. Plus, Jairus grew so much as a point guard throughout the season. He split duties with Amani, but he became more and more reliable as a lead guard as the season went along. Perhaps the single greatest performance of any player we had all season was the game Jairus had against WOTN Foley in the 4th game of our second-to-last tournament. WOTN Foley had a couple extra players from Fury that day, and Jairus absolutely gave them nightmares defensively. One of the player even texted me after the game and said that it was fun to play, but it would have been a lot more fun if Jairus wasn't guarding me. Jairus also told Amani before that game that they were going to sag off of him and make him shoot. Well, Jairus made two 3s and scored 18 points and was the best player on the floor in a dominant 68-54 win over the top WOTN team."   "As for Amani, the advanced stats speak for themselves. But when you combine that with being one of our two best defenders, he really became an invaluable asset to our team."   "We closed most games during the second half of the season with this lineup: [player_tooltip player_id='1560742' first='Amani' last='Kuhl'], [player_tooltip player_id='2825709' first='Eli' last='Rutten'], [player_tooltip player_id='2436921' first='Jairus' last='Appleton'], [player_tooltip player_id='2825707' first='Joseph' last='Couwenhoven'], [player_tooltip player_id='1560879' first='Jackson' last='Boll']."   "We were 8-2 in our last 10 games that were decided by 6 points or less and that was mostly because this group played so well together down the stretch of games, and Amani was floor general number 1 and Jairus was floor general number 2 for that group. And those two were always guarding the opponent's best players down the stretch as well."   "Things are tough for Jairus because he is at Wayzata, which has a lineup full of scholarship players, including multiple Power 5 college players."   "But there is no doubt in my mind that Jairus could be a great contributor for a JUCO program and some NAIA programs. Plus, he is a great kid who just wants to hoop. I hope someone gives him a chance even though he will likely never get much of an opportunity to play at Wayzata."   PHD: What lessons from this season go beyond basketball?   "At the end of the season, we had a team party at my house. The boys went out on the lake in our pontoon and had a great time. But we also had a team meeting after we ate dinner and I went around the room and told each boy individually how much I loved them and how them uniquely contributed to our team culture in a positive way."   "I received feedback from multiple parents about how the personal feedback to the boys really impacted them."   "I don't say this to toot my own horn, but I had a really great group of boys and they all added so much value to make us a “team”. So it is really hard to sing out one trait—they all had unique traits that I wouldn't trade for anything and that were all critical to allow us to mesh together and become the very good team that we became."   PHD: Any last comments?   "[player_tooltip player_id='1874905' first='Konnor' last='Young'] is small in stature. He has probably never played against any player smaller than him. But he backs down to no one and was a huge contributor to the “fearless” aspect of our team culture. He also shot 21/53 from deep in July in 10 games, which is 39.6%. That is a very good percentage at a volume of 5.3 attempts per game."   "One other story…[player_tooltip player_id='1560842' first='Ryan' last='Ascher'] tore his ACL in April 2024. He is one of my favorite stories because he fought his way back through that recovery to make his way onto the court for our season. Ryan had pretty strict minutes restrictions early in the season and then we often held him out of one of the games later in the season since he was still strengthening his knee. But what an honor it was to coach a kid who worked so hard to make it back and fought his way to become a strong contributor on our team. Unfortunately, Ryan also broke his finger about 3 minutes into our last game, so he didn't get the opportunity to end this season the way that he had hoped."   BEST OF LUCK TO ALL THE COMET PLAYERS IN THEIR SENIOR SEASON!!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/07/IMG_20200719_101143.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/07/IMG_20200719_101143.jpg?w=366" alt="" class="wp-image-1018616" /></a></figure>

The club season is in the books, which means it is time to look back and review the spring/summer. The team we are highlighting today was an active member of the Prep Hoops Circuit. They have ballers who deserve your attention, and we wish them luck in the future!