The Surge of Rochester Mayo's Mo Hammadelniel

The first game of the 17u summer I saw involved the D1 Minnesota Prospects. And in that game [player_tooltip player_id="957618" first="Mo" last="Hammadelniel"] made a statement. Hammadelniel has continued to make big statements with his improving game ever since. Hammadelniel proved himself to be a top 50 level prospect in the 2021 class this summer. He had a good junior year scoring three times a contest playing with/behind now Cincinnati Bearcats Gabe and [player_tooltip player_id="721826" first="Mason" last="Madsen"]. But this summer Mo exploded into one of the main scoring options for one of the summer’s top 17U teams. "I feel as though determination and perseverance have led to my boost in recruiting," Mo told Prep Hoops. "Playing in Rochester, everyone knows who you are. But I wanted to be in the conversation state-wide, and not just in Rochester. "I feel like, for me, I tried to take as many positives away from the time period that we were in. Using the time to really reflect on my game critically was something that I haven’t had as much time to do in past years. I still feel like there are areas that I can be better in, and that’s exciting for me. I don’t want to reach my ceiling, I want to keep getting better. Loving the process has become a cliché statement, but I really do love the process of getting better." When I first saw Mo playing with the D1 Minnesota Prospects, I wasn’t even sure who he was. He’s a player I had watched before but the way Mo was using his quickness and separation ability to get into shots, and how Hammadelniel appeared physically, he looked like a different player. A better player! So what is Hammadelniel doing on a daily basis to improve his game? "In terms of training and basketball, I have been working really hard. It’s been this way since middle school, but in quarantine specifically I saw a really luxurious opportunity to get ahead of competition. I knew that there would be people who were going to slack off in terms of getting better, and I was determined to not be one of them. I went back and critically watched almost every game from the season and came up with a list of my biggest weaknesses. "First off, I wanted to improve as an athlete, and so I found ways to do a lot of weight/explosive training around my house with things like a heavy backpack, water jugs, and a broom stick. Finally, I was able to connect with a teammate who had a weight room in his garage in about April, and we were in there at 8am Monday through Friday for about three months. "Fast forward to now, Coach Landrum has been generous getting me in the gym at 6:30am at our high school, then I get in the weight room after school, and then work out with David Norris, a trainer here in Rochester, around 8pm. This is what my schedule usually looks like day-to-day." That my friends is a packed schedule. And a worker that college coaches need to know about. Speaking of college coaches, who schools are talking to Mo? "The schools that I am being recruited by the heaviest right now are the University of Chicago and a lot of schools in the MIAC like Augsburg and Macalester," Hammadelniel said. "My coach and I are also hearing from Black Hills State, Minot State, Southwest Minnesota State, Winona State, and Concordia St. Paul. "With COVID, a lot of schools are unsure of their scholarship situations so it’s somewhat of a waiting game right now. I am feeling good about where everything is at, and I’m just staying open to all of the schools that call while maintaining a high work ethic."   <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14444946/5e81596ab5362c1084ce74ba" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>   Last year the Mayo Spartans went 22-6 and were set to play Lakeville South in the section final when the season was cancelled. The Madsens led the way and were obviously the team’s top players. But just because Mason and Gabe are now at college doesn’t mean this team is about to fall into the abyss. In fact, it’s my belief that Mayo will be a top four team in the Big Nine this winter. Why? In addition to Mo, Mayo also has seniors [player_tooltip player_id="774831" first="Michael" last="Sharp"] and [player_tooltip player_id="957222" first="Andre" last="Crockett"], two experienced seniors. Sharp scored 11 a game last year. Also, [player_tooltip player_id="958652" first="Makuei" last="Riek"] has the talent to have a breakout junior year. "Our team is looking sharp going into the season," Mo said. "We haven’t had a chance to work closely with our new coach quite yet, and so Fall League has been about building chemistry with the new guys and learning how to play off of each other. "I’ve been apart of the program since eighth grade, so I’ve been trying to be an extension of the coach on the court by leading by example and using mistakes as a point to teach as much as I can. [player_tooltip player_id="957222" first="Andre" last="Crockett"], Micheal Sharp, and I have been playing together since middle school, and [player_tooltip player_id="958652" first="Makuei" last="Riek"] has become a really nice player as well, so I think our team will come together really nicely." And what can Mo and this group accomplish? "My goals and expectations for the upcoming season are high. I hope to help my team maintain the title of being the best team in Rochester while competing for a Big Nine title. Last year, we didn’t get to play in the section championship, and that is a game that I am determined to reach this year. As long as we are determined to become the best team that we can be, I see all of these goals as extremely attainable." Based on the growth we’ve seen from Mo in the past five months I wouldn’t put anything past him.