The 2017 Star Tribune girls' basketball All-Metro first team (left to right): Tori Andrew, Orono; RaeAnnah Johnson, St. Michael-Albertville; Metro Player of the Year Gabi Haack, Elk River; Temi Carda, Lakeville North; and Paige Bueckers, Hopkins. Star Tribune photo courtesy of Carlos Gonzalez • cgonzalez@startribune.com
The first-team selections share what drives them to compete.
School: Elk River | Year: Senior | Position: Guard
Metro Player of the Year. Led the metro in scoring at 26.1 ppg and helped the Elks to an undefeated record and their first state tournament appearance since 2006. Bradley coach Andrea Gorski says, “Gabi gives us versatility at the guard position as she is both a three-point threat and also strong enough to make plays at the basket. We are looking forward to her competitiveness and leadership having an immediate impact in our program."
Read more about Haack in a story by the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen.
School: Orono | Year: Senior | Position: Guard
One of the state’s purest shooters, averaging 21.3 points per game. The school’s all-time leading scorer shoots 49 percent from the floor and 81 percent from the free-throw line. “We would not be as successful without her,” Orono coach Lavesa Glover-Verhagen said. Will play at Yale next year.
School: Hopkins | Year: Freshman | Position: Guard
The Royals standout could wind up being the most coveted player in state history. Does a little bit of everything for coach Brian Cosgriff’s squad, averaging 20.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 4.5 steals per game. “Paige showed why she is a special player,” Cosgriff said.
School: St. Michael-Albertville | Year: Senior | Position: Guard
Iowa State recruit averaged 19.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.9 steals in her final season. “Definitely a team before me player,” Knights coach Kent Hamre said. “She got better every year because of her non-stop work ethic.” Finished her career with 1,730 points, most in school history.
School: Lakeville North | Year: Senior | Position: Guard
Notable for her speed. Not only scores and passes, but plays tenacious defense, too. “Temi may be one of the best defensive players we have ever recruited,” Creighton coach Jim Flanery said. “She was a multi-sport athlete in high school, who will continue to improve as she focuses on basketball.”
Most unusual pregame/practice ritual | Favorite individual basketball moment | Most famous basketball personality encountered | |
---|---|---|---|
Gabi Haack | For every game, I need to wear two pairs of socks. For the team, we do the Wigalo dance. | Breaking the school record (boys and girls) for most points in a single game, 45. | Zach Lavine. He was at the Maple Grove vs. Apple Valley boys game with Tyus Jones. I knew a girl who was there with his family and I asked if I could get a picture with Zach. |
Temi Carda | I put my stuff on in a certain order: Left sock, right sock, right ankle brace, left ankle brace, right knee pad, left knee pad, left shoe, right shoe. I also eat Sour Skittles before every game. | Scored the game-tying basket against Eastview to send the game to overtime. We won in OT. | Rachel Banham. I’ve known her since I was younger and she comes back to Lakeville [North] a lot. |
Tori Andrew | I eat an entire pack of mint Tic-Tacs before every game and keep the box after. | Breaking the all-time school scoring record on a deep three-pointer. | Walked behind Chandler Parsons once in an airport. He said “Hi.” |
RaeAnnah Johnson | I pray before every game on the bench before they call out starters. | reaking the school record for most points in a career for both boys and girls. | Saw LeBron James from a distance at a Cleveland Browns game. He was on the sidelines and I was the nosebleeds, but I saw him on the big screen. |
Paige Bueckers | I always make a left-hand layup and a right-hand layup before I go into the locker room. | Making a game-winning layup to win a game in AAU [basketball]. | Saw James Harden after a Timberwolves game. |
All polls on the MN Girls' Basketball site are for entertainment purposes only.
Andover, 5-7, sr. guard
“Surgical in her game management and can drill the deep water three,” DePaul coach Doug Bruno said. The Blue Demons recruit is Andover’s all-time career leader in scoring, assists and steals.
Edina, 6-3, sr. forward
“Extremely long and runs the floor very well. Annika is a great fit for our up-tempo style of play and will provide versatility to our post corps,” JR Payne, her future coach at Colorado, said.
Rosemount, 5-4, sr. guard
There probably isn’t a player in the state who meant more to her team than Olson. The point guard is the school’s all-time assists leader. Holds school single-game scoring mark with 39 points.
Eastview, 6-1, sr. guard
Kansas State recruit helped the Lightning to four consecutive Class 4A state tournament appearances, with a third, second and championship trophy in the first three.
Hopkins, 5-7, jr. guard
Left-hander catches teams off balance, “makes us better on both ends of the floor because she has bought into rounding out her game,” Hopkins coach Brian Cosgriff said.
Mikayla Hayes, Park Center, 6-2, sr. forward
Erica Hicks, Champlin Park, 5-7, jr. guard
Destinee Oberg, Holy Angels, 6-2, soph. forward
Lyndsey Robson, Apple Valley, 6-1, sr. guard
Tori Wortz, Hutchinson, 5-8, sr. guard
The all-metro teams and metro player of the year were chosen based on nominations from metro-area coaches, conversations with a panel of coaches and staff observations.