The Minnesota Stars have a history of success, and Coach Joshua Hersch is confident that legacy will continue this summer.
“We’ve got six players back from last year, and we’ve added four new players,” Hersch said. “We’re excited about getting started, and we’re eager to get to the Deep South. We know we will be playing against top competition, and we’ll have a chance to see where we are as a team.”
The Stars will definitely be tested at the 2017 Deep South Classic, which will be held in Raleigh from April 20-23. The event, which will feature some of the finest travel teams in the nation, will be played at the Raleigh Convention Center. There will be 20 courts in the building, keeping the entire event under one roof in downtown Raleigh.
Among the standouts for the Stars in Raleigh will be Heaven Hamling (5-9, G, 2018), Claire Orth (5-9, G, 2018), Kristi Fett (6-5, P, 2018), Krystal Carlson (6-0, F, 2018) and Jaclyn Jarnot (5-11, W, 2018). Fett is rated as the No. 293 recruit in her class according to the All Star Girls Report.
“Heaven just became the all-time leading scorer at her high school as a junior,” Hersch said. “We call her our Pistol Pete because she sees the floor so well, and sometimes she’ll throw a behind the back pass on a fast break — not to show off, it’s just her style. Heaven also has great shooting range.
“Claire is an outstanding athlete who played an important role on her soccer team’s state championship. She has good strength and toughness, and she could play any of the perimeter positions. She is a good shooter out to the three-point line, and she is a very good defender.
“Kristi changes the game on the defensive end because of her ability to protect the rim. She is continually improving, and she has a tremendous upside. She also runs the floor very well.
“Krystal is a very versatile player who is a high post four. She can hit the three, and she is a great rebounder with a knack for finding the ball.
“Jaclyn is a pure scorer who is very athletic. She can score in a lot of different ways — three-pointers, posting up, mid-range ….”
While the group of returnees will spearhead the Stars’ charge, Hersch is expecting important contributions from his entire roster, which also includes Katey Brattland, Taylor Brown, Elizabeth Edinger, Kiara James and Autumn Mendez.