Gabe Kalscheur, a 6-foot-2, 189-pound senior guard from Minneapolis (MN) DeLaSalle, committed to Minnesota in July, joining two of his Howard Pulley AAU teammates. Kalscheur is ranked as the fourth best player in the Minnesota Class of 2018. He received a scholarship offer from Minnesota last summer.
Kalscheur averaged 18.1 points per game as junior for the Islanders, who finished 27-3, winning a state record sixth straight championship. He scored in double figures in all but one games, including a season-best 30 points versus Fridley. He shined in the postseason, averaging 19.5 points in the section playoffs and 20.3 points in the state tournament, including 20 points in the state tournament championship 72-44 win over Austin.
Kalscheur caught up with Gopher Hole recently to learn the latest on his college choice and upcoming season.
Gopher Hole: You committed to Minnesota a little while ago. What is the feeling like now that you have all that done?
Gabe Kalscheur: I feel really relieved. Just ready to keep working in the offseason and fall to stay focused on what lies ahead of me.
Gopher Hole: Had you ever planned on committing quite as early as you did?
Gabe Kalscheur: Not really, but I thought that it was time. I knew that it was time. That everything was coming down to an end. I talked to my parents and I knew it was the right fit.
Gopher Hole: You were at Tee Jones’ commitment party. He is not coming to Minnesota, but you have two guys that you have become really good friends with in Daniel Oturu and Jarvis Thomas and have the opportunity to play with them in AAU, but in college?
Gabe Kalscheur: It is going to be a lot of fun. I’m really good friends with both of them and we get along together and we get along with our families really well. It is too bad that we didn’t get Tre. I love Tre. I wish him the best of luck with everything coming up in college. I wish good luck with his family and their success on the way.
Gopher Hole: How important do you think it is for the Gophers or any state school to get the best players from the state like yourself, Daniel and Jarvis?
Gabe Kalscheur: Yes, it is really important, because if you want to be the best, you have to get the best and to get the best, you have to play against the best and I feel like me, Daniel and Jarvis have played against the best with each other, so I feel like if you get the best, we can compete with the best and can compete to get the title.
Gopher Hole: What do you think it is going to mean to you the first time you walk out the court of Williams Arena for your first real game?
Gabe Kalscheur: It is going to mean a lot, but I’ll know that I have got to play because I have to rep not just my city, but my name and my family name and rep why I belong on the court.
Gopher Hole: How big of a factor is it that (Minnesota assistant coach) Ben Johnson is there? Obviously, he is a DeLaSalle guy and you have known him for a long time. How big of a factor was that in your picking Minnesota?
Gabe Kalscheur: It was a pretty big factor. Ben and I are really close. We share a lot of stories. He talks to me on a daily basis, so we are really close.
Gopher Hole: Now you can focus on your senior season. Is it weird that you are finally a senior?
Gabe Kalscheur: Yes. It is crazy. It went by really quick. High school went by quick. You just have to enjoy every moment of free time you have with your friends and family, because you have to enjoy every part of it.
Gopher Hole: I talked to Jarvis Thomas and he said that you maybe don’t get another state title since you and Orono are in the same section. However, what would it mean to get another state title and win four in a row for yourself and the seventh straight for the school?
Gabe Kalscheur: It would mean a lot, especially since it is my last year and going out with a bang. I want to win every year that I have been at DeLaSalle, just like Jarvis (Johnson), who went to DeLaSalle. It would mean a lot to just end on a high note.
Gopher Hole: Since we talked last, you have a new head coach, Travis Bledsoe, who is another DeLaSalle guy. What is going to change or will much change at all?
Gabe Kalscheur: Not much will change. The defense will stay the same. We will still play man (to man defense). Lock-down man, like we have been playing. I feel like the offense will be a lot more loose. A lot more ball screens. Off the dribble. More of that stuff and I feel that will help me going into college
Gopher Hole: What things are you really working on to continue to improve yourself as a player?
Gabe Kalscheur: Like I said with the ball screens and coming off that, that will really help my game of penetrating or getting open or getting off my shot.
Gopher Hole: Have you given any thought of having that chemistry with your former Pulley teammates and how much do you think that will help you adjust to playing together in college?
Gabe Kalscheur: I have thought about that a lot. It will be a big impact knowing that Daniel, Jarvis and I have good chemistry.