We talk a lot about height and length and athleticism when we evaluate basketball players. Those things are all important and not difficult to measure. What I am always more interested in, however, are the intangibles, which are a whole lot tougher to quantify. After all there is no measuring stick, no scale, no test yet devised to accurately gauge the one thing that matters most: how badly the player wants it. One thing I can tell you for sure is this: Nobody wants it more than Cambridge-Isanti guard Mikayla Aumer.
There are tons of great players in Minnesota, and dozens of them are putting in the hours necessary to get to the next level. Nobody earns a college basketball scholarship by hanging out at the beach and eating ice cream all summer. But if there is any player who is working harder to get the most out of her God-given talent than Aumer is I would love an introduction.
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Aumer has gone from just another face in the crowd to a player whose services are now in demand. She was offered a roster spot by both North Tartan and the Metro Stars and has opted to go with Coach Starks. The team’s roster includes such elite prospects as Amaya Battle, Taylor Woodson and Nunu Agara of Hopkins, so there will be plenty of college coaches watching Aumer do her thing on a much bigger stage.
What they’ll see is a smart basketball player who can handle the ball and score in a variety of ways. They will also see a quality shooter with plenty of range. How much has Aumer improved? “Tremendously!” she said. “Mentally, physically, my handles. Everything collectively in my game has gotten better. Even if I am having a bad day in scoring I am always trying to contribute in other ways, whether it’s defense, getting a big stop, trying to make the right play at both ends of the court. There’s so many things you can do to help your team win.”
Aumer did it all for the Fury this summer. She scored 504 points, 198 more than her next highest-scoring teammate. She led the team in blocks and steals and was second by a hair in rebounds and assists. She shot 31% from three, 41% from two, 71% at the free throw line and was a +54.
