Recruiting


ESPN UPDATED RANKINGS: Players with known Gopher Offers

2023:

Offered/In-state:

Tessa Johnson-
St. Michael/Albertville-5’11 Guard- ESPN Ranked #25 (out of 100)

2024:

Out of State Offers:

Allie Ziebell,
6’0 W, Neenah HS (WI) ESPN Ranked #5 (out of super 60)

Britt Prince, 5’11 G, Elkhorn North HS (NE) ESPN Ranked #10 (out of super 60)

Tahj Bloom, 6’3 F, Grayslake Community (IL) ESPN Ranked #38 (out of Top 60)

2025:

Offered/In-State

Aaliyah Crump,
Minnetonka- 6’1 Wing ESPN #13 (out of elite 25)

Out of State Offers:

ZaKiyah Johnson,
5’11 F/W, Sacred Heart Academy (KY) ESPN #2 (out of elite 25)

2026:

Out of State Offers:

Jenica Lewis,
5’8 G, Johnson HS, (IA) ESPN Watch List


** Tessa would be the highest rated recruit for Gophers Since Banham was #19 in the 2011 Top 100.
 



Gopher instagram account recently started following Ajok Madol from Canada and Dominika Paurova from the Czech Republic, looks like shes attending high school in Florida this year. With signing day a week away one of them would make sense if they decided they wanted another 2023 recruit.
 





To me she's a tall shooting guard. She seems to be quick, moves the ball between hands and shoots well, appears to be a decisive, good shooter at medium range if not more. I'm not a scout to assess players but I will say the speed in the videos looks faster than other tape we've seen of other players. No way to know about defensive things than the rebounding clips.

Reminds me a taller version of a well-regarded Minnesota point guard coming up the ranks who is sudden in action and will eventually rank in the top 100.

I found this quote on the internet:

"2023 Dominika Paurova (Lady Phoenix Elite): Already holding multiple Division I offers, Paurova is a skilled prospect with size. She plays like a guard with size, as she has a nice shot from multiple levels, plays smart on the court, making tremendous decisions and showing how crafty she can be on the floor. Get used to hearing her name."

Also this:

"#6 CZECH REPUBLIC
886

...they have such a talented core with Dominika Paurova and Petra Malikova in particular having been two of the most impressive performers in the competition so far."

Game by game stats at this link: https://www.proballers.com/basketball/player/239136/dominika-paurova/games

1667427940349.png
 

I like the rebound numbers and over 3 steals a game.
 



Looks like her shooting percentage by game is inconsistent but more often .43 to .500.

She missed most her 3's and doesn't look like a 3 shooter.

A shooting guard better shooting close at the basket but with better defenensive skills more of a small forward.
 

Looks like her shooting percentage by game is inconsistent but more often .43 to .500.

She missed most her 3's and doesn't look like a 3 shooter.

A shooting guard better shooting close at the basket but with better defenensive skills more of a small forward.
she is a SMALL FORWARD even says it in her bio.. she isn't a shooting guard.. she will be a stretch 3 or 4
 

... if I added that right her field goal shooting percentage over games was .411 - very good.

Shooting 3's stats not so good.

Update: A good shooter but not 3's, so not the classic shooting guard that shoots 3's. So maybe the SF that's more a shooter type -- a guard/SF type player. Roles these days are more and more blurred. Some SF's are more defensive and some practically a shooting guard. So I'll say a scorer.
 
Last edited:

Hard to know what to think at this point, other then the size and shooting form look good. Welcome aboard!

ETA: Was wondering if the Czech Republic was one of Whalen's overseas stops. Looked it up and sure enough she played 5 seasons there. Must assume that helped the recruiting one way or another.
 
Last edited:






... if I added that right her field goal shooting percentage over games was .411 - very good.

Shooting 3's stats not so good.

Update: A good shooter but not 3's, so not the classic shooting guard that shoots 3's. So maybe the SF that's more a shooter type -- a guard/SF type player. Roles these days are more and more blurred. Some SF's are more defensive and some practically a shooting guard. So I'll say a scorer.
She's shooting 3's from the international line which is deeper than the US high school line, correct?
 


2024 Gopher Commit Alyssa Wirth was at the Minnesota-vs-UWRF game last weekend.

The Altoona, Wisconsin Wirth is a hard-to-find "big" center/post prospect offered by D1 teams like Minnesota and Utah, a great signing for Minnesota.

This last weekend, "was there to see it."

 
Last edited:




I’m loving all these tall guards. These 3(4) will literally replace the 3 leaving. I’m assuming or hoping Oberg takes her covid year.
Klick for Cayton
Paurova for Gradwell
Dalan for Hammond

It’s a good class to go with the returners. And it sounds like Paurova may be a huge get. So I’m excited.
 

"Ajok Madol, a Grade 11 student from Regina, qualified for Canada’s national U17 team at the 2022 FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup, according to an announcement from Basketball Saskatchewan Inc." END QUOTE

This player Ajok Madol is puzzling. There is almost no video, and te stats do not stand out. But Madol made the U17 team so there's talent there. Someone made that assessment.

 

"Ajok Madol, a Grade 11 student from Regina, qualified for Canada’s national U17 team at the 2022 FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup, according to an announcement from Basketball Saskatchewan Inc." END QUOTE

This player Ajok Madol is puzzling. There is almost no video, and te stats do not stand out. But Madol made the U17 team so there's talent there. Someone made that assessment.

What stats? The U17 Canadian national team ones? If so Canada is loaded with talent, being on the team in itself is a big deal, she was also invited to the biosteel game as a underclassmen in Canada which is essentially an all american game for high schoolers there which is also a big deal. Just looked up the Canada u17 roster, Prosper is a 5 star recruit with offers from everyone, Fournier just released a top list and it has the usual powers Uconn South Carolina Stanford on it, Bostock committed to Maryland, Robinson-Michigan State, Bediako-Georgia Tech, Radocaj-Arizona State and Gibb has a ton of offers as well. So not putting up big numbers for that team shouldnt be a big surprise. Outside of the Gopher ig account following her do we even know if the Gophers are recruiting her?
 

What stats? The U17 Canadian national team ones? If so Canada is loaded with talent, being on the team in itself is a big deal, she was also invited to the biosteel game as a underclassmen in Canada which is essentially an all american game for high schoolers there which is also a big deal. Just looked up the Canada u17 roster, Prosper is a 5 star recruit with offers from everyone, Fournier just released a top list and it has the usual powers Uconn South Carolina Stanford on it, Bostock committed to Maryland, Robinson-Michigan State, Bediako-Georgia Tech, Radocaj-Arizona State and Gibb has a ton of offers as well. So not putting up big numbers for that team shouldnt be a big surprise. Outside of the Gopher ig account following her do we even know if the Gophers are recruiting her?

Thanks for that. You know a lot.

I was stumped.
 
Last edited:

For the record, Lindsay Whalen is by far the best recruiting era in the history of Minnesota basketball. I'm optimistic about what will unfold with the recruited talent. It starts with super talent Amaya Battle of Hopkins/Minnesota at the pivotal and demanding point guard position that helps direct the offense. The team hit a bump with the transfer portal this year but I think that is passed.

I really like the videos and other information we are seeing and hearing about this program. The program feels rock solid and pro level. The start of last year oddly seemed off, not sure why. This year is completely different.

I think of Mallory Heyer on the court, not flashy (yet) but solid, hard working, tall, on a destiny to something big after some growing this season. That's exactly what this program is like. It's solid and heading upward. Soon directed by uber talent Amaya Battle too.

1668001818572.png
 

Dominika Paurova plays for DME (Academy) National. On November 3, her team played Northwest Florida State College - the #2 college team in JUCO. In that game Paurova:

-Scored 22 points.
-Shot 9-12 in field goals (.750).
-Shot 3-3 in three-pointers (100%)
-Shot 1-1 free throws (100%)
-Made 3 steals

 






Top Bottom