Brock Bertram, a 6-11 sophomore center from Apple Valley (MN) High, started last season for the state champion Eagles.
Brock Bertram, a 6-11 sophomore center from Apple Valley (MN) High, started last season for the state champion Eagles. Bertram had a strong spring and summer for the D1 Minnesota 15-and-under AAU program and has started to attract recruiting interest.
Bertram attended the Minnesota Golden Gophers’ scrimmage last week and talked to Gopher Hole about his early recruitment.
Gopher Hole: You were at the Minnesota Gopher scrimmage last week. What was that like?
Brock Bertram: It was a cool experience. After the game, we met all the players and coaches. Went down and checked out the locker room. It was a cool time.
Gopher Hole: I know that you had not heard a lot from them. Is this the start of starting to hear from them a little bit more now?
Brock Bertram: Hopefully, this is the start of something good.
Gopher Hole: The Gophers are expected to be more up-tempo this season. Did you get a chance to see that and maybe see how you could fit in that style?
Brock Bertram: I definitely saw that the bigs ran up and down the court, all the time. They have a really fast tempo.
Gopher Hole: Is that something that you see yourself being?
Brock Bertram: Yes. I could see that I could run the court pretty well.
Gopher Hole: What would it mean to maybe play for the home state school?
Brock Bertram: It would be great, just playing in front of your friends and family. That would mean a lot. I have grown up liking Minnesota, so I think that I would like that.
Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to talk to any of the coaches?
Brock Bertram: I talked to Coach Johnson and Pitino when I went down there. They seemed pretty good.
Gopher Hole: You were at the Wisconsin football game the other weekend. What was that experience like?
Brock Bertram: It was a pretty good experience. It was fun. I like the coaches. The school is pretty cool.
Gopher Hole: Have you had a chance to do anything else like that this fall and go to any football games?
Brock Bertram: This was my first one at Wisconsin.
Gopher Hole: What things are you really working on to continue to improve yourself as a player and get ready for a big sophomore season?
Brock Bertram: I have been hitting the weight room really hard. I have been trying to get faster. Get more athletic, which I think will help me during the season.
Gopher Hole: It looks like you have gotten a little bit bigger. What are you up to right now?
Brock Bertram: I would say 6-11, 245-250.
Gopher Hole: Obviously, you have very high expectations at Apple Valley as the defending state champion. What are you doing to make sure that you get back to the championship game?
Brock Bertram: I am going to try to be more of a leader. Help out the new guys who are coming out and I think that we are going to be a better team than last year.
Gopher Hole: What other schools are you starting to hear from? I know that is still so early being only a sophomore.
Brock Bertram: I have heard from Florida State, Texas, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, California and Creighton.