Recruiting Report: Kyler Kluge (2018)
Kyler Kluge went from an underclassmen producer to the Eagle veteran quickly. And he’s also a two sport recruited athlete at Eden Prairie.
Kluge is a fantastic football player and at Eden Prairie that often means you start basketball season later than others.
“Last winter started quick for me because I played on the football team that was in the state championship game,” Kluge said. “In that game I hurt my knee towards the end and it carried over into the basketball season. I learned the importance of rehab and recovery.
“Last year I also took on the point guard role. I realized the importance of getting others involved in the game first. Defensively I felt much stronger as the season progressed, I took that feeling into spring and AAU and I feel as strong and as fast as I ever been.”
Kulge scored 13.2 points per game balanced the lead guard duties of creating for Owen Chose and the young players, with scoring himself, and making sure those young players were where they needed to be.
Next year he wants to be that leader who also hits consistently from the perimeter and uses his physical strength to be a defensive menace.
“I would like to get into a shooting groove quicker than I did last year, and can always improve on rebounding and defense.”
Kyler is once against playing with the top Comets team.
“I am playing with the best players from their high schools,” Kluge said. “I have learned to be a team player and get others involved as a point guard because everybody can score.
“I also learned that you have to maintain a high intensity level at all times with AAU competition.”
Kluge is being recruited both for football and basketball. The bigger names are coming from the football side.
“I’ve been contacted mostly for football at Free Safety,” Kulge said. ‘The schools that have contacted me for football have been North Dakota, South Dakota State, Minnesota State-Mankato, Augustana, Southwest Minnesota State.
“In the next view weeks I am going to visit St. Cloud State and Winona State. And for basketball I have been contacted by Bemidji State, U of Mary, St. Johns, and I’ve taken a visit to St. Thomas.”
Kluge has a busy summer of balancing his sports. It’s football, basketball, and then start of football practice.
“My goal is to finish my final football camps in June strong, in transition to AAU in July for Comets.”
At EP it’s usually state in football, state in basketball, and if it didn’t happen something must have been off. They make it to state in both often and Kyler wants to again.
“For high school season the ultimate goal of going to state like my sophomore year.
“With that being said I am captain in football and basketball and it is an honor! So I have to be the best senior leader I can and help lead high school to state in both sports.”