Recruiting Report: Kurt Ohlhues (2020)
***Photo courtesy of Shawn Gilson/MN Shotz*** Keeping positive momentum from one season to the next in the midst of change is hard at the high school athletics level. Eagan’s Kurt Ohlhues feels his team can stay steady after a…
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Continue Reading***Photo courtesy of Shawn Gilson/MN Shotz***
Keeping positive momentum from one season to the next in the midst of change is hard at the high school athletics level. Eagan’s Kurt Ohlhues feels his team can stay steady after a better year than expected in the South Suburban and Section 3AAAA.
“I believe we can make a run at sections if we keep working hard,” he said. “We all have been playing together for so many years that we don’t care who’s scoring, we just want to do whatever it takes to win.”
The Wildcats were 11-17 in 2018-19 and graduate three seniors, but retain big contributors in Ohlhues, Finn O’Malley and Cam House to carry scoring duties. Five different Eagan players return who scored at least 20 points in a game last season. That balanced attack along with a couple years of being tested in a historically tough conference could vault them into a higher spot in the standings.
Ohlhues scored 12 points per game as a junior and has good size at 6-3 playing both guard spots creating shots for himself. Playing grassroots with Fury Kallman has been another avenue to expand his skills. “Fury puts us in tough tournaments and it’s fun competing against the best teams in Minnesota and also some of the better teams from nearby states,” Ohlhues said. “Coach Kallman has always kept my confidence up if I’m having a bad game, telling me to keep looking for my shot.”
So with a standard set at Eagan for his senior year, the team co-captain role assigned to him and an expectation to produce in a number one option way, what has he found to improve upon in his game?
“I’ve been working on getting my three-point shot off quicker. Most of my points (last year) came off drives and I think if I’m able to get a quick three-point shot it’ll be even tougher for teams to guard me.
Our team next year is going to be even smaller than last, so I’m going to be in the weight room a lot this summer… I am going to be one of our tallest guys.”
Prep Hoops has seen Ohlhues’ ability to put together points in a hurry and rebound well at his position. Local college programs are observing the same. Ohlhues said he’s been in contact with most of the MIAC, some UMACs, NAIAs and other Midwest schools.
For now, he focuses on finishing strong with Fury and keeping the Wildcat momentum into the fall.