Recruiting Report: Tyler Wahl (2019)
Lakeville North junior forward Tyler Wahl was the second leading rebounder and third leading scorer for the Panthers, and now moves into the light as the man guy.
How will Wahl do in the role of the Panthers top option? If his play with D1 Minnesota 16s is any indication he will do just fine. The D1 Minnesota 16u club was nationally ranked all year and the ranked number one in the state all season.
“The entire year as a whole went well,” Tyler said. “Our team started to blend really well at the end, but we were looking to win the gauntlet finale in Vegas. This I learned how tough you have to be and how locked in you have to be 100 percent of the time in order to stay with some of the best players.”
Wahl averaged 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds a game playing next top national 100 talent Nathan Reuvers last season (Reuvers averaged 26 and 12 and is now at Wisconsin). Wahl only took 5-6 shots a game last year but made the most of it shooting 56 percent from the field and 76 percent from the foul line.
Now he needs to improve his stroke from the perimeter.
“I’m working on consistently hitting outside jump shots and improving my handle,” Wahl said about his focus in the gym before practice starts this winter. The team is also looking to return to state yet again.
“We are always looking to make it out of our section, and after that I think we have the talent and coaching to end our season on a win,” Tyler said.
The vast majority of the Panther rotation from a year ago has graduated (five of the top six scorers). But Wahl, Tyler Lewko, Owen Blascziek, and Tommy Jensen make for a nice core of talent. Not to mention JV guard Cole Anderson, who will be a senior, was so good with the Minnesota Heat he earned an NAIA scholarship this off-season.
The talent for another great season is there for John Oxton’s Panthers and it starts with Tyler. Wahl is hearing from several college programs entering his junior season.
“I’m hearing the most from South Dakota, North Dakota, Drake, Northern Iowa, Denver, UW-Milwaukee, and Miami (OH).”
Northern Iowa was the most recent offer and Tyler has grown familiar with the program quickly.
“The Northern Iowa program itself is pretty good,” Wahl said. “They make it to the tournament a lot and the coaches are very friendly and I have a great relationship with all of them.”