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BSM's Zierden Ready For Big Hoops Summer

Isaiah Zierden, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound guard, shined Tuesday in the Nike Peach Jam.

Isaiah Zierden, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound guard from , is one of the state’s top players in the Class of 2012. He showed Tuesday that he is also one of the best players in the country as he scored 31 points—including five three-pointers—to lead the Howard Pulley AAU program to a 94-79 win over CIA Bounce in the Nike Peach Jam in Augusta, S.C. 

The outstanding outside shooter has already attracted three scholarship offers and is drawing looks from several top programs. He is also working hard for a big senior season after seeing the Red Knights get  last year.

In the process, Zierden will be looking to up his scoring average for the third straight year. Two years ago, as a sophomore, he averaged 16.1 points per game for a Red Knights team that went 24-6 and lost in the state tournament quarterfinals to Grand Rapids. Last year, Zierden posted 18.8 points per game.

The senior has had a strong spring and summer with the Howard Pulley AAU program, leading them to a 7-8 mark in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League. Zierden and his teammates are playing in the prestigious Nike Peach Jam this week in front of college coaches from across the country. Last year, Zierden finished seventh in three-point percentage at the Peach Jam, making 42.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Zierden comes from a basketball family. His father, Don, is an assistant coach for the NBA’s Washington Wizards. He previously served as the head coach of the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA, and as an assistant with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons.

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St. Louis Park Patch recently caught up with the coach's son to chat about his summer and what's motivating him going into the next high school season:

St. Louis Park Patch: You have been getting ready for the big month of July. What types of things have you been working on to get ready to play in front of all the college coaches? 

Isaiah Zierden: I’ve been just working on my ballhandling. That has been a big thing. People are trying to pick up full court and pressure me and make me lose it. Off the dribble shooting. Pull up jump shots. I have been working with (former University of Minnesota player) Mitch Ohnstad at Wear Out the Net Academy.

St. Louis Park Patch: You have been playing in the Howard Pulley Pro-Am Summer League against college and pro players. Do you think that helps you to get ready for more physical play? 

Zierden: I think that it helps us from that physical standpoint and we have practices some days, so that helps us with our skill work. Now, we get both, playing in this Pro-Am, which is really good for us going against adults.      

St. Louis Park Patch: Your dad has been able to watch you play a lot more than normal, due to the NBA lockout. Is that something you like?

Zierden: It's always good because I don’t have my dad around most of the regular season, like in the winter time. He is coming back for the summer with the lockout, so that will be fun.    

St. Louis Park Patch: Does he end up telling you things, after the game, that you should work on? 

Zierden: I’ll look over there after a bad play and he will try to help me out that way, but after the game, it is not a fun car ride. I learn a lot, though. 

St. Louis Park Patch: Are there certain times when you know that you don’t want to look over at your dad during a game? 

Zierden: There are definitely times. During the game, I know that I can look over there, but after, I try to stay in the huddle and try to take as long as I can getting my shoes on. (Laughing)

St. Louis Park Patch: This is a big summer recruiting-wise for you. What is the latest you are hearing from schools right now? 

Zierden: I got some calls from Califronia, Creighton, Wofford and Manhattan. Maryland said that they want to come watch me at the Peach Jam. The schools want to come watch me play.   

St. Louis Park Patch: What offers do you have right now?  

Zierden: Manhattan, Wofford and Creighton. 

St. Louis Park Patch: You lost some key seniors from BSM like Myles Barnes and Evan Battle, and Kyle Washington is transferring to a prep school. What are the expectations for the Red Knights this season? 

Zierden: We are going to work hard when we first come together in November. I don’t expect anything other than going out there and doing our best and trying to win every game. I’m not going to say that we are going to win, but I’m not going to say that we are going to struggle. I am just going to go out there and help our team win. 

St. Louis Park Patch: BSM always seems to have a goal to make it to the state tournament. Last year, you were upset by Waconia in the section finals. Is that a motivating factor realizing that you came so close, but didn’t make it? 

Zierden: That is a big thing. I looked at the interviews that we saw coming out after the game, saying that they knew that they were going to beat us. I have that posted. I printed that out and I have that in my room and every morning, I wake up and look at that on my door. That just gives me motivation to go out there and do the best that I can and know that there are people out there who think that they are going to beat us. We have to go out and show them that we can beat them.

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