Basketball bond continues for CSB’s Findley and SCSU’s Gerads

AVON — Tatum Findley met Kylan Gerads in fourth grade when her family moved to Avon.

Being in a new school at Avon Elementary wasn’t an easy adjustment for Findley. But Gerads was there to help her out.

“Kylan was one of the first people I met,” Findley said. “She was funny and nice. That was so long ago, I can’t remember everything super well. But I know we bonded over basketball.”

Gerads joked that their fourth-grade teacher made her be Findley’s tour guide when she first arrived in Avon.

“Our teacher made me show her around — I had no choice,” Gerads said with a laugh. “We spent a lot of time together on (Middle Spunk Lake) growing up. We went tubing and spent all of our summer days on the lake. Tatum was nice and I was glad to have a new friend. And, it helped that we both loved basketball.”

A lot has changed since fourth grade. After a memorable four years playing for Albany High School — where they made four consecutive Class 2A state basketball tournament appearances together — the two friends are now playing college basketball on different area teams.

Findley, a 5-foot-9 wing, is already making an impact for the

College of St. Benedict.

Gerads, a 5-11 forward, is doing the same for St. Cloud State.

Through Monday, Jan. 13, Findley was averaging 8.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in 18.6 minutes per game for the Bennies (9-4), who are off to a 4-2 start in MIAC play.

“We knew Tatum was a winner when we first started recruiting her,” said longtime CSB head coach Mike Durbin. “I have so much respect for what (Albany head coach) Aaron Boyum has done there. Tatum was playing with two really good players in Alyssa (Sand) and Kylan. Still, she saw box-and-1’s when she had the ball in her hands. The high level she played at in high school translated well into our program.

“Tatum has high expectations for herself. She’s always looking for something to improve upon. That’s what makes coaching players like her so enjoyable.”

Gerads was averaging 6.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in 14 minutes per game for

the Huskies

through Jan. 13. St. Cloud State (6-4 NSIC, 9-6 overall) has been battling injuries to its post players, which has opened up more playing time for Gerads.

“Kylan is one of those players who always has high energy,” said SCSU head coach Lori Fish. “What I like about her the most is that she’s always aggressive. She gets a lot of rebounds and keeps plays alive. And, she can take the ball to the basket. And, for being undersized, she’s really effective on the block.”

Though Findley and Gerads are only 9 miles apart, it’s been tough to stay in touch during the busy basketball season.

“We stay in touch as much as we can,” Gerads said. “Staying close to home allows us to see each other a little bit.”

The Huskies and Bennies scrimmaged each other before the season began and the two friends were on the opposite team for the first time. Findley admitted that was a weird feeling.

“That scrimmage was challenging for us since we’re a Division III team playing a D-II team,” Findley said. “It was a good way to start the year to get a rhythm. But seeing Kylan on the other side was a little weird. We were really close and had been playing together (since elementary school).

“I miss playing with her, but I know we’re having success individually and that’s a good thing.”

Along with

center Alyssa Sand

and

point guard Savanna Pelzer

, Gerads and Findley were part of an Albany team that boasted four future college basketball players.

The 6-3 Sand is playing at Division I St. Thomas. The 5-4 Pelzer is playing at D-III Minnesota-Morris. The Huskies almost won a second Class 2A title in March 2024 during their four-year run, but fell to Maddyn Greenway’s Providence Academy team

81-78 in the championship game

at Williams Arena.

Albany had led by as many as 18 points in the second half before a foul call on Sand (her fourth of the game with 16:04 left) changed the trajectory of the game. The game is still talked about due to Greenway, who has since committed to playing at D-I Kentucky, leading the Lions to the comeback victory.

Though Gerads, Findley and their friends ended their high school careers with a disappointment, they are still proud of what they accomplished.

“Sometimes people bring that game up, but I’ve honestly forgotten about it and moved on,” Gerads said. “You can’t dwell on what happened in that one. I just know now we’re all really happy for each other.

“What is cool to look back on is how much success we had at Albany together. It gives me a really good feeling when I think about that. Sometimes I miss it, but I think we were all ready to move on, develop our games individually and try something different.”

Added Findley: “I think back on our high school days a lot. I think about how successful we were and how much fun it was playing together. We really played for each other. For a high school team, we were really talented and dangerous on both ends.”

Durbin coached Sand and Gerads with the Minnesota Comets (an AAU team) when they were high school freshmen. And, all four of those future college players attended his summer camp at CSB at one time or another. To be able to see all four playing college basketball now is rewarding for him.

“I’m such a fan of Kylan’s,” Durbin said. “When I coached her with the Comets — along with Alyssa — you could tell they were scholarship players. There was something special about that whole group. Kylan was one of the most relentless rebounders I’ve seen in 40 years of coaching. She never gives up on a ball. The sky is the limit for her with Lori at SCSU. I’m thrilled that Kylan and Tatum stayed so close to home so everybody can still watch them play.

“People recognize those names because of what they accomplished in high school.”

Like Durbin, Fish attended last year’s Class 2A state championship game and still thinks back on how close Albany was to beating Providence Academy. Even though the Huskies came up short, Fish thinks it’s astounding how tough the Huskies were to beat.

“Albany did all the little things well and that’s why they had success,” Fish said. “They just know how to win over there. Things didn’t bounce their way in that game, but talk about a competitive, heart-pumping game. It had everybody on the edge of their seats. That’s something they should always be proud of. That whole group — what careers they’re having.

“Tatum’s a solid player with really good skills who is going to do great things in the MIAC. She has a good feel for the game.”

Findley’s little sister, Lylah, is a 5-9 freshman playing for Boyum and

the Albany Huskies

this season. Her big sister still watches Albany play whenever she can. Findley admits it’s tough not being able to get on the court and play with her sister.

“I just missed out on that,” Findley said. “But, luckily, CSB isn’t too far away from Avon. I try and work out (with Lylah) when I go back home. I want to help her and the team succeed over there. She’s starting to get more of an opportunity — and she’s only a freshman.”

Gerads tracks how her big brother, Tysen, is

doing at Minnesota State-Moorhead

. Tysen Gerads, who helped guide the Albany boys to their

first state boys basketball championship in 2023

, is averaging 8.4 minutes per game off the bench for the Dragons.

“Tysen rubbed off on me a ton. We would always go shoot together in the gym growing up,” Gerads said. “My mom and Tatum’s dad were our youth coaches growing up. They might have had the biggest impact on the way we play. They developed our fundamentals and that helped us when we got to the varsity level. We both always had good parents and coaches. We were lucky.”

Findley couldn’t agree more.

“They developed our basketball IQ,” Findley said. “Our parents were great. I don’t know if we’d be here without them.”

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