Buffalo Men’s Basketball 2016-17 Previews: Brock Bertram

We followed his recruitment closer than anyone in a while. He’s the “Big Apple,” a serious body down low from Apple Valley, Minnesota.

The Basics

Number: 41

Year: Freshman

Position: Center

Hometown: Apple Valley, MN

Height and Weight: 6-11, 250

New Guy?

Yes

Before UB

Before a senior year that saw him among the Minnesota Mr. Basketball finalists, Bertram was named Second Team All-State by the Minnesota Associated Press in 2015 and was a consensus three-star recruit. He benefited from playing with a pair of bigtime teammates at Apple Valley High School and the Howard Pulley AAU team in Gary Trent, Jr. and Tre Jones, brother of current Minnesota Timberwolves and former Duke point guard Tyus Jones, but averaged 13 points a game in his own right as a junior and senior. The Eagles won state titles in 2013 and 2015 with Bertram in the lineup.

Further Reading and Viewing:

Bull Run: Three-star Minnesota Center Brock Bertram commits to Buffalo

Apple Valley Holds Off Champlin Park For 4A Boys State Title " CBS Minnesota

Brock Bertram finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Tre Jones scored 12 more to help Apple Valley hold off Champlin Park 64-61 and claim its second 4A boys state championship in the last three years on Saturday night.

Class 4A state basketball final centers around battle of the bigs - TwinCities.com

Apple Valley's Brock Bertram and Champlin Park's Theo John knew this day was coming. They sensed it last summer when they played together on an AAU club team. Saturday night, friends will be adversaries.

Granite City Classic: No Tyus? No problem

After losing perhaps the greatest point guard in state history, Apple Valley seems to have landed on its feet.

2016-17 Outlook

As high as I am on Bertram, I think the frontcourt is pretty deep this year. Raheem Johnson of course returns, if he can stay on the court, and Ikenna Smart developed quickly last year. We didn’t see a ton of minutes from Brock in Toronto this summer, and I’ll be interested to see what some time with UB’s Athletic Training department does for Bertram.