A Look Inside Our Class of 2019 Player Ranking Update

<p><strong>1. Destinee Oberg, Holy Angels, 6-2, post.</strong> I see that Oberg was named to the all-Minnnesota 1st string (5 girls) by <em>USA Today. </em>The locals are more skeptical but, seriously. Great hands. Check. Great feet. Check. High basketball IQ. Check. Upside? Over the moon. Sure, there’s room for improvement, but the building blocks are there. Remains at #1.</p> <p><strong>2. Kallie Theisen, Wayzata, 6-1, power forward. </strong>One of the state’s most aggressive and physical players in the post. It has paid off more in the summer so far than in the winter but, hey, you know, Hopkins. Don’t forget Wayzata led Hopkins by double digits at the half in their section final in March, and that’s because Theisen doesn’t back down from nobody. Remains at #2.</p> <p><strong>3. Masengo Mutanda, Robbinsdale Armstrong, 5-8, shooting guard.</strong> One of Minnesota’s quickest players and a sneaky scorer like, say, Ashley Bates. In short, she scored most of her 20+ ppg inside. If she can master the jump shot, she could be Ms. Basketball yet. Up from #4.</p> <p><strong>4. Sara Stapleton, Centennial, 6-3, post.</strong> There are those who call her Minnesota’s top 2019 post. She’s taller, certainly, than Oberg and maybe a little stronger. I don’t think she’s as quick or as intuitive and not as good as a scorer but, with her long arms and legs, she is a more intimidating presence in the lane on defense. Up from #6.</p> <p><strong>5. Tori Nelson, Henry Sibley, 6-0, forward, South Dakota State. </strong>“Do-it-all” often smacks of hyperbole but not here. Nelson is a fluid, natural athlete, both long and quick. She can score inside and out. And, while she may not look too strong, she is not afraid to mix it up inside as her 9 boards and 4 blocks attest. Up from #8.</p> <p><strong>6. McKenna Hofschild, Prior Lake, 5-3, point guard. </strong>Another of Minnesota’s quickest players and she’s an aggressive and creative playmaker who can hit the 3. Sometimes it looks like she’s playing by herself, and at 5-3 she can get abused on defense. Down from #5.</p> <p><strong>7. Elaina Jones, St. Paul Como, 6-1, power forward.</strong> One of the state’s most physical players. And, while her offensive game remains somewhat limited, she can be a beast on the pick ‘n roll. Moves up from #9.</p> <p><strong>8. Dlayla Chakolis, Hopkins, 5-8, forward.</strong> Chakolis is a bigger version of Ashley Bates, she scores almost exclusively inside against players much taller than she. Great at using her body to create the space for her inside offense, and also to crash the boards on both ends. She does all of that very, very well for a great team against great opposition. It’s just that, as with Bates, it’s hard to picture how her game translates to the next level. Down from #3.</p> <p><strong>9. Mimi Schrader, Wayzata, 5-9, point guard.</strong> Wayzata won 3 games in 2014. With all of the same players, except for 8th grade point guard Schrader, Wayzata won 13 in 2015 and 20 in 2016, then threw a big scare into Hopkins in 2017. A cool operator under pressure, high basketball IQ, makes great decisions, gives her teammates confidence—and, oh yeah, the ball in places where they can do something with it. Up from #10.</p> <p><strong>10. Hannah Purcell, Annandale, 6-0, wing.</strong> I always said Purcell was a power forward with the handles of a point guard. So, this past year she ended up playing the 1 for Annandale. Out of position, yes, but the best point guard Annandale could muster. Like Tori Nelson, she’s a bona fide do-it-all player. Moves down from #7.</p> <p>I’ve always said that there are a dozen or maybe a baker’s dozen (that would be 13) top ten players in this class. The next 5 are Kacie Borowicz (Roseau), Sara Scalia (Stillwater), Taylie Scott (Heritage), Carly Krsul (Armstrong) and Frannie Hottinger (Cretin).</p>