A Look Inside Our Class of 2019 Player Ranking Update

<p><strong>Why Our Top 10 Players Are Our Top 10 Players</strong></p> <p><strong>1. Kallie Theisen, 6-1, PF, Wayzata and North Tartan (moves up from #2)</strong></p> <p>Yes, that is correct. Kallie Theisen is moving to Tartan for next summer. And, yes, Kallie Theisen is moving up from #2 to #1 in our rankings. She is now a 2-time summertime Player of the Year for her former club, Crossfire Elite. She gets to the rim against anybody and everybody, she finishes against contact, and she is a relentless defender and rebounder. She plays hard, she is physical, she has a great motor.</p> <p><strong>2. Destinee Oberg, 6-2, C, Holy Angels and Stars (moves down from #1)</strong></p> <p>Meanwhile, Oberg is coming off an injury-filled year that saw her sit out most of last summer. Still, a full recovery is anticipated. She is a great half-court player with super hands and feet and a great feel for the game.</p> <p><strong>3. Masengo Mutanda, 5-7, SG, Robbinsdale Armstrong and Tayler Hill (stays at #3)</strong></p> <p>Super quick and uses that quickness like Ashley Bates used to do, to get to the rim and finish before the defense knows where she’s gone. She, too, has an injury now —an ACL. This assumes a full recovery because her quickness really is the heart of her game.</p> <p><strong>4. Tori Nelson, 6-1, W, Sibley, Stars and South Dakota State (moves up from #5)</strong></p> <p>Does it all. Plays inside and out. Scores from anywhere, outstanding rebounder and shot-blocker. Has the mobility and skills to play the 3, maybe the 2.</p> <p><strong>5. Sara Stapleton, 6-3, C, Centennial and Stars (moves down from #4)</strong></p> <p>Big, intimidating presence in the lane, alters or blocks a ton of shots, hits the boards.</p> <p><strong>6. McKenna Hofschild, 5-3, PG, Prior Lake and Fury (stays at #6)</strong></p> <p>Size is the only issue. She is quick and fearless, a leader with great court vision and super basketball IQ. Can pop the 3 and also stop and pop from midrange.</p> <p><strong>7. Mimi Schrader, 5-9, PG, Wayzata and Suns (moves up from #9)</strong></p> <p>Has great skills and great court vision and makes good decisions with the basketball. Can shoot the 3 or score inside, but moving the ball and involving teammates is her forte.</p> <p><strong>8. Hannah Purcell, 6-0, W, Annandale and North Tartan (moves up from #10)</strong></p> <p>This might be too low. Hannah does it all. She has the size and strength of a 4 but the skills of a 1. Nobody her size handles it better, she can lead a fast break and push the pace. And she can score from anywhere on the court. Great motor.</p> <p><strong>9. Sara Scalia, 5-10, CG, Stillwater and North Tartan (moves up from #12)</strong></p> <p>Always a great shooter. But, her summer coach Melissa Guebert says its her mental game that has really improved over the past 6-12 months. Now, she’s exercising better shot selection, she’s seeing open teammates better, and just operating within the team concept better. That, and she seems also to have gotten a lot stronger.</p> <p><strong>10. Kacie Borowicz, 5-10, Roseau and Stars (moves up from #11)</strong></p> <p>Excellent point guard skills, including one of the prettiest jump shots in the state, in a 5-10 frame. More fast than quick, she plays aggressively and really looks to push the pace.</p> <p><strong>Dropped Out of Top 10</strong></p> <p><strong>11. Dlayla Chakolis, 5-8, PF, Hopkins and Stars (was #8)</strong></p> <p>Very effective 4 who gets to the rim and creates space for herself and finishes in traffic. But at 5-8 its hard to see how her inside skills are going to transfer at the next level.</p> <p><strong>15. Elaina Jones, 5-11, C-PF, ??? and Tayler Hill (was #7)</strong></p> <p>Strong, aggressive inside player, especially on the defensive end, but at 5-11 it’s hard to see how her skill set is going to translate at the next level. And, she kind of disappeared on Tayler Hill Elite this year as Ariyon Kelly and Aszha Michael were equally effective inside. Has announced that she is leaving St. Paul Como. We hear DeLaSalle but that’s not confirmed yet. And with the bigs that the Islanders already have on their roster, it will be something to see how the minutes get apportioned.  So there are some question marks, yet she remains an athletic and sometimes intimidating player inside.</p> <p><strong>Big Gainers</strong></p> <p><strong>1. Mykel Parham, 6-2, C, Apple Valley and North Tartan (moved from #28 to #13)</strong></p> <p>Went from injured to an outstanding rebounder off the Apple Valley bench last winter. This summer she finally got some real minutes and continued to play strong, aggressive ball on defense and on the boards. It also turns out that she is an outstanding passer out of the post, getting the ball to cutters with every different kind of pass. A go-to offensive move or two is the next frontier.</p> <p><strong>2. Joey Batt, 5-7, PG, New Ulm and Rise (moved from #36 to #24)</strong></p> <p>Had a great summer. A great floor leader with great handles, and she scores inside and out. And, great hustle, she’s always the first one on the floor for that loose ball. Whatever it takes.</p> <p><strong>3. Taytum Rhoades, 5-8, CG, Minnehaha and North Tartan (moves from #39 to #26)</strong></p> <p>Played up a year and was the floor leader for Tartan’s 11th Elites. Does not play the point at Minnehaha and so she was able to show some new wrinkles to her game. Mainly, that means she really pushed the pace from the 1 and showed decent handles. At the 2 she also gets downcourt fast in transition and on breakaways.</p> <p><strong>4. Katie Tornstrom, 5-9, CG, Caledonia and So Minn Fury (moves from #133 to #56)</strong></p> <p>Can really light it up from downtown. Not everybody loved the frequency with which she hoisted it up there, but she connected a pretty good percentage of the time.</p> <p><strong>5. Lindsey Olson, 5-10, CG, St. Louis Park and Suns (moves up from #169 to #71)</strong></p> <p>Had a terrific summer. Showed excellent skills in a solid frame. No obvious weaknesses.</p> <p><strong>6. Erin O’Brien, 6-2, C, Kimball and Comets (moved up from #110 to #81)</strong></p> <p>A solid big who is not afraid to get physical down low.</p> <p><strong>7. Kahlan Jester, 6-0, CG, Irondale and PREP (moved from #162 to #82)</strong></p> <p>Guard skills with nice length and good court awareness, and the mobility to play from baseline to baseline.</p> <p><strong>8. Kat Brown-Erdal, 5-8, SG, Jordan (moves from #171 to #101)</strong></p> <p>Athletic, can score from anywhere on the court.</p> <p><strong>9. Hannah DeMars, 5-10, W, Grand Rapids and Stars (moves from #41 to #31)</strong></p> <p>Grant calls her a Swiss Army knife. Whatever you need, she’s got it.</p> <p><strong>10. Makayla Johnson, 6-2, C, Champlin Park and North Tartan (moves from #77 to #52)</strong></p> <p>Solid rebounder and defender in the lane.</p>