5 incoming seniors who could really use a great July

July is the most important month of the AAU season. We’ve seen a lot of great stuff since spring and summer ball tipped off in late March. Plenty of players have made a nice impression, and 16 have made college commitments. But there are a whole lot of great prospects in Minnesota’s Class of 2020 who are still searching for the right post-high school opportunity. Play your best ball of the season in July on the biggest stages in front of the right coaches and your future will definitely look brighter. This is especially true for players searching for Division 1 opportunities. Of course that’s what pretty much everyone is searching for, but I’m talking about kids that are legit top-level players who could contribute in a solid program. All of these kids are a slam dunk for D2 ball, but their play in July might be enough to seal a D1 deal of some description. Here are 5 players who could really benefit from a great month listed in order of their Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2020 rankings. Molly Mogensen Molly Mogensen 5'7" | PG Farmington | 2020 State MN of Farmington and Fury 2020 UAA. (Photo courtesy of Sun Newspapers) #11 Molly Mogensen Molly Mogensen 5'7" | PG Farmington | 2020 State MN , Farmington (Minnesota Fury UAA) The feisty point guard offers a rare combination of strength, quickness and aggression at the 1. Molly really knows how to push the pace, scores a ton of baskets at the rim and excels in transition. She averaged more than 12 points per game at Farmington last year. Molly’s strength and quickness make her a very nice on-ball defender, too. At about 5’7 and stocky, Mogensen reminds me of a faster, quicker Sarah Kaminski, a 2016 graduate of Minnehaha Academy who has had a nice D1 career at George Mason University. That’s about the right level for Molly, too. **UPDATE** Molly Mogensen Molly Mogensen 5'7" | PG Farmington | 2020 State MN announced her commitment July 17 to Creighton University in Omaha.** #13 Abby Schulte Abby Schulte 5'10" | PG Maple Grove | 2020 State MN , Maple Grove, (Minnesota Stars Antl) Big guards are hard to find and at 5’10, with a solid frame, Schulte is a strong, athletic point guard who excels against top defenders. Abby is an intelligent player, who knows how to distribute the ball at a very high level. Schulte averaged 13 ppg at Maple Grove and collected a pile of assists along the way. She can score inside and out. Schulte isn’t fancy, and she won’t wow you with her speed, but she’s going to make some D1 coach very happy. She holds a couple of mid-major offers and will most likely have more by the end of the month. **UPDATE** Abby Schulte Abby Schulte 5'10" | PG Maple Grove | 2020 State MN announced her commitment July 3 to North Dakota State University in Fargo.** #17 Patience Williams Patience Williams 6'1" | C Benilde SM | 2020 State MN , Benilde-St. Margaret’s (North Tartan EYBL) Patience is long and wiry, much stronger than she looks and as athletic as they come. The 6’1 forward uses her length to great advantage. She has developed into a nice scorer, who averaged 11 ppg last winter after transferring to Benilde from Fridley. In past summers she was a focal point on offense for E1T1. This year she stepped up the level of competition significantly with North Tartan EYBL where she has become a more complete player while learning to compete against bigger, stronger opponents. Williams has overcome a lot of obstacles in life to get to this point and will do well in the right D1 situation. Lindsey Becher Lindsey Becher 6'1" | C Mounds View | 2020 State MN of Mounds View and North Tartan Elite. #23 Lindsey Becher Lindsey Becher 6'1" | C Mounds View | 2020 State MN , Mounds View, North Tartan Elite It’s hard to know exactly where Becher fits at the next level. She’s 6’1 and lean, knows how to leverage her length and strength against opponents of all shapes and sizes, and competes really hard. Playing in a rebuilding program at Mounds View, the versatile forward averaged 18 points per game last season (with a high of 36) in the tough Suburban East Conference, plus 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 4 blocks. Lindsey has nice footwork, is plenty mobile and offers a catalogue of offensive moves. Becher reminds me a lot of Armstrong forward , a 2019 graduate who is going to Bucknell. Time will tell if Becher gets an opportunity at that level. #37 Brynn Schwanz Brynn Schwanz 6'0" | PF Eastview | 2020 State MN , Eastview, Southern Minnesota Fury It was no easy task for Schwanz to step into the starting lineup for Eastview last winter having to fill some very big shoes following the graduation of star attraction to UW-Milwaukee. Given the success Eastview had, it’s obvious that Brynn did an amazing job. Schwanz averaged 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game but numbers don’t really tell her story. After returning from a serious knee injury, Brynn came back to play some outstanding basketball and contributed in so many subtle ways for the Lightning. She is a solid, all-around player who has length, athleticism and a nice touch around the basket. D2 programs will line up at the door for Brynn’s services but in our opinion she deserves a shot at the D1 level. Top photo: Abby Schulte Abby Schulte 5'10" | PG Maple Grove | 2020 State MN of Maple Grove and Minnesota Stars Antl is a big, intelligent point guard. (Photo courtesy of StarTribune)