Top 250 Expo Report: 2020s & 2021s who raised their stock

If you want to know why events like the Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo matter, we present you with two excellent examples: <strong>Lexi Schermann</strong> and <strong>Adi Brown</strong>. Schermann is a 5’9 senior from Mayer Lutheran. Brown is a 5’11 junior at Lakeville South. Both have been under-the-radar prospects to this point but that changed at the Expo. Following their performances Oct. 5 in Burnsville, Schermann and Brown are among those participants who have raised their stock the most. Neither player is currently ranked in the Prep Girls Hoops 150 but that will likely change when the rankings are updated later this month. Did we miss the boat on Lexi and Adi, or did they just improve a whole heckuva lot over the past few months? I’d say it’s a bit of both. Here’s what we know now. <strong>Lexi Schermann, 5’9 guard, 2020, Mayer Lutheran</strong> Schermann is a nice athlete who has excellent knowledge of the game and is equally adept in a guard role or on the wing. She can also post-up and shoots the 3-ball with the best of them.  The Minnesota Comets guard handles the ball well, is a very good spot-up outside shooter and has a quick release. Lexi can also beat most defenders off the dribble, is good in the open court in transition and knows how to push the pace and attack the basket. Schermann is an aggressive defender who uses her length to get deflections and disrupt the offense. She is also a great leader with an unquestioned work ethic. Did we mention she led her team in scoring and was an all-conference selection? The thing coaches seem to like the best about Lexi though is her willingness to grind it out in the paint against bigger, stronger players, fighting for every inch to grab the rebound. You can’t teach that kind of grit and tenacity which will serve her well at the next level. Schermann is physical at both ends of the floor and is a good communicator who excels in the classroom, as well. Schermann is also a key piece for the Crusaders volleyball team which I’m told is currently ranked 1st in the state in Class A. She played softball for the first time last season and expects to run track in the spring. Thank goodness she found a few hours on a Saturday to display her wares at the Top 250 Expo. In the long run it will likely prove to be time well spent. <strong>Adi Brown, 5’11 guard, 2021, Lakeville South</strong> Brown will be a very important piece this winter for Lakeville South. She just needs to figure out how important she really is. As is the case for many developing prospects, it can take some time to manufacture enough self-belief to realize one’s full potential. Then it clicks. I think that’s what we are seeing from Adi. We saw it at the Expo. She showed it again on Sunday in Fall League. And she’ll need many more repeat performances if South is to rebound from the loss of Anna Harvey (Lehigh). She averaged about 7 points per game for the Cougars last season, fourth-best on the team. This year she’ll either be in the starting lineup or first off the bench. Brown possesses a high basketball IQ and loves the game. She has put in a ton of work this year, both on the court and in the weight room, to get better. Adi does a great job sharing the basketball, but when the opportunity is there she has no hesitation in letting fly, connecting on almost 40 percent of her attempts from beyond the arc last season. Brown has a good nose for the ball and is a solid rebounder. She has good handles, is a quality passer and knows how to defend. With 5’11 length, and all of the aforementioned assets, it's clear that Brown has a future in college basketball. Did we mention she is one of the premier students in Lakeville South’s junior class? Here are three more players who raised their profile at the Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo. <strong>Bianca Benson, 5’5 guard, 2021, Totino-Grace</strong> Benson is a crafty guard from Totino-Grace who takes a measured, methodical approach to the game that relies more on brain power than athleticism. We saw it in summer ball in previous seasons with Crossfire and this year with Peter Long’s Minnesota Suns 2021 squad. We saw it again at the Expo where Benson demonstrated her ability to play at pace, move the ball with authority and make good decisions on the floor. <strong>Maya Scheitel-Taylor, 5’9 guard, 2020, Worthington</strong> Maya and her younger sister Brooklyn will be incredibly important in Worthington this winter as the Trojans attempt to rebound from a five-win season. Maya is an outstanding 3-point shooter with very nice form. She rebounds aggressively, defends hard and is a solid all-around contributor who can play a variety of roles. She’s got some length and demonstrated at the Top 250 Expo that knows how to use it to advantage at both ends of the floor. <strong>Elle Burke, 5’9 guard, 2021, Eden Prairie</strong> Elle has dealt with a number of injuries over the years which has hampered her ability to show what she can do on a sustained basis, and delayed her progression. What we saw at the Top 250 Expo was an intelligent player who understands the game and her role in it. The Minnesota Stars Zabel guard is also a terrific shooter who can fire it with the best of them. Eden Prairie is extremely deep which puts Elle on the JV squad for now but this is an athlete with a lot of upside. <span style="font-size: 10pt"><em>Top photo: Totino-Grace junior Bianca Benson (with the ball) was among those players who improved their stock at the PGH Top 250 Expo. (Photo by Chris Drake, Prep Girls Hoops)</em></span>