2021 rankings update: It’s not always about the dramatic

Sometimes slow and steady wins the race. Although we love to focus on players who make a big leap up the Prep Girls Hoops prospect rankings, some athletes make incremental improvement over longer periods of time. That needs to be recognized. These are the kids who are putting in the work to develop their skills, earn their way into the varsity lineup and raise their status as prospects. In the Class of 2021 the poster child for this group has to be Natalie Holte. The 5’6 point guard from Shakopee first caught our attention about two years ago when she was playing on the Minnesota Stars team that was, at the time, arguably the third-best group in the AAU club. You could see then that she had potential. What we have seen since, however, is a steady progression of skill development. Last winter when she assumed the role of starting point guard on the Shakopee varsity, Holte proved that our faith in her was not misplaced. That trend continued in the summer. Over the last four 2021 rankings updates, Holte has risen from the #91 position up to 84th, 63rd, 56th and now into the top 50 at #47. Although we loved her athleticism and court intelligence back then, many people who watched Holte wondered out loud about her lack of size and whether or not she would be able to compete successfully with higher-caliber opponents. Now the conversation focuses on her floor leadership, the way she makes everyone around herself better and her steady, consistent level of performance. Today Holte is considered a solid college prospect – one who has the ability to compete successfully at the scholarship level. Holte is not alone in her progression. Here are several more players who have shown us that slow and steady is a progression worthy of note. All should be a major factor for their respective high schools when the season opens in three weeks. [caption id="attachment_109924" align="alignnone" width="400"] Sophie Haydon of Minnetonka (right)[/caption] #36 – Mia Huberty, 5’9 guard, Big Lake – Mia has had to prove the doubters wrong many times over. Her response has been to work, work, work and that has paid off. Over the past two years Huberty has gone from #82 to #67 to #49 to #42 to #36. That’s impressive. #45 – Caiya Wulf, 6’0 forward, Edina – I watched Caiya at Fall League a couple of weeks ago and was so impressed by her aggressiveness, confidence and ability to impact the game. Her hard work has paid off, too, as the Hornets forward has risen from 82nd to 62nd to 52nd to 45th. She’s going to do great things this year. #54 – Allie Murphy, 5’10 guard, Edina – Murphy is another one who has continued to get better. She puts in a ton of time in the gym honing her skills. You don’t develop an old-school jump shot like hers without breaking a sweat. After a bit of a rough patch last winter, Murphy continued to grind as she always has. Allie’s rankings progression has been from #83 to #68 to #66 to #54 to #50. #55 – Sophie Haydon, 6’1 forward, Minnetonka – Sometimes it just takes awhile for players to grow into their body as they say. When you are long and lanky like Haydon, that is particularly true. Over the past year we have seen Sophie evolve. Her skills have gotten better, her strength has grown and her willingness to get physical in the paint is up substantially. Haydon has gone from #109 to #91 to #69 to #55. [caption id="attachment_109926" align="alignleft" width="215"] Erika Lane of Brainerd[/caption] #56 – Erika Lane, 5’10 guard, Brainerd – It helps to get taller. It helps to be motivated. It helps to have the inspiration of a highly-acclaimed big sister. And this winter Erika hopes a move from Pequot Lakes to 4A competition in Brainerd will help, as well. Erika’s skill development is notable, and her physical growth has definitely been a factor. In January we had Lane ranked 87th in the Class of 2021 rankings. By the spring she had moved up to #73. Today, after a great summer and fall, Erika sits at #56. Climbing the ladder at the top of the list All of the players highlighted above have managed to work their way into the top 35-55 range, which is usually comprised of players who are on the D1/D2 bubble. The Northern Sun conference is full of these athletes. So, too, are the smaller Division 1 programs out East. But this pattern of incremental improvement also plays out nearer to the top. Although it is definitely more difficult to move up once you are already in the rarified air, it can happen. Look at Paige Kindseth of Farmington. It has taken some time but Paige’s continuous improvement, particularly against power conference-type opponents, has seen her stock rise in the eyes of D1 coaches. Over the past four rankings periods, dating back to the spring of 2018, Kindseth’s ranking has risen from #21 to #18 to #14 to #13 and now she is at #10. Frankie Vascellaro of Holy Angels is another top player who falls into this category. The 6’0 junior, who can play the 2, 3 or 4 positions depending on the circumstances, has gone from 31st to 25th to 20th to 19th. At this point one year ago, 5’10 wing Jodi Anderson of Centennial was ranked 57th in the 2021 class. Last winter she rose to #45. In the spring she was at #32. Today, with the fall update complete, Anderson is at #22. That’s impressive. Of course we would be remiss if we neglected to mention Lilli Mackley. The Hill-Murray junior, who was also highlighted in yesterday’s rankings story, has progressed from #60 to #50 to #45 to #31. One final thought. For the kids currently ranked outside of the top 100 there are some important lessons to be learned here. Rather than focusing on the frustration of not being included – I’m sure my email box will reflect this sentiment in the days ahead – it would be best to direct that energy into skill development, conditioning, and improving the value you bring to the table for your squad. Just ask Ivory Finley, the talented guard from Rosemount. She was #115 last winter, rose to #89 in the spring and is now ranked #53. Top photo: Point guard Natalie Holte of Shakopee has risen steadily in the rankings over the past couple of seasons. (Photos by Chris Drake, Prep Girls Hoops)