Conference preview: Perusing the Northwest Suburban

There is no shortage of talent in the Northwest Suburban conference, with some traditionally strong programs residing in the neighborhood, including Maple Grove, Park Center, Centennial, Elk River and Champlin Park. Seven seniors from the conference have announced their college commitments to date: #10 <strong>Abby Schulte</strong> of Maple Grove (NDSU), #14 <strong>Lauren Frost</strong> of Park Center (Omaha), #26 <strong>Sydney White</strong> of Andover (Sioux Falls), #50 <strong>Aaliyah Ragulen</strong> of Park Center (NIACC), #63 <strong>Alaina Brenning</strong> of Rogers (Upper Iowa), #75 <strong>Kayla Cox</strong> of Park Center (NIACC), and #103 <strong>Abby Barschdorf</strong> of Elk River (Hamline). Among those players from the conference who have yet to make a college commitment are three top-10 prospects: Junior <strong>Adalia McKenzie</strong> of Park Center (#1), freshman <strong>Clara Glad</strong> of Rogers (#4), and sophomore <strong>Ellie Buzzelle</strong> of Rogers (#6). Other Division 1 prospects include junior <strong>Jordyn Lamker</strong> of Maple Grove (#13), juniors <strong>Jodi Anderson</strong> (#22) and <strong>Jenna Guyer</strong> (#28) of Centennial, junior <strong>T’Naye Griffin</strong> (#25) and freshman <strong>Aniyah Reuben</strong> (#23) of Park Center plus freshmen <strong>Savannah McGowan</strong> of  Armstrong (#11) and <strong>Katelyn Maciej</strong> of Rogers (#18). Apologies in advance if I have left someone out. That’s a lot of eliteness (is that even a word?) to keep track of. There are also some lesser-known and emerging talents in the Northwest Suburban that we are paying attention to. Here are nine of them you need to know. <strong>3 PLAYERS POISED FOR A BREAKOUT SEASON</strong> <strong>Macy Smith – junior guard, Spring Lake Park (#48)</strong> The uber-athletic guard is starting her fifth season of varsity basketball, but she’s doing it in a much different place. Smith was a mainstay at Maranatha since 7th grade, but she has returned home to Spring Lake Park where her speed, skill and style will add an exciting new dimension to the Panthers attack. Smith is more poised and mature than in the past and her potential is enormous. <strong>Hannah Herzig – sophomore guard, Centennial (#57)</strong> Hannah has the things you want in a basketball player. The 5’9 guard is long, athletic and smooth. She’s got great skills and ability to understand the game. Herzig does a little bit of everything, but her impact on the outcome often goes unrecognized. This is probably the year the world will learn just how much this talented player has to offer. <strong>Matlyn Jensen – junior forward, Rogers (#69)</strong> I swear every time I see Matlyn she looks taller than the time before. The tape measure allegedly says 74 inches now, plenty long to be successful at the highest levels of college basketball. When we first watched Jensen a few years back she was quite timid and was still growing into her body. Today Matlyn is a force inside who demands the ball on the glass, knows how to finish at the rim and isn’t shy about initiating contact. Like fine wine, Jensen is aging rather nicely. [caption id="attachment_118462" align="alignnone" width="400"] Olivia Anderson of Anoka[/caption] <strong>3 UNDER-APPRECIATED TALENTS</strong> <strong>Carla Meyer – senior guard, Totino-Grace (#105)</strong> Totino-Grace is not a program that garners a lot of headlines, and Carla Meyer is a point guard whose outstanding set of tools is often overlooked. Watch the 5’7 point guard go about her business for any length of time, however, and you’ll come away convinced this she is one of the smartest, most reliable floor leaders around. Deceptively quick, more athletic than you think and strong for her size, Meyer will be an excellent player this year and beyond. <strong>Olivia Anderson – junior guard, Anoka (#101)</strong> Olivia is a natural athlete with plenty of speed and solid all-around skills. The 5’7 combo guard is an excellent shooter with a really nice mid-range game. She gets to the hoop, too, courtesy of good lateral quickness that enables her to beat defenders one-on-one. Anderson is a great teammate who knows how to make everyone around her better. <strong>Ava Berg – sophomore guard, Elk River (#48)</strong> Some players just go about their business in ways that don’t draw much attention. Case in point: Ava Berg. The smooth guard is a quietly effective, very efficient, well-rounded player with excellent skills and a solid understanding of the game. She has length, can handle the ball and knows how to score, yet Ava is so often overlooked when it comes to discussion of the top prospects in the Class of 2022. <strong>3 SENIORS WHO’LL EXCEL AT THE NEXT LEVEL</strong> <strong>Izzy Quick – senior guard, Champlin Park (#57)</strong> I never get tired of watching Izzy play. She’s just so passionate, doing everything at 100 miles per hour. She runs the floor, handles the ball, scores at the rim and knocks down shots. Her biggest thing, though, is her defensive intensity. This kid plays with heart and she just keeps getting better. Quick is drawing plenty of college interest and is unlikely to disappoint. <strong>Joelle Talso – senior guard, Spring Lake Park (#87)</strong> You know the easiest way to describe Talso might be to copy and paste what I wrote above about Carla Meyer because the two players are quite similar. Joelle has been the backbone on which Spring Lake Park has rebuilt its program. The 5’7 combo guard is quick and athletic, has nice handles and the kind of presence on the court that all great point guards have. <strong>Kayla Bohr – senior forward, Blaine (#133)</strong> Bohr has much of what you want in a college basketball player. She’s tall, has a big frame and plenty of athleticism, and she loves to defend. She can also score the basketball. Kayla was the Bengals’ leading producer last season at 15 points per game. She had highs of 34 and 29 points, and was in double digits in 19 of 24 games. That’s impressive. Kayla is a classic late bloomer whose ball handling and ability to execute under pressure are much improved as is her IQ.