Event preview: Hiawatha Valley-Three Rivers Showdown

Grant McGinnis December 13, 2019 @ 07:55 AM

Southeastern Minnesota is a hotbed of girls basketball having produced a large number of great players from multiple quality programs over the years. The latest crop of talent from the region will be on display this weekend at the Mayo Civic Center in downtown Rochester at the annual Hiawatha Valley League-Three Rivers Conference Showdown. This year’s event features seven girls games plus seven for the boys. Admission is just $7 for the entire day which is, in this era of basketball, is one of the bargains of the year.

Here’s the Saturday schedule along with a primer on some of trios, duos and individual players to look for.

TERRIFIC TRIOS TO WATCH

Dover-Eyota

Lindsey Field – The Versatile 5’11 senior earned all-conference honors last season. Recently committed to Waldorf.
Malia Nelson – 5’9 sophomore was all-conference as a freshman, averaging 12 points and 4 rebounds per game. She’s ranked #78 in the class.
Kylie Lacey – 5’11 junior plays three different positions and scores consistently from all of the them. Ranked #128 in the class, Lacey is effective inside and out.

Kasson-Mantorville

Avery Irish – 5’11 junior forward has deep range but the size to be effective inside, too. She’s averaging 17 points per game and the Ko-Mets are 5-1.
Aby Shubert – 5’7 freshman is one of the top distance shooters in the state regardless of class. A top-25 prospect among the 2023s, Shubert scored 29 last week against Zumbrota-Mazeppa.
Mya Suess – 6’0 junior forward is a terrific shot blocker and rebounder, but she can put the ball in the basket, as well. Suess averaged 10 and 10 last season.

Byron

Sacia Vanderpool – 6’3 post is one of Minnesota’s most improved players over the past 18 months. Ranked #44 in the junior class, Sacia posts up, shoots the three and is a disruptive force on defense.
Courtney Connelly – 5’6 senior guard is a streaky shooter who can light it up when she gets rolling. Courtney made 9 threes in a game last season and scored 31 points against Houston.
Rylie Schnell – The 5’9 sophomore guard, ranked #107 in the class of 2022, is now Byron’s primary ball-handler whose main responsibility is to get the ball to Vanderpool in the paint.

DYNAMIC DUOS

Plainview-Elgin-Millville

Macy Holtz – The 5’8 junior point guard is a high-skill threat who knows how to manage the game effectively. The 84th-ranked player in the 2021 class, Holtz recently reached the 1,000-point milestone.
Alyx Doughty – The 5’10 junior made her way into the Prep Girls Hoops prospect rankings in June thanks to her length, athleticism and all-around performance. She averaged 12 points per game last season.

Stewartville

Lily Welch –The veteran point guard has been a mainstay for Stewartville since 8th grade. The 5’9 senior averaged nearly 16 ppg last season and is a volleyball standout, as well.
Maia Peterson – The 5’9 track star is one of the quickest players in the state. Maia has evolved into a top-100 prospect who can handle the basketball and score in multiple ways.

4 MORE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ali Hunstad – Zumbrota-Mazeppa. The 6’0 senior forward, rated #42 in the 2020 class, is one of the state’s best in the paint. She recently signed with MSU-Mankato.
Joslyn Carlson – Goodhue. The 5’9 sophomore forward can be a force at both ends of the floor as she demonstrated at the state tournament. Joslyn is #71 in her class.
Brooke Sinning – Pine Island. The 5’8 senior guard has been a mainstay in the top 150. She’s a super competitive athlete to gets to the rim and finishes.
Lexi Smith – Southland. The 5’8 senior forward was all-conference in the Three Rivers. She plays every position for the Rebels and never stops hustling.

EVENT SCHEDULE