HVL-TRC Showdown report: Top 5 forwards

There were a lot of very nice players at the HVL-TRC Showdown in Rochester over the weekend but only a couple would be considered serious candidates for Division 1 basketball. The most obvious of those would be 6’4 junior <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/sacia-vanderpool/">Sacia Vanderpool</a> of Byron. Vanderpool turned in a dominant performance Saturday at Mayo Civic Center, putting up 25 points and pulling down a bushel of rebounds in the Bears’ 54-40 victory over Southland. It was one of the best performances at the event, which features teams from the Hiawatha Valley League against opponents from the Three Rivers Conference, both located in Southeastern Minnesota. It was typical of what we have seen from Vanderpool in recent months. Against undersized opponents – honestly I felt sorry for Southland sophomore Bailey Johnson who was giving away at least six inches and a whole lot of strength in the match-up – Vanderpool is unstoppable. Against top-level posts in AAU basketball she can now more than hold her own and, on some occasions, dominate her opponents. That is obviously appealing to the D1s. [caption id="attachment_126066" align="alignnone" width="300"] Junior Sacia Vanderpool of Byron[/caption] As you can see from the photos, Vanderpool has a big body. Sacia (pronounced ‘say-sha’) is long and strong, with a big frame and just the right proportions to play at a high level. Vanderpool has put in a tremendous amount of time on skill development – she makes the 160-mile round trip from Byron to Minneapolis on a regular basis – and it shows. She has gone from raw potential to serious candidate over the past two years. Vanderpool doesn’t need to be spectacular. She’s just solid, making smart plays and simple choices. She utilizes good footwork to leverage her superior size, employing simple post moves to score easy baskets off the glass and over the rim. That sounds a lot like 2019 Iowa graduate Megan Gustafson, who parlayed the same recipe into ESPN’s National Player of the Year award and a career in professional basketball. Vanderpool can also shoot the three, doing so on a regular basis with quality results. Learning from Lee Most players of Sacia’s size tend to be thrust into the spotlight early – often well before they are really ready for the realities of the role – but that was not the case for Vanderpool. That’s because she was playing behind 6’6 <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ayoka-lee/">Ayoka Lee</a> at Byron, who was a force of nature inside for the Bears. Lee, the #4 player in the Prep Girls Hoops class of 2018, is now excelling at Kansas State of the Big 12. Through the first nine games of her collegiate career, the redshirt freshman is averaging a double-double at 16 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Wildcats. That puts her 15th in the country among Division 1 rebounders. She was a good role model for Vanderpool. In fact, the first time we saw Sacia was at Hayfield nearly two years ago where she stepped into the lineup when Lee went down with an ankle injury. That was the opportunity Sacia needed, and the then-junior varsity player seized the moment. At the time she was about 6 feet tall and still finding her way in a rapidly-growing body. She wasn’t all that interested in physical contact and Vanderpool’s skills were not polished. But you could picture the possibilities. Vanderpool cracked the top 100 in the spring of 2018 at #92 in the class of 2021. By summer she had grown to 6’3 and her skill level had improved significantly. She was quicker and more aggressive and you could tell that Vanderpool’s confidence was on the rise. When the rankings were updated in the fall Sacia shot up the list, rising to #54. In the fall she started training with Tylor Coley in Minneapolis and this year played for his 2021 UVA squad that featured such top prospects as <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kendall-coley/">Kendall Coley</a>, <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/nora-francois/">Nora Francois</a>, <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/frankie-vascellaro/">Frankie Vascellaro</a> and <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/takara-mason/">Takara Mason</a>. Vanderpool’s true breakthrough came in a January encounter with <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/alyssa-ustby/">Alyssa Ustby</a> of Rochester Lourdes, the #3 prospect in the class of 2020 who has since signed with North Carolina. Sacia had 28 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks in that game. Shortly thereafter, Vanderpool recorded a rare triple-double against Houston with 21 points, 12 rebounds, 13 Blocks, 6 assists and a steal. Those 13 blocks broke the school record of 12 set by – you guessed it – <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ayoka-lee/">Ayoka Lee</a>. Vanderpool is currently ranked 44th in her class. Don’t be surprised in late January when the rankings are updated once again if Sacia makes a big move north. She’s earned it. Here are some other forwards who turned in strong performances at the HVL-TRC Showdown. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ali-hunstad/">Ali Hunstad</a> – senior forward, Zumbrota-Mazeppa (MSU-Mankato) Hunstad was an all-state honorable mention last season after averaging 18.8 points and 8.8 rebounds. That’s a lot of 8s and Ali has a lot to offer. Hunstad is just so smooth. She makes difficult plays look easy, and knows how to leverage her 6-foot frame to out-maneuver defenders on the regular. That’s what she did on Saturday in the Cougars’ 58-32 win over Fillmore Central, a game in which the Falcons had few answers for Ali. Hunstad, who played AAU ball for the Southern Minnesota Fury, is a quiet leader and the #42-ranked prospect in the senior class. She recently committed to MSU-Mankato. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/joslyn-carlson/">Joslyn Carlson</a> – sophomore forward, Goodhue Carlson is a solid all-around contributor who brings her best to the court on a regular basis for a very strong Goodhue program. She is also capable of dominating at both ends of the floor from time to time as she rather amply demonstrated at the state tournament with a 15-point performance in a big win over Menahga. The sophomore, who measures about 5’9, has a good-sized frame and a quality skillset. She’s currently averaging 8 points and 6 rebounds for the 6-1 Wildcats. Another Southern Minnesota Fury player, Carlson is ranked #71 in the class of 2022. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/avery-irish/">Avery Irish</a> – junior forward, Kasson-Mantorville Irish has become a consistent performer who can be counted on to be a major factor for the Ko-Mets on a nightly basis. The 5’11 junior, currently ranked in the top 125 in the 2021 class, has deep range but also the size to be effective inside. She’s what you would call crafty – perhaps deceptive is an accurate adjective, as well – and the all-conference athlete knows how to put the ball in the basket. Irish, another Southern Minnesota Fury player, had a 24-point game against Faribault this year, scored 22 versus Triton and is averaging better than 15 points per game. She’s also a solid rebounder, who is pulling down about 9 boards per game. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kylie-lacey/">Kylie Lacey</a> – junior forward, Dover-Eyota Lacey is versatile, consistent, intense and productive. Those assets were on full display Saturday against Stewartville just as they were all summer with Minnesota Nice and at the Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo in the fall. The 5’11 junior plays three different positions and scores regularly from all of them, averaging 14 points per game last season while using her physical presence and high motor to contribute in a variety of ways at both ends of the floor. She can handle the ball with either hand, scores consistently off the bounce and shoots it from distance. Currently ranked #128 in the class, Lacey is effective inside and out and continues to improve. Top photo: Byron junior Sacia Vanderpool turned in a dominant performance on Saturday in Rochester.