39 players make first cut for Miss Basketball runner-up

39 players make first cut for Miss Basketball runner-up

Grant McGinnis

Grant McGinnis January 27, 2020 @ 11:04 PM

The Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association released the names Monday of the 39 players who are vying for the honor of finishing second to

Paige Bueckers 5'11" | CG Hopkins | 2020 State MN as Miss Basketball for 2020. Well actually the committee, following the prescribed protocol for such things, did the right thing and announced the 40 players who made their ‘First Cut' list. If Bueckers isn't handed the award on the first weekend in April there will certainly be some ‘splainin' to do! Most of the names are not surprising, of course, but there are some prominent players missing who we had expected to be here. Most obvious would be forward Jayda Johnston 6'1" | PF Roseville | 2020 State MN of Roseville (Valparaiso), who is the #12 player in the Prep Girls Hoops class of 2020 rankings, and Patience Williams 6'1" | C Benilde SM | 2020 State MN of Benilde-St. Margaret's, who is ranked 18th. Also surprising in their absence are Sydney White 5'10" | CG Andover | 2020 State MN of Andover, Emma Kniefel 5'10" | SF Medford | 2020 State MN of Medford and Rylie Polomny 5'9" | CG Moorhead | 2020 State MN of Moorhead. Chances are they were never nominated by their high school coach, which is one of the requirements to make the list. The committee announced the 40 finalists in alphabetical order. We've rearranged them according to their current Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2020 prospect ranking because that's how we roll around here. There are 18 players who have made Division 1 commitments, 12 D2 signees, one NAIA, three junior college signees, two athletes who have committed to play a different sport, three who have yet to make an announcement about their college plans and one who has informed us that she isn't going to play a sport at the next level. And the nominees are...

Paige Bueckers 5'11" | CG Hopkins | 2020 State MN – Hopkins (UCONN)

Lauren Jensen 5'10" | CG Lakeville North | 2020 State MN – Lakeville North (Iowa)

Alyssa Ustby 6'2" | CG Rochester Lourdes | 2020 State MN – Rochester Lourdes (North Carolina)

Mackenzie Kramer

Mackenzie Kramer 5'9" | PG STMA | 2020 State MN – St. Michael-Albertville (Lehigh)

Mallory Brake 6'0" | SF Hastings | 2020 State MN – Hastings (Creighton) Liza Karlen 6'2" | PF Stillwater | 2020 State MN – Stillwater (Marquette)

Molly Mogensen 5'7" | PG Farmington | 2020 State MN – Farmington (Creighton) Nneka Obiazor 5'10" | PF Eden Prairie | 2020 State MN – Eden Prairie (Youngstown State) Emily Russo 5'11" | C New Prague | 2020 State MN – New Prague (MSU-Mankato) Abby Schulte 5'10" | PG Maple Grove | 2020 State MN – Maple Grove (North Dakota State) Zareia Chevre – Simley (Monmouth) TeeTee Danso 6'0" | PF Simley | 2020 State MN – Simley (Bradley) Lauren Frost 5'8" | CG Park Center | 2020 State MN – Park Center (Omaha) Zhane Thompson 5'7" | CG Burnsville | 2020 State MN – Burnsville (NIACC) Annika Stewart 6'3" | PF Wayzata | 2020 State MN – Wayzata (Nebraska) Natalie Mazurek 6'1" | PF Eden Prairie | 2020 State MN – Eden Prairie (South Dakota) Ava Hill 5'8" | CG Mesabi East | 2020 State MN – Mesabi East (track & field) Mia Curtis 5'8" | CG Minnehaha | 2020 State MN – Minnehaha Academy Taylor Janssen 6'1" | C Rosemount | 2020 State MN – Rosemount (Montana State) Sydney Stensgard 5'9" | CG Simley | 2020 State MN – Simley (Montana State) Lindsey Becher 6'1" | C Mounds View | 2020 State MN – Mounds View (Concordia-St. Paul) Anna Olson 6'2" | PF Monticello | 2020 State MN – Monticello (Vermont) Gus Boyer 5'10" | CG Waseca | 2020 State MN – Waseca (UM-Duluth) Taya Hakamaki 5'7" | CG Cromwell | 2020 State MN – Cromwell-Wright (UM-Duluth) Tori Peschel 5'9" | CG Sauk Centre | 2020 State MN – Sauk Centre (St. Cloud State) Annie Guentzel 5'11" | SF Lakeville South | 2020 State MN – Lakeville South (Wayne State) Paige Thompson 6'3" | PF Hawley | 2020 State MN – Hawley (MSU-Moorhead) Ella Grove 6'0" | CG Alexandria | 2020 State MN – Alexandria (Mary) Ella Janicki 5'6" | CG White Bear Lake | 2020 State MN – White Bear Lake (not playing) Karley Motschenbacher 5'9" | CG Park Christian | 2020 State MN – Park Christian (MSU-Moorhead) Kirstin Robbins 5'10" | CG Heritage | 2020 State MN – Heritage Christian Carley West 5'11" | PF Woodbury | 2020 State MN – Woodbury (Iowa Central) Halle Jansen 5'11" | PF Eden Valley-Watkins | 2020 State MN – Eden Valley-Watkins (volleyball) Sam Pogatchnik 5'9" | CG Proctor | 2020 State MN – Proctor (Bemidji State) Shaily Hakamaki 5'8" | CG Cromwell | 2020 State MN – Cromwell-Wright (UM-Duluth) Sarah Conlon 5'9" | PF St. Peter | 2020 State MN –St. Peter (SMSU) Nevaeh Moeschter 5'8" | CG Cretin-Derham Hall | 2020 State MN – Cretin-Derham Hall (Iowa Central) Kyli Nelson 5'8" | CG Red Wing | 2020 State MN – Red Wing (Mount Marty) Carla Meyer 5'7" | PG Totino-Grace | 2020 State MN – Totino-Grace Grace Kirk – Duluth Marshall (Brown)* The coaches' association will name the five finalists for Miss Basketball the week of the state high school tournament in mid-March. The winner will be announced during the MGBCA All-Star Game weekend April 3-4 in Northfield. *Grace Kirk was removed from the Prep Girls Hoops rankings at the request of her family. She was a top-20 player at the time and her stock was on the rise. Top photo: Kacie Borowicz Kacie Borowicz 5'10" | PG Roseau | 2019 State MN of Roseau was Minnesota's 2019 Miss Basketball. Kacie is having an excellent freshman year at the University of North Dakota. (Photo courtesy of UND)

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