2021 Point Guards from the State Tournament

The 2020 Nebraska state tournament is in the books, and it was a dandy.  Dominant performances, great games and competitive greatness were on display in every class. The 2020 class will go down as one of, if not the, deepest and best classes in the history of Nebraska girls hoops.  Nebraska is lucky to have one or two Division I players each year; the 2020 class produced at least seven; Jim Flanery of Creighton nabbed commitments from [player_tooltip player_id="94287" first="Morgan" last="Maly"] of Crete and [player_tooltip player_id="94286" first="Jayme" last="Horan"] of Millard South.  [player_tooltip player_id="94289" first="Maddie" last="Krull"] is headed to the University of South Dakota, while Seton Hall received a commitment from Lincoln Northeast guard McKenna Minter.  Post players [player_tooltip player_id="94292" first="Parker" last="Stafford"] of Omaha Marian and Jasmine McGinnis-Taylor of Omaha Westside are headed to Eastern Illinois and Illinois State, respectively, while Grand Island Northwest point guard [player_tooltip player_id="94290" first="Whitney" last="Brown"] will walk on at Nebraska.  In addition, Kalynn Meyer would have been a DI hooper if not for a scholarship to play volleyball at Nebraska. The 2021 class is looking equally as strong.  Over the next few days, I’m going to take a look at players that I saw at the state tournament and explain why I think they should be on recruiting radars these next few months.  Today, we start where it all should start; the point guard position. <strong>Jill Aschoff (5’7", Lincoln Pius X): </strong>Talk about a coming out party!  Aschoff was absolutely dominant against the pressure of Millard South in the semi-final, scoring 17 points and dishing out numerous assists with minimal turnovers in handling the vaunted pressure of the Patriots.  She absolutely controlled the game from start to finish, and she played with a moxie that is hard to find in a high school player.  She can shoot and can also finish well around the rim.  Her body has filled out some since last year, and she will only get stronger.  Aschoff can force things sometimes, which can result in some silly turnovers, and she also needs to work on her pullup game.  Aschoff was probably getting some Division II looks before the tournament, but she may be seeing lower Division I’s on her caller ID after this weekend. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94482" first="Gracie" last="Haneborg"] (5’8", North Platte): </strong>Haneborg and Aschoff went head to head in the opening round, and Haneborg more than held her own. Haneborg is a very good shooter who has quick hands and an aggressive style.  I like the way she attacks the rim, even with her slight build.  She is not afraid to play physically, even with her slight frame.  This is a player that many Division II’s should be taking a good long look at this summer as she runs through the circuit, but she will be a quality addition to any roster at that level. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94392" first="Allison" last="Weidner"] (5’8", Humphery St. Francis): </strong>Perhaps the best overall player in the 2021 class, Weidner is every bit as good as advertised.  A lanky left hander who is strong with the ball, Weidner can get to the hoop at will but also sees the floor well, firing off passes right off of her hip to her teammates.  She has great timing and great hands, and no ball is safe with her around.  In order to be successful at the Division I level, she will need to work on her jump shot, especially from behind the arc.  Her skill and athleticism has allowed her to be aggressive going to the rim, but against bigger, stronger players, Weidner will have to be able to shoot it outside the arc.  She has good touch on her free throws, so I anticipate that with hard work, she will be able to add this to her game in no time at all. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94396" first="Grace" last="Cave"] (5’9", Weeping Water): </strong>Cave did not get to play on the same stage as our other point guards, as her team was upset in the first round of the tournament, so Nebraska fans will have to wait until next season to see Cave on the biggest stage.  A Nebraska-Omaha commit, Cave can shoot it and score it from everywhere; of the players on this list, she may be the best three level scorer.  She needs to work on her defense, especially off the ball, and she will also be faced with the challenge of playing without her running mate, Peyton Barrett, whose 18 ppg will be lost to graduation. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94450" first="Sidney" last="Swanson"] (5’7", West Point-Beemer): </strong>Swanson let the Cadets back to the state tournament this season, and she proved her worth Thursday.  She is a three level scorer who can finish around the basket but also hit 3’s from well behind the line.  She needs to work on her physicality, but she is extremely athletic player who relies on her speed and quickness to also create offense out of her defense.  She is definitely a Division II talent, but with a good summer, she could definitely get some looks at some smaller Division I schools. &nbsp;