2023 Rankings: Introducing the Top 10
Today we released the first edition of our Prep Girls Hoops Iowa 2023 rankings. For the past few months, we’ve had a 100 player watchlist but now we have shifted that to be a ranking from 1-100 in the 2023…
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Continue ReadingToday we released the first edition of our Prep Girls Hoops Iowa 2023 rankings. For the past few months, we’ve had a 100 player watchlist but now we have shifted that to be a ranking from 1-100 in the 2023 class. Some players who were on the original watchlist were not included in the rankings while some players who weren’t on the watch list made huge jumps onto the list. This is a very deep class and there were players ranked in the 20’s that definitely have a case to eventually move into the Top 10. Below you can see the first edition of the Top 10 players throughout the state in the 2023 class.
View the full 2023 Rankings here.
#1 – Audi Crooks Audi Crooks 6'3" | C Bishop Garrigan | 2023 State #42 Nation IA – 6’3 C – Bishop Garrigan HS – CY Select
Crooks finds herself at the top spot in the 2023 rankings, and for good reason. She is a tough task to handle down in the paint and has the ability to score almost at will once she touches the ball. She’s developed very well over the past six months and has the best touch and footwork of any freshman post I’ve seen in a long time. I won’t be surprised to see Crooks go wire-to-wire throughout her high school career at the #1 spot.
#2 – Kelsey Joens Kelsey Joens 5'10" | SG West Liberty | 2023 State IA – 5’9 SG – Iowa City High HS – All Iowa Attack
If the name Joens sounds familiar, it should. Another sister in the long line of Joens’ is coming into the high school ranks and if her freshman season was any indication she might be one of the best. Joens showed the ability to shoot the ball at a high level this past winter and she also has a very high basketball IQ. That allowed her to play big minutes on one of the best teams in the state that was filled with D1 talent.
#3 – Kaliyah Sain Kaliyah Sain 5'10" | SF Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2023 State IA – 5’10 PG – Cedar Rapids Kennedy HS – Team Iowa
Our top-ranked point guard in the state is probably a name most are unfamiliar with. A knee injury sidelined Sain just two games into the season. She has the uncanny ability to score the ball, pass it, and defend at a high level as well as being one of the most fluid players in the state. She played great at the Iowa Top 250 and she was on the verge of a huge freshman year. With numerous D1 schools recruiting her already, Sain still hasn’t reached her ceiling.
#4 – Jenna Hopp Jenna Hopp 5'11" | SG Glenwood | 2023 State IA – 5’10 SG – Glenwood HS – Nebraska Attack
Hopp tore up the Under Armour circuit this past summer with Nebraska Attack and then had a good season with Glenwood this winter as she helped her team make it all the way to Wells Fargo and an undefeated record through the regular season. Hopp is a crafty combo guard who gets to the basket well and shoots the ball at a very high level from the outside. Her ability to make others around her and create scoring opportunities is among the best in the state.
#5 – Arianna Jackson Arianna Jackson 5'9" | PG Roosevelt | 2023 State IA – 5’9 PG – Roosevelt HS – All Iowa Attack
Jackson performed well this year and was part of a very young Roosevelt team that is just going to get better as the years go on. Jackson is strong enough to take guards down into the post and score but she’s also versatile enough to handle the ball up the floor. Jackson is one of the most athletic players on the floor at all times and she showed flashes at times of being a high major player. Once Jackson develops fully she’ll be a very scary player.
#6 – Sahara Williams Sahara Williams 5'11" | SF Waterloo West | 2023 State IA – 5’11 SF – Waterloo West HS – Team Iowa
Williams is one of the flashiest players in the class as she makes plays all over the floor and uses her length to cause havoc on both ends of the floor. This is one player in the class that you definitely don’t want to draw the task of guarding. She got much better from the start of the season to the trip to Wells Fargo and I imagine that she’ll be even more improved after a summer with Team Iowa. Williams is part of a stellar underclass group at Waterloo West.
#7 – Molly Joyce Molly Joyce 5'7" | PG Bishop Garrigan | 2023 State IA – 5’7 PG – Bishop Garrigan HS – CY Select
This summer when I saw Joyce play I knew she’d be pretty solid but I was not expecting her to come out and score 475 points this season. That mark was second among all freshmen in total points and she did that while leading a 25-2 state runner-up from the point guard spot. Joyce is a good ball-handler with the confidence of a senior. She really molded herself into one of the best players in the state and has excelled on the floor.
#8 – Molly Noelck Molly Noelck 5'9" | PG Johnston | 2023 State IA – 5’9 PG – Johnston HS – All Iowa Attack
Noelck played by far the least of any freshman on this list, besides Sain, but had as much of an impact as any of them. She’s a versatile guard who can play spots 1-3 with ease. She’s a very good shooter and gave her team a boost in the state tournament from behind the arc. Noelck is going to be a main fixture for Johnston the next three years and if that’s the case, they are going to be in good hands. Noelck has a lot of untapped potential and I am excited to see her continue to grow as a player.
#9 – Brooklin Dailey Brooklin Dailey 5'8" | SF Southeast Polk | 2023 State IA – 5’8 SF – Southeast Polk HS – All Iowa Attack
Dailey quickly established herself as a very valuable scoring option for Southeast Polk early in the season. She has the ability to shoot the ball from the outside off the catch very well but she is also very capable of getting to the rim and scoring the ball. Her ability to defend the ball at almost any spot on the floor was a huge help to Southeast Polk this season and Dailey will be counted on a lot going forward for this team. I was expecting a breakout AAU season for her.
#10 – Halli Poock Halli Poock 5'6" | PG Waterloo West | 2023 State IA – 5’5 PG – Waterloo West HS – Team Iowa
Poock might be the most skilled player on this list as she showed her ability to take over a game at the state tournament. She pretty much led them to an opening-round win over Cedar Falls as she took over in the second half. Poock is a tough player who distributes the ball well and looks for the open man on the floor. Her vision tremendously improved and she played much more in control throughout the year. She is one of the best point guards in the entire state.
Photo courtesy of Matthew Putney