North Central Conference: Top Players In Class Of 2022

This past winter, only a select few sophomores cracked the lineup for teams in the North Central Conference. But those 10th-graders made sure to position themselves for the next two years by gaining invaluable court experience. Here’s a look at some of the top players in the 2022 class in the NCC: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="129066" first="Avery" last="Hanson"], Hampton-Dumont/CAL (2022)</strong> Part of a sophomore duo that led the Bulldogs in most offensive categories, [player_tooltip player_id="129066" first="Avery" last="Hanson"] found her rhythm this past winter. Hanson averaged 12 points per game, knocking down 22 three-pointers. She also led Hampton-Dumont/CAL with 145 rebounds and was among the team leaders with 57 steals and 33 assists. <em>Analysis</em>: Hanson shot 42 percent from the field, but was just a 26-percent 3-point shooter. An improvement from deep could see her scoring take a major upswing. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="163329" first="Lauren" last="Meader"], Hampton-Dumont/CAL (2022)</strong> The second piece to the sophomore tandem for the Bulldogs, [player_tooltip player_id="163329" first="Lauren" last="Meader"] posted 11.5 points per game on 48 percent shooting. Meader also added 67 steals, 79 rebounds and 39 assists, knocking down 17 triples. <em>Analysis</em>: Much like her teammate, [player_tooltip player_id="129066" first="Avery" last="Hanson"], if Meader can improve on her long-range shooting, Hampton-Dumont/CAL could be a tough team to defend next year. <strong>Jaden Ainley, Clear Lake (2022)</strong> The "next player in" line will be asked of Jaden Ainley, as the Lions graduate quite a bit of production. Ainley scored just over five points a night last year, but also provided a little of everything, recording 73 rebounds, 34 steals and 27 assists. She knocked down a handful of 3-pointers and shot over 42 percent from the floor. <em>Analysis</em>: Clear Lake loses leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id="134353" first="Sara" last="Faber"], but return a handful of regulars, including Ainley. Someone will need to help replace the production of Faber, and the 5-foot-8 Ainley might just be that person. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="129072" first="Kelly" last="Stoakes"], Webster City (2022)</strong> The Lynx will graduate all-time 5-on-5 leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id="134352" first="Taylor" last="McKinney"], but sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="129072" first="Kelly" last="Stoakes"] returns with the abilities to help replace that production. Stoakes, a standout all-around athlete for Webster City, scored just under five points per game last year with 50 rebounds, 26 assists and 24 steals. <em>Analysis</em>: Marked improvement shooting from all areas of the floor will make Stoakes a tough player to defend. Her 45 attempts from the 3-point line last year ranked third on the team. <strong>Emily Theiss, Clear Lake (2022)</strong> Another player with good size for the Lions, the 5-foot-9 Emily Theiss averaged just under four points a game last year. She provided a good mix of shots among her limited attempts, putting up 37 three-pointers while also making 80 percent of her free throws. <em>Analysis</em>: Theiss had 35 steals and dished out 36 assists on the court, and is part of a large group of players who saw time last year.