Video evaluations: 2023s to watch, part 1
You’d think with all of the time we are spending at home, and no AAU games or practices to attend, that there would be plenty of hours in the day to work on other stuff. Wrong. Somehow the days seem…
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Continue ReadingYou’d think with all of the time we are spending at home, and no AAU games or practices to attend, that there would be plenty of hours in the day to work on other stuff. Wrong. Somehow the days seem more full of things to do than ever. I mean, how much time does it take to find a few rolls of toilet paper? A lot! I mention all of that as an excuse really since it has taken me a few days longer than anticipated to get rolling with our new series of video evaluations.
When we put out the call for players to post highlight videos from their just-completed high school seasons we honestly didn’t anticipate the sheer volume of videos we would receive – nearly 150 so far. Our friend Chuck Thompson of Five State Hoops has posted them all on his Twitter feed (@fivestatehoops) and has assisted with the evaluations, too. Chuck has done an amazing job on behalf of these kids.
We have now sorted the players into categories which we will present over the next few weeks. Many of the videos came from players we know well, the big names of the game in Minnesota – top-ranked prospects such as Callin Hake Callin Hake 5'8" | PG Chanhassen | 2022 State #64 Nation MN of Chanhassen, Tessa Johnson Tessa Johnson 5'11" | SG St. Michael-Albertville | 2023 State #36 Nation MN of St. Michael-Albertville and Maddie James Maddie James 6'0" | SG Princeton | 2022 State MN of Princeton – but that’s not who we will be focusing on in the near term.
The goal of this series is to bring you evaluations of players you may not be so familiar with, emerging talent, under-the-radar prospects, and new names we haven’t written about much (or at all) previously. That would include our first group of 2023s to watch: Rachel Hagen of Duluth East, twin sisters Christina Wagner and Elizabeth Wagner of Luverne, and Hannah Stark of Yellow Medicine East. We’ve got evaluations of all four, along with a link to their highlight videos.
Rachel Hagen – forward, Duluth East
Rachel is a 5’9 forward with good length and nice athleticism who runs the floor well. She can score off the block, posting up and making a quick move from close range. Hagen does a nice job of keeping the ball up high and away from her defender. She also has a good mid-range game and gets the shot off quickly. The thing I love about Rachel’s video – take note players! – is how so much of it is devoted to defense. That’s something we just don’t see enough of. Hagen uses her length very effectively, getting a hand in the lane and using her anticipation and quickness to force the turnover. Coming off a torn ACL, Hagen had a solid freshman year averaging 6.6 points. 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. She’ll play AAU for the new Starks Elite squad out of Duluth.
Christina Wagner – forward, Luverne
Christina was a starter this season for Luverne, which finished with a record of 18-9 in class 2A. She contributed 4 points, 4 rebounds and one block, a skill she demonstrates she can do with either hand. She scores at the bucket facing the rim and has a nice mid-range jump shot. At 6 feet, with a long wingspan, Wagner knows how to use her length well at both ends of the floor, keeping her hands nice and high. I loved how Christina keeps things simple. That’s so important, especially as a freshman when you are trying to earn the coach’s trust that you can make smart plays, secure the ball and finish your opportunities in the most direct way possible. She gets the ball, makes a quick decision and puts it up off the window and in. I liked her at the Big South Showcase in Jackson and I liked her on video.
Elizabeth Wagner – guard, Luverne
Like her sister, Elizabeth also has good length which she uses well both on the perimeter and while rebounding at either end of the court. Also a starter for the Cardinals, she appears to be a little bit quicker than Christina and more versatile with the ability to play multiple positions. The 5’11 9th grader uses one or two dribble moves to get to the basket or into her jumper. Wagner averaged 6 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals per game. She can score from either side of the basket and finish with either hand. On the video she scores in transition in full flight, roaring up the left side of the court and completing the score with her left hand while elevating up and over her defender. Good stuff. As an added bonus there’s a nice three-pointer to win in overtime, a shot that sends the Luverne bench into a frenzy.
Hannah Stark – wing, Yellow Medicine East
Hannah is 5’9 with a thicker build, and she looks pretty strong for a 9th grader. She plays in both the shooting guard and small forward spots for Yellow Medicine East, which is located about two hours west of the Twin Cities in Granite Falls. The Sting, members of the Camden Conference, were 13-11 in class A this winter. Stark has a nice mid-range game but can shoot the three-ball, as well. She does a good job of isolating smaller defenders on the low block. She is decisive on the catch, determining quickly whether to attack the rim or pull up for the jump shot. She is also an authoritative cutter. Hannah will need to work on her quickness to play at the next level but she has plenty of time to improve. Stark scored 8 points per game as a freshman. She carries a 4.0 GPA and will play this summer for the Minnesota Rise.