Video evaluations: Elite 2024 guards to watch
Laura Hauge is no stranger to the spotlight. Beginning during the 2018-19 season when she was in the 7th grade, and again this past winter, the St. Croix Lutheran guard was a standout varsity performer in a quality program. It’s…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingLaura Hauge is no stranger to the spotlight. Beginning during the 2018-19 season when she was in the 7th grade, and again this past winter, the St. Croix Lutheran guard was a standout varsity performer in a quality program. It’s no secret that she is one of the top handful of players in the emerging class of 2024, and today she leads the way in our video review of five elite 8th grade guards.
This is going to be an outstanding class. While Ava Holman (Osseo), Amy Thompson (Mahtomedi), Kadence Hesse (Sleepy Eye) and Rhyan Holmgren (St. Peter) have yet to achieve quite the notoriety of Hauge, our regular readers are already well-acquainted with their skills, abilities and college potential. Now you can see for yourselves.
Laura Hauge – St. Croix Lutheran
The 5’9 guard is uber-athletic and super-skilled with very fast feet and a huge motor. She is a terrific perimeter defender and very, very quick. What you’ll learn if you watch the video is that she is also one of the very best shooters from distance. Any grade. Any time. Any town. Her release is so quick, and she can literally score from anywhere including with a foot on the logo as you will plainly see. Laura averaged 14 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals and is a high Division 1 prospect. She also carries a 4.0 GPA. Hauge plays AAU for North Tartan.
Ava Holman – Osseo
Ava is athletic, with quick feet, great ball skills and a high basketball IQ. A lot of kids her age will try and beat you one-on-one with pure speed and athleticism. Holman isn’t like that. She weaves her way through traffic, changing speeds as necessary, picking and choosing her spots with care and precision. She makes good decisions, distributes well and has the ability to put others in great positions to score. Or she just explodes to the basket and finishes it off herself, either at the rim or with a sweet little floater. Ava is also an outstanding shooter, with great mechanics, a quick release and no shortage of range. Holman is scrappy, but at 5’5 she’s not real big and needs to get stronger. That will come. She averaged about 9 points per game for Osseo and will play this summer for North Tartan.
Amy Thompson – Mahtomedi
The 5’9 guard has nice length and long strides. She is smooth and athletic, with a quality box of tools and touch at the rim. It doesn’t take long – live or on video – to figure out that Thompson is a shooter. If opponents haven’t done their homework they’ll be down 10 by the time it dawns on them to cover the 8th grader in the corner. Her ability to catch the ball and put it all up in one motion is impressive. It’s smooth and quick and deadly, from just about anywhere. Don’t be confused, though, because Amy is much more than just a shooter. She’s got a quick first step, terrific instincts and the ability to run the floor at a high rate of speed while in control of the basketball. Thompson is drawing D1 interest already. She plays for the Minnesota Fury.
Kadence Hesse – Sleepy Eye
The 5’8 guard was named all-conference in the Tomahawk this year as an 8th grader. Watch her 8-minute highlight video and you’ll not question why. Hesse is very long, super athletic and plays the game with a smooth, natural flair. She has a complete bag of tricks, and the results can be magical. One of the top talents in the 2024 class, Hesse can score in any number of ways. She has tremendous range, handles the ball with aplomb, and is truly impressive one-on-one as she weaves her way to the basket through one defender after another and finishes with either hand. Kadence has that innate ability to read the play, change speeds, burn you with the quick step and finish. Allow me to make a not-so-bold prediction right now: four years from now Kadence will be packing her bags to go play Division 1 basketball. I think she will turn out to be that good. Hesse plays for the Minnesota Rise.
Rhyan Holmgren – St. Peter
Rhyan has grown a couple of inches since the fall and now stands around 5’9. She has broad shoulders and a sizeable frame. Take one look at her and it’s obvious: This is an athlete. Holmgren has exceptional quickness and is very strong for her age. She isn’t as offensively gifted as Hesse, nor as polished at this point in time, but it is not hard to picture what’s possible. Rhyan is a terrific shooter, with all the range you need, and the ability to get it up in no time at all. One-on-one her athleticism is difficult to defend and she’s got nice handles. I love the court vision, and the decisiveness and accuracy of her passes, and she shows a maturity beyond her years when determining where to send the ball. Holmgren averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds per game this season. I wouldn’t project her as a big, big scorer down the road but, rather, as an all-around player similar to Kendal Cox Kendal Cox 5'9" | CG St. Michael-Albertville | 2021 State MN of St. Michael-Albertville, a player who is going to do what’s needed to win games. If and when play commences this summer Holmgren will make her AAU debut with the Minnesota Rise.