AAU Week 1: These 5 freshmen were fab
You just never know. When players who have been off the court for months recovering from an ACL injury return to the floor for the first time it is always uncertain what you are going to see. The athletes can…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingYou just never know. When players who have been off the court for months recovering from an ACL injury return to the floor for the first time it is always uncertain what you are going to see. The athletes can be a little tentative, somewhat cautious as they test the knee out for the first time with their teammates in the room. Can they cut hard? Can they stop and start like before? Is their quickness still there? Shania Van Nett Shania Van Nett 5'7" | CG Como Park | 2023 State MN answered those questions in the affirmative during week one of AAU practice in Minnesota.
We watched Van Nett outdoors in Victoria as she joined her new Minnesota Fury 2023 UAA teammates for the first time. After missing the entire high school season at St. Paul Como Park while rehabbing her left knee, the crafty guard is back and she looked very good. Van Nett is one of nearly 40 freshmen we have seen during the first week of the summer season as we watched four of the premier 2023 teams in the state do their thing. In addition to the top Fury squad in this age group we also saw North Tartan’s two teams and on Tuesday night in Shakopee we added Minnesota Stars 2023 Hersch to the list.
There are 75 players who have made the Prep Girls Hoops class of 2023 rankings so far. Some 33 of them are on these four teams. The Fury lineup is the most impressive of all with every athlete on the list. including four in the top 10 and 8 in the top 20. Here are some thoughts on five of the freshmen who were fab in week 1.
Shania Van Nett Shania Van Nett 5'7" | CG Como Park | 2023 State MN – Minnesota Fury 2023 UAA (Como Park)
The #7-ranked Van Nett was one of the most highly-sought after players in the class during the AAU’s silly season, that period in the fall where the top teams jockey to acquire the top players for the coming year. The Fury, coached by Matt Froehle of St. Paul, won out in the chase for Van Nett. She joins two other highly-regarded acquisitions in top-20 prospects Sophi Hall Sophi Hall 6'1" | CG Holy Family | 2023 State MN of Holy Family and Abby Krzewinski Abby Krzewinski 5'11" | PF Wayzata | 2023 State MN of Wayzata who came over from the Metro Stars and Crossfire respectively. Formerly with the Minnesota Stars, Van Nett is a talented guard with quick feet, terrific ball-handling skills and great outside shooting. What really sets the 5’7 combo guard apart though is her toughness. Shania plays with an edge as pretty much every opponent will tell you as they search for some post-game ice bags. If Van Nett can return to 100 percent in short order, she should be one of the most recruited players in the class.
Kennedy Klick Kennedy Klick 6'0" | CG Maple Grove | 2023 State MN – North Tartan 2023 Nike (DeLaSalle)
We recently profiled Kennedy in our series of video evaluations. She looks good on film but she looks even better in person. Klick is long, graceful, smooth and athletic. She has a natural feel for the game and combines equal parts skill and desire to forge a very nice athletic package. Judging by her efforts last week in the gym, Kennedy also puts in the work. The 5’11 guard, ranked #10 in the class, plays for Ashley Ellis-Milan on the top North Tartan team in the grade, a squad that will now be branded with the ‘Nike’ label. It can get confusing figuring out which teams are which in AAU. North Tartan’s top teams at the older grade levels are named ‘EYBL’ because that is the national circuit on which they compete. The younger top teams will now carry the ‘Nike’ label. The second teams at all levels will called ‘Elite.’ We’ll update those designations in our rankings data shortly. Whatever team Klick plays for now and in the future, she will definitely be among its best prospects.
Ella Johnson Ella Johnson 6'2" | SF Elk River | 2023 State MN – North Tartan 2023 Elite (Elk River)
We featured Ella about a month ago in our video evaluations series in a story about some of the top taller players in the class of 2023. She might by a ‘small forward’ by position but at 6’2 and growing, Ella definitely isn’t small by any other definition. What really showed up Sunday night when I watched Maddie Wolkow’s North Tartan 2023 Elite team go through its paces in Lakeville was just how much more mobile Johnson has become as she has adapted to her ever-expanding length. I watched her feet closely and they are quick. Her steps are impossibly long. And her ability to change directions and pivot on a dime has really improved. Let’s face it: Tall, thin 9th graders can be uncoordinated. Johnson is not. Ella is ranked #13 in the class. She is a classic example of how the Prep Girls Hoops rankings are supposed to work. Having yet to play any significant amount of varsity basketball for Elk River, she is nowhere near the 13th-best player in the class based on current performance. Her status as a prospect, though, is very different, and the sky is the limit for this kid.
Sophie Lahti Sophie Lahti 6'1" | SF Pine City | 2023 State MN – North Tartan 2023 Elite (Pine City)
Sophie is just so darn athletic. Over the winter season, a year in which she became a dominant player at the small-school level, Lahti has really filled out. She has broad shoulders, a ton of length and is much stronger now than she was when we first watched her a year ago. Her confidence has risen accordingly. Watching Lahti in practice, however, offers a whole new perspective on just how athletic she is. With tremendous leaping ability, and the capacity to change directions in the air with ease, Lahti has the attributes to play at the Division 1 level. She received her first offer a few weeks ago and there will be many more to come. The 5’11 small forward is ranked #22 in the class, but that is clearly too low now and will be adjusted accordingly when the list is updated this month. When she learns to slow down occasionally and take full advantage of her innate athletic capabilities, Lahti’s level of effectiveness will improve a lot. We look forward to watching that happen.
Emily Bowron Emily Bowron 5'7" | SG Rochester Lourdes | 2023 State MN – Minnesota Stars 2023 Hersch (Rochester Lourdes)
Emily is one of 10 ranked prospects on Josh Hersch’s 2023 Stars team, the club’s best unit at this age level. She has largely been overshadowed, however, by other guards including Grand Rapids point Taryn Hamling Taryn Hamling 5'9" | PG Grand Rapids | 2023 State MN (#20 in the class), Kasson-Mantorville standout Aby Shubert Aby Shubert 5'8" | CG Kasson-Mant. | 2023 State MN (#22) and Emily’s own Rochester Lourdes teammate Vivica Bretton Vivica Bretton 5'9" | SF Rochester Lourdes | 2023 State MN (#39). Emily is listed at 5’6 but she appears to have grown in recent months. Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to ask Bowron for the specifics Tuesday night as the Stars had to vacate the gym quickly after practice to make way for the next group. What we saw on the floor, however, is a bigger, stronger player. She’s got a quick first step, appeared to be elevating more than last summer, and seemed to be playing with more confidence. Bowron is a highly skilled guard who will likely be a top-tier player at Lourdes next season. Currently ranked #60 among Minnesota freshmen, Emily has plenty of room to grow her game. We suspect that’s going to happen in the months ahead.
Top photo: Ella Johnson Ella Johnson 6'2" | SF Elk River | 2023 State MN of Elk River is a top prospect in Minnesota’s freshman class.