Battle at the Falls: Guards and Forwards Colleges Should Watch

Mia Laube

June 30, 2020 @ 06:00 PM

I saw some smooth guards and hustle players this weekend, and the 2024’s held their own in a bracket with 2022’s. Minnesota Fury’s 2024 team was full of athletic, skilled players, and the Lady Martin Brothers program brought multiple rosters full of fundamental guards. These seven players are on my watch list for colleges, and many of them can play more than one position.   [player_tooltip player_id="177728" first="Olivia" last="Olson"] — 2024 — Benilde St. Margaret’s High School — Minnesota Fury 2024 UAA It doesn’t take long to see that Olson is a high-level player. She’s long, she’s shifty, and she plays inside and out. In the two games I watched, she hit several step-back threes, handled the ball on the perimeter at 6’0” and established great positioning inside, especially in transition.   [player_tooltip player_id="63028" first="Jariah" last="Harris"] — 2023 — Cedar Rapids Jefferson — Lady Martin Brothers 2023 Harris got to the line more than anyone else in the game I watched by going into contact inside, and she knocked down her free throws. She has good instincts and athleticism when she drives. While ineligible for varsity play as a freshman because of a district transfer rule, she is expected to have a big impact for Jefferson next year.   [player_tooltip player_id="63007" first="Jasmine" last="Barney"] — 2023 — Cedar Falls High School — Lady Martin Brothers 2023 Barney is a quick guard with good handles. She cuts and moves well without the ball to create, and she can finish off the drive. And, despite playing with stud UNI commits in [player_tooltip player_id="134992" first="Emerson" last="Green"] and [player_tooltip player_id="164929" first="Anaya" last="Barney"] last high school season, she was third in scoring for Cedar Falls.   [player_tooltip player_id="109135" first="Ava" last="Stier"] — 2022 — Waconia High School — Minnesota Stars Bjorgaard 10th Stier showed that she can hit a pull-up jumper, but I was most impressed by her hustle plays. I saw her make a very athletic save and rip down rebounds. If she keeps developing, she will be a valuable asset to a college roster in a few years.   [player_tooltip player_id="57930" first="Amelia" last="Valentino"] — 2022 — Champlin Park High School — Minnesota Stars Bjorgaard 10th Valentino can score well at guard, whether that be hitting the three — and she has a very nice shot — or making an athletic finish inside. She also has good speed and quick hands on defense, which makes her a standout member of her Stars squad.   Ashlee Burchette — 2023 — Bloomington Kennedy High School — Minnesota Stars Turner 9th Burchette plays with ease at a high speed. She can split a trap without issue, and she does it with the ball on a string. Being a smaller guard, she has developed a smooth floater that helps her score over length.   [player_tooltip player_id="178276" first="Katie" last="Vasecka"] — 2024 — New Prague High School — Minnesota Fury 2024 UAA Vasecka is long and wiry, but she finishes with strength and focus inside. She flows well within the offense and always has the right positioning to get offensive boards. She’s likely to make a name for herself in Minnesota in the next few years.