Minnesota’s Class of 2024 Watch List (part 2)

Yesterday we introduced you to the first 10 members of the Prep Girls Hopes 2024 Watch List. Today we bring you 10 more incoming freshmen to see as we finally enter the AAU summer season. Keep in mind that this list is not necessarily the top 20 players in the class. We’ll figure that out this fall when we release the first official 50-player ranking of the class 2024. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="178269" first="Alivia" last="McGill"] – Park Center (Metro Stars 2022 Starks)</strong> McGill is uber-athletic, with super-quick feet, fast hands and elite-level ball-handling ability. The 5’7 combo guard was a regular in a strong Park Center lineup, averaging 7.5 points per game and making the PGH high school all-star team. She sees the floor, makes good decisions and can beat pretty much anyone one-on-one. McGill reminds me a lot of the great <strong>Kenisha Bell</strong>, compete with the swagger and style. McGill will play two years up this summer for Tara Starks’ Metro Stars 2022 unit. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="177728" first="Olivia" last="Olson"] – Benilde-St. Margaret’s (Fury 2024 UAA)</strong> The long and fluid Olson is a position-less player who led her high school team in scoring this season at 16 points per game with a high game of 40. That’s quite an accomplishment for an 8th grader, but then Olson is no ordinary 8th grader. The 6-footer is so smooth, with incredible natural athleticism and a big box full of tools. She has nice touch, terrific vision, a great sense of timing and the ability to make buckets from pretty much anywhere. Many believe she is the premier player in the class. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="178270" first="Finley" last="Ohnstad"] – Lakeville South (North Tartan 2024 Nike)</strong> Finley is a 6-foot shooting guard/small forward who can drain it from anywhere. Literally anywhere. With a quick and smooth release, and the ability to create space out of nothing, Ohnstad is an offensive weapon. With a 6’3 wingspan, a big frame, and a high basketball IQ, she is also a very good defender and shot blocker. Ohnstad has great bloodlines, has made steady improvement, and possesses a very high ceiling. She plays for her mom Angie Iverson-Ohnstad at North Tartan 2024 Nike and Lakeville South. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="178271" first="Willow" last="Thiel"] – Perham (West Central United)</strong> Willow took advantage of an injury situation this winter to earn her way into coach T.J. Super’s Perham lineup as an 8th grader and made a significant impact right away. In her first five games the 5’10 forward averaged 11 points, 6 rebounds and two steals per game while shooting 65% from the floor and 73% at the line. Not bad for a 13-year-old on varsity! Willow is very athletic, runs the court well, defends hard and is an excellent rebounder. She’ll play AAU for West Central United. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="178272" first="Mikayla" last="Thomas"] – Spring Lake Park (North Tartan 2024 Nike)</strong> Thomas is a long (very) and lanky (very) forward, standing north of 5’11 with an enormous wingspan. Not surprisingly she is a very good shot blocker, Thomas is kind of a stretch 4 type, a player who can run the floor at pace, score in transition and out-fox defenders down low by employing her length and intelligence. She reminds many of former Wayzata forward [player_tooltip player_id="1709" first="Kallie" last="Theisen"], the #1 player in the 2019 class who now plays at South Dakota State. That’s a pretty good player to emulate! <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="178273" first="Taylor" last="Tool"] – Delano – (Crossfire 2024 Robertson)</strong> Taylor is a strong, athletic 6-foot post player from Delano. She runs the floor well, handles the ball effectively for a big and is solid defensively. Tool is somewhat raw, but her skills are improving quickly, especially down low. Taylor also has range out to the three-point line. There may be other bigs in the class of 2024 who have more polished presence at the moment but there are very few with the kind of upside that Tool has. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="178274" first="Amy" last="Thompson"] – Mahtomedi (Fury 2024 UAA)</strong> Thompson is a 5’9 guard with nice length and long strides. She is smooth and athletic, with a quality box of tools and a soft touch at the rim. More than anything, Amy is recognized for her shooting prowess which is prodigious. Amy has the well-developed ability to catch the ball and launch it in a single motion that is quick and accurate and right out of the textbook. The range is also impressive, as is Thompson’s overall skill set. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="178275" first="Anna" last="Van Helden"] – Prior Lake (North Tartan 2024 Nike)</strong> Anna is a strong, physical post player. Standing about 5’11, she excels with her back to the basket and is very effective in the pick and roll. Her size and strength make Van Helden an excellent rebounder, as well, and she defends very effectively in the post. We haven’t seen Anna shoot it much from the outside (perhaps just a hazard of limited viewing on our part thanks to the delayed beginning of the AAU season) but she is really efficient around the basket. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="178276" first="Katie" last="Vasecka"] – New Prague (Fury 2024 UAA)</strong> Perhaps the best player in the class, the long and lanky Vasecka can play multiple positions and plays them all well. The 6’1 Vasecka has a wiry build but is a lot stronger than she looks. She handles the basketball with poise and precision, has impossibly long strides, out-thinks defenders consistently and shoots it from everywhere. She also has terrific court vision and a high IQ. Add a big motor to the package and you have a truly elite prospect. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="178277" first="Jordan" last="Zubich"] – Mountain Iron-Buhl (High Impact)</strong> Zubich might be hidden away up on the Iron Range but she is hardly a secret. Mountain Iron-Buhl has produced a ton of talented players over the years and Jordan may turn out to be one of the best. She led the Rangers in scoring this season at 14 points per game, shooting 50% from the field and 41% from three to go with 3.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.5 steals. Good numbers for an 8th grader! She’s long and lean, having grown several inches this year to north of 5’10, and her skills are improving at a steady pace.