South Dakota's Top Uncommitted Players: Class of 2021

[player_tooltip player_id="98753" first="Caelyn" last="Valandra-Prue"] | White River High School | 5’8 Guard [player_tooltip player_id="98753" first="Caelyn" last="Valandra-Prue"] is a skilled scorer. In the 2018-2019 season (when she was only a sophomore), she averaged 24 points. Unfortunately, her 2019-2020 junior season was cut short by a devastating knee injury. Valandra-Prue tore her ACL, MCL, and meniscus, and had to cheer her team on from the sideline the rest of the season. However, her work ethic tells me that she won’t let that prevent her from making the most of her senior season. She has a smooth stroke from the three-point line and the ability to glide through the lane. Even when the defense tries to collapse on her, she is able to skillfully euro-step between defenders. Valandra-Prue has also developed a solid mid-range pull-up game which, when paired with her speed and explosiveness, is almost impossible to guard. She is a talented track-and-field athlete as well, and the speed at which she moves the ball up the floor leads to many fast break opportunities for herself and her teammates. Lastly, her court vision makes her not just a scorer, but an essential playmaker for her team. Madisen Koepsell | McCook Central Montrose High School | 6’0 Center Madisen Koepsell is a long, athletic force on both ends of the floor. She is a game-changer on the defensive end, altering the majority of shots attempted in the lane. On the offensive end, she is strong, unmovable, and has great hands. Her touch around the basket is rare for someone with so much power, and she has the ability to step out to 15-17 foot-range and hit shots, which makes her a tough matchup for other centers across the state. Koepsell has proven to be a reliable and consistent presence for her team, frequently logging double-doubles and multiple assists in games. She has used the focus she draws from opposing defenses to create opportunities for her teammates, and has developed the skill of drawing in the help and finding open teammates from the post. [player_tooltip player_id="177912" first="Emily" last="Kranz"] | Waverly South Shore High School | 6’3 Center [player_tooltip player_id="177912" first="Emily" last="Kranz"] has a frame that is rare to find on most high school teams. Not only is she 6’3, but she is long, athletic, and mobile. Kranz has impressive touch in the lane and has the ability to hit turn-around shots from 5-10 feet. She has also proven the ability to step out and shoot a 17 footer when the defense tries to stay in the lane. This quality makes her a matchup nightmare for posts who aren’t used to guarding on the perimeter. Her length and athleticism also make her a difference maker on the defensive end in the lane, as a rim protector and skilled shot-blocker for her team. She has raw athleticism, talent, and length that make her talented but still moldable, and therefore, the ideal prospect for a college coach. [player_tooltip player_id="98673" first="Morgan" last="Edelman"] | Menno High School | 5’7 Shooting Guard [player_tooltip player_id="98673" first="Morgan" last="Edelman"] has been doing a little bit (or a lot) of everything for her team since she was in 7th grade. Now, entering her senior year, her scoring and playmaking abilities are at an all time high. As a junior, she averaged 22.7 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game, and 3.6 assists per game. Edelman has a smooth shot with a quick release that allows her to get it off even with a hand in her face. She has also proven the ability to shoot from almost anywhere - three point line, mid-range, tough finishes around the rim, etc. She has also developed an area of the game that many shooters lack, which is the ability to shoot off the dribble. Edelman comes off of screens always ready to pull the trigger on the shot. Her scoring ability has also flowed into creating scoring opportunities for her teammates, because the opposing defense is almost always centrally focused on her. In addition, she is relentless on the defensive end. [player_tooltip player_id="98769" first="Brooklyn" last="Kusler"] | Aberdeen High School | 5’11 Forward An All-State returner for her team, [player_tooltip player_id="98769" first="Brooklyn" last="Kusler"] is the kind of player coaches are looking for. In her multiple years playing varsity, her role has been continually evolving, and she has proven that she will do whatever it takes to help her team be successful. In her junior season, she had to adopt more of a scorer’s mentality and her 12.3 points per game and 9 rebounds per game prove that she was able to do it. Kusler’s attitude about her role on the team is rare to see in talented young athletes, and the success that Aberdeen Central had this past year is proof that she can be a leader. In addition, her long, athletic frame and mobility make her ideal for college coaches looking for versatile athletes who can play and guard multiple positions.