Top 250 Expo: Ten 2023 guards we liked best

On Monday we published our selections for the Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 All-Expo Team for the class of 2023 featuring such impressive guard prospects as [player_tooltip player_id="108316" first="Taryn" last="Hamling"] of Grand Rapids, [player_tooltip player_id="108323" first="Ashley" last="Fritz"] of Eden Prairie and [player_tooltip player_id="186117" first="Ava" last="Privet"] of Caledonia. We said then and we’ll say it again now – there were so many other backcourt players who were worthy of selection. Today we throw 10 more of them in your direction, the 2023 guards we liked the most on Saturday. All are currently ranked in the Prep Girls Hoops Top 100 for the class and rising. Two of them are in the top 10. All of them likely have college basketball in their future. The rankings listed are from June. The new rankings will be out later this month. <img class="alignnone wp-image-208566 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/172_Maren-Westin_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="108304" first="Maren" last="Westin"] – Rated #5 in Minnesota’s freshman class, the 5’8 guard from Becker was the top-ranked 2023 prospect in attendance at the Top 250. Maren is a gifted athlete who can execute actions on a basketball court that most players can’t even conceive of. She’s one of the state’s best one-on-one, can make shots from a long way out, and has a solid mid-range game. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209124 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/34_Molly-Lenz_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="108302" first="Molly" last="Lenz"] – The 5’7 10th grader from Eden Prairie is rated #6 in the class, a status she has earned thanks to an impressive body of work over a very long period of time. Molly is a terrific ball-handler and a high-level athlete who can beat you off the bounce, knock down shots from distance or use her excellent court vision to locate a well-placed teammate. <img class="alignnone wp-image-208540 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/81_Drew-Johnston_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="108324" first="Drew" last="Johnston"] – The 5’9 Johnston already has one year under her belt as the starting quarterback at Roseville where she has proven she can run an offense for a 4A program playing a difficult schedule in a physical conference. Ranked #27 in the class, Drew is a tactician who sees the floor, knows how to set the pace and moves the ball with efficiency. She is also a terrific three-point shooter. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209123 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/32_Haley-Bryant_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="108334" first="Haley" last="Bryant"] – Ranked #41 in the class, Haley is sneaky good. The 5’7 combo guard from Lakeville North brings a ton of assets to the table. She’s quick and fast, strong and agile and has a don’t-mess-with-me air on the court that lets you know she means business. North graduated three excellent guards this spring, including the great [player_tooltip player_id="1919" first="Lauren" last="Jensen"], and Haley is ready to take center stage. <img class="alignnone wp-image-208546 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/102_Grace-Knupp_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="148316" first="Grace" last="Knupp"] – East Ridge has climbed back from the winless brink a couple of years ago, something that doesn’t happen without a great point guard running the show. At 5’10, Knupp has length and skill and a great sense of timing. Ranked #43 in the class, Grace’s game is subtle. She makes smart choices, minimizes risk, can withstand defensive pressure and gets the ball to the right place at the right time. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209164 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/86_Emily-Crandall_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="148322" first="Emily" last="Crandall"] – To put it succinctly, the 5’9 guard from Sartell is a pit bull. Apologies to you dog people who know a lot more about canine breeds than I do, but from where I sit that means she is tenacious with a side of mean and a topping of feisty. Make no mistake: Emily has skill, too. She can handle the basketball, loves to play with pace, and can get to the rim on a regular basis. She’s ranked #55 in 2023. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209114 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/20_Kaitlyn-Schaefer_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="148321" first="Kaitlyn" last="Schaefer"] – After one of the most impressive runs of success in Minnesota high school basketball, last season was a rebuilding year for Eastview. The Lightning took some lumps, but they have a busload of young talent and are on the rise once again. Among the new generation is the 5’6 Schaefer (#61), a cerebral point guard who makes good choices and controls the flow of the game. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209213 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/171_Camryn-Smith_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="148335" first="Camryn" last="Smith"] – Smith and Crandall may not look alike but they darn sure play the same way. Currently ranked #67 in the class, the Spring Lake Park sophomore is coming off an outstanding summer with FBC North during which she earned a spot on our 2023 AAU All-Star team. The 5’9 Smith entered the summer season ranked #67 in the class but it’s clear her game is heading for new heights. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209106 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/4_Megan-Stacy_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="148337" first="Megan" last="Stacy"] – Standing just 5’5, Megan is not an imposing figure by any stretch of the imagination but she more than compensates with elite quickness and the ability to blow past defenders on a regular basis. Ranked #77 in the sophomore class, the Centennial guard plays with an edge and has a motor with only one gear – wide open. <img class="alignnone wp-image-208570 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/183_Ayla-Brown_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="186119" first="Ayla" last="Brown"] – Like Smith, Brown is coming off the summer of a lifetime. Ayla has already made her mark on varsity in a strong Becker program but that imprint pales in comparison to what the 5’6 sophomore did in AAU. One of the best defenders in the class, Brown became a force at the other end of the floor for the Comets making it obvious that her #82 ranking will be done and dusted shortly.