Top 250 Expo: 2023 forwards & wings who impressed

Basketball players come in all shapes and sizes, but there’s no question that height and length are cherished commodities that every college coach is looking for. It’s not surprising then that five of the 10 players selected this week for our Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 All-Expo Team for the class of 2023 stand 6 feet or taller. They weren’t the only sizeable athletes in the class of 2023 who played well at the Expo. Here are 10 more forwards and wings who impressed at the Top 250. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209193 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/134_Brylee-Iverson_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="108322" first="Brylee" last="Iverson"] – From the first time we saw the 6-foot wing/forward from Triton we were sold on Iverson’s potential. Although she still has a long way to go, Brylee’s improvement has been steady since that day two years ago. Currently ranked #23 in the class, Iverson is long and athletic and possesses nice touch. She’s quite smooth in how she goes about her business. The lefty can also shoot the basketball as well as get to the rim to score. If Brylee can become a little quicker and a little stronger, she has the potential to be a strong Division 1 prospect in our opinion. She’ll get the opportunity to prove that next summer on the 16U EYBL circuit with North Tartan. <img class="alignnone wp-image-210787 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/Tootie-Lewis_MN-Elite-150x150.jpg?1602187811778" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="210786" first="Tootie" last="Lewis (Cade)"] – Minnesota Elite built a reputation over the years as a team to be reckoned with in AAU basketball. Talented players have come and gone, including some very big names, but one constant has been Tootie, whose dad Mykuhl Cade is the coach. At 5’11, with a large frame and a penchant for physical basketball, the Minnetonka power forward is hard to miss. Tootie is big and strong and much more mobile than most players her size. More than one defender has been surprised to see Cade blow by them. Many more have been victimized by the lefty’s step-back jump shot and three-point prowess. She has nice court vision, can finish with either hand, and is putting in the work to get better. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209181 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/114_Emily-Christenson_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="148315" first="Emily" last="Christensen"] – The 5’11 small forward/wing from East Ridge is ranked #31 in the class. Emily offers a lot of assets but none greater than her shooting. Simply put, Emily is one of the best launchers of the basketball in the state. As a freshman for the Raptors, Christensen shot 40% from beyond the arc, making 76 triples in the process. In reality, the lefty’s range extends well beyond the three-point line. Christensen also has very long strides which are valuable in helping her slip by defenders to get to the basket. She can also defend. Emily is gradually filling out and that added strength will add to an already attractive package. <img class="alignnone wp-image-208552 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/123_Chloe-Brunsberg_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="108344" first="Chloe" last="Brunsberg"] – Who knows what position Chloe will eventually end up playing. At 5’11, the sophomore from Southwest Christian in Chaska has the height and length to prosper. At last year’s Top 250 Expo, Brunsberg showed us marked improvement from the summer season, a trend that has continued for the past 12 months. This past winter the #52-ranked player averaged 12 points and 4 rebounds per game before competing at a higher level in summer ball with North Tartan. She has become more polished, more consistent and much smoother. As she fills out and grows stronger we look for Chloe to take it up another notch and expand her possibilities. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209198 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/141_Grace-Counts_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="148338" first="Grace" last="Counts"] – The 6’0 post from Providence Academy is rated #56 in the class of 2023 and she demonstrates all of the assets you look for in a scholarship-level power forward. She is big and strong and physical, but she also has light feet and a soft touch around the rim. Counts is highly mobile, too, and can use her quick step to trick her defender into overcommitting at which point Grace can get to the rim or use her quality court vision to locate an open teammate. The Minnesota Metro Stars athlete can knock down mid-range jumpers and make threes on a consistent basis. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209207 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/158_Ella-Hopkins_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="186116" first="Ella" last="Hopkins"] – When evaluating performances at the Top 250 we could put Ella in multiple categories. The 6’2 forward from Rochester was definitely among the top outstate performers. In our coverage of the Summer Jam we selected the Southern Minnesota Fury forward as one of our top stock risers and the same would apply here. But since 74-inch forwards are hard to come by we’ll include her here among the trees. Ultimately, what matters is the fact that Hopkins is starting to put it all together at both ends of the floor, is competing with a higher degree of focus and intensity, and is starting to embrace the physical aspects of basketball. As a freshman the #79-ranked Hopkins played a cameo role for Lourdes but with the departure of the great [player_tooltip player_id="1917" first="Alyssa" last="Ustby"] to North Carolina the sophomore is about to bust out. <img class="alignnone wp-image-208557 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/148_Kylie-Diaz_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="186137" first="Kylie" last="Diaz"] – Kylie is now listed at 6’0. We’re not 100 percent certain if that’s accurate or not but it hardly matters. Diaz has been playing bigger than her size from the first time we saw her last fall. The Spring Lake Park sophomore earned her way into the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2023 rankings (she’s currently #93 and rising) thanks to a big physical presence, the willingness and desire to take and make contact, a relentless approach to playing the game with gusto in the paint, and an effort level that seldom deviates from the maximum. On Saturday it was her soft touch and court vision that caught the attention of college coaches as Diaz also did her physical best to leave an impression on the opposition. Literally. <img class="alignnone wp-image-208560 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/156_Alexandra-McGeehan_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> <strong>Alex McGeehan</strong> – Alex tells us she has had a significant growth spurt over the past year or so. We never saw the ‘before’ version but we have been watching the ‘after’ for the past couple of months with FBC North and it is impressive. Now standing at least 6 feet tall, McGeehan is constructed like the prototypical power forward with broad shoulders, a big frame and long arms. She is gradually figuring out how to put all of that new-found length and power to good use but Alex’s potential is off the charts. Her touch is improving, her footwork is getting better and she is starting to picture what might be possible. <img class="alignnone wp-image-208533 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/46_Jordan-Anderson_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> <strong>Jordan Anderson</strong> – Jordan has had a great summer. The 5’11 sophomore from Buffalo is one of the most efficient forwards around. She’s not super athletic, nor particularly fast, but she is just so darn productive. She is a consistent rebounder at both ends of the floor. Offensively she seems to have the knack of getting herself to the right place at the right time, enabling her to finish around the basket consistently and often. The Minnesota Comets forward is deceptively quick, her footwork is much improved, and she never gives up on an opportunity that might materialize through sheer effort and guile. Simplicity is the key to Anderson’s game and it works. <img class="alignnone wp-image-208537 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/73_Virginia-Johnson_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="108332" first="Virginia" last="Johnson"] – In our final spot is the 5’9 Johnson of Minneapolis Southwest. If we’re going strictly by the book, Virginia’s official height doesn’t quite qualify her for inclusion in this group. The thing is, the #36-rated sophomore in the state has a big frame and a physique to match, and if she is going to find success at the collegiate level it’s likely to be on the wing or at a small forward spot depending on the level. One thing we know for certain: Virginia can flat out shoot the basketball. She has gradually been adding pieces to her game and it’s paying off. Her handles and mobility have improved and she is getting to the basket more.