Top 250 Expo: Outstate 2024s who left an impression

Exposure means everything when it comes to securing a place on a college basketball roster. An athlete can be the best ever in their home town but if they don’t get out and show the world what they can do the point is moot. That’s why events like the Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo are so important for players from outstate Minnesota, and there were nearly 60 of them in attendance on Saturday. Two of those athletes made our 2024 All-Expo squad – forward [player_tooltip player_id="209057" first="Kylie" last="Waytashek"] of Royalton and guard [player_tooltip player_id="209058" first="Claire" last="McGregor"] of Maple River. Here are five more who left a positive impression at the Top 250. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209144 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/60_Kadence-Hesse_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="178265" first="Kadence" last="Hesse"] – 5’8 guard, Sleepy Eye Any rundown on outstate players that doesn’t have Kadence near the top of the list is incomplete at best. She is a high-skill guard with plenty of range, very nice ball-handling ability, and really quick feet. Kadence is such a natural player with a terrific head for the game, a high basketball IQ and a nice sense of timing. Last season Hesse made All-Conference in the Tomahawk for Sleepy Eye, where her mom is the head coach. That all-star squad included such luminaries as [player_tooltip player_id="109131" first="Madison" last="Mathiowetz"] of Sleepy Eye-St. Mary’s, [player_tooltip player_id="147454" first="Abbie" last="Riederer"] of Minnesota Valley Lutheran, [player_tooltip player_id="145059" first="Sydney" last="Hauger"] of Springfield (Gustavus) as well as [player_tooltip player_id="110898" first="Sara" last="Kottke"] (Bethany Lutheran) and [player_tooltip player_id="108342" first="Allison" last="Milbrandt"] of Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart. In other words, it was a very strong group where Hesse totally belonged. Not bad for an 8th grader. Hesse has a small frame but that won’t keep her from being a strong collegiate prospect. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209121 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/29_Makadyn-Gust_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> Makadyn Gust – 5’7 guard, St. Charles Makadyn is strong and stocky and she is an athlete in every sense of the word. With a fire that burns brightly, and feet that are plenty quick, Gust flies around the court at full tilt. Her motor runs hot, and she isn’t shy about getting up in the face of opponents with the basketball. It would probably pay off at times if she would slow down a little, but as a high school freshman that’s a really nice problem to have. When kids play up a couple of years as Makadyn did this summer with North Tartan Southeast, one of the challenges can be staying mentally strong when things don’t go well – and things are going to get rough from time to time playing up. Gust doesn’t seem to let any of that bother her, and that ability to brush off the bad stuff and move on is a great asset to have. Makadyn’s offensive game is a long way from complete but it’s coming. Long-term I think she’s going to be a nice collegiate player. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209644 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/Macy-Birkholz-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> Macy Birkholz – 5’5 guard, Mankato East Macy is a firecracker! Small but quick, this kid is first and foremost an athlete. Her first step is electric, and her ability to elevate over bigger players is impressive. Her level of engagement is strong and her passion for the game spills over onto her teammates, too. I watched Macy in June at a training session in Mankato and her immediate grasp and execution of new concepts impressed me. After watching her this summer on a strong Minnesota Rise team, and again at the Top 250 Expo, I think Birkholz’s ceiling could be pretty high for a player of her stature. Macy has yet to play a high school basketball game but when she steps onto the court this winter for Rob Stevermer’s Mankato East Cougars I suspect that she’s going to look right at home. <img class="alignnone wp-image-208563 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/163_Azeri-Thiemann_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> Azeri Thiemann – 6’0 forward, Triton Azeri is long, lean and athletic. At 6 feet, with a substantial wingspan, the possibilities are enticing. This summer with Minnesota Stars Amundson she made progress that was nice and steady, improving her skill set while at the same time growing her confidence and becoming more aggressive, which is something she really needed to do. Thiemann is athletic and versatile, with the ability to play fast or execute in the half court. She has a quality mid-range game and can also get to the rim. Azeri plays at Triton High School in Dodge Center with another strong prospect, 2023 forward/wing [player_tooltip player_id="108322" first="Brylee" last="Iverson"]. With the Cobras having graduated a half dozen seniors this spring, and new coach Dustin Wright returning to his home town after building a quality program at Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart, look for Thiemann to blossom. She is ready to produce on the varsity level. <img class="alignnone wp-image-209129 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2020/10/45_Morgan-Fisher_1-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> Morgan Fisher – 5’10 forward, Owatonna The Owatonna Huskies have a really solid post player in big [player_tooltip player_id="109170" first="Lexi" last="Mendenhall"], a top-100 junior who continues to improve. Well after seeing Morgan Fisher a couple of times this summer, and watching her at the Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo over the weekend, we would have to assume that she’s got next. Morgan has a big body with a large frame. She’s 5’10 now but as a freshman there might be a couple more inches to come. Fisher, it would appear, may be more versatile than Mendenhall with the ability to succeed at the 2, 3, or 4 spots as well as at the 5. She can shoot the basketball and is a smart passer out of the post. Fisher needs to work on her foot speed and quickness but there’s plenty of time for that. Playing two years up on North Tartan Southeast with Gust, Morgan learned a lot this summer and we’re intrigued by what is yet to come. Top photo: Azeri Thiemann of Triton (in white) guards [player_tooltip player_id="186116" first="Ella" last="Hopkins"] of Rochester Lourdes.