Class of 2024 rankings: Meet the Top 10 prospects
Basketball players come in many different shapes and sizes, with a variety of skill sets and attributes. Sift through the top 10 prospects in the Prep Girls Hoops class of 2024 rankings and that’s pretty obvious. Here’s a rundown on…
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Continue ReadingBasketball players come in many different shapes and sizes, with a variety of skill sets and attributes. Sift through the top 10 prospects in the Prep Girls Hoops class of 2024 rankings and that’s pretty obvious. Here’s a rundown on this who’s who of college prospects who are ranked based on their potential to play at the next level.
#1 Olivia Olson Olivia Olson 6'1" | CG Benilde-SM | 2024 State MN – 6’1 guard, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (Fury 2024 UAA)
Olson makes everything look so easy. She is long and fluid and athletic, and has a natural feel for the game. Olivia can do things with her body that 99.9% of players will never be able to do and she can do them at full throttle. Olson has tremendous court vision, nice touch around the rim and the type of tenacity champions possess. Olivia led her high school team in scoring at 16 points per game while averaging 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 1.5 blocks as an 8th grader. That’s heady stuff but it barely scratches the surface of what is possible. That’s why she is a consensus #1.
#2 Liv McGill Liv McGill 5'7" | CG Hopkins | 2024 State MN – 5’7 guard, Hopkins (Metro Stars 2022 Starks)
There has never been any question that McGill has the talent and athleticism to play the game at a very high level. She was a regular in the lineup at Park Center last season, averaging 7.5 points per game and making the Prep Girls Hoops high school all-star team. She sees the floor well, makes good decisions and is deadly in any sort of one-on-one encounter. Her ball handling is outstanding. What is most exciting, though, is just how much McGill has matured this summer playing two years up. This fall she moves to Hopkins and appears poised to make an immediate impact there, too. The sky is the limit for Liv.
#3 Emma Dasovich Emma Dasovich 6'1" | PF Valley Vista | 2024 MN – 6’1 forward, Minnetonka (North Tartan 2023 EYBL)
Emma is a big, strong power forward who offers a unique combination of intelligence, balance, touch and physicality. Dasovich is highly mobile for her size, runs the floor well and has impressive footwork. She scores plenty inside, using either guile or grit, and is a highly-skilled passer with terrific court vision. Emma can also shoot the basketball with a high rate of success both at mid-range and beyond the arc. Combine all of that with a huge motor, a strong physical presence and the heart of a fierce competitor and you have a formidable package that makes Dasovich a strong Division I candidate.
#4 Laura Hauge Laura Hauge 5'9" | SG St. Croix Lutheran | 2024 State MN – 5’9 guard, St. Croix Lutheran (North Tartan 2023 EYBL)
When evaluating players it can sometimes be challenging to decide what a player’s best assets are and what role they might play at the collegiate level. Not Laura. Watch her a lot or watch her a little and you will discern in short order that Hauge is a shooter – one of the best you’ll ever see. With excellent mechanics, supreme confidence and the ability to consistently make shots from waaaaayyyy beyond the arc, Laura has earned her reputation and some high D1 offers as a result. But that’s not all she can do. Hauge is strong and athletic, can get to the rim and has a big motor. She also carries a 4.0 GPA.
#5 Finley Ohnstad Finley Ohnstad 6'1" | SF Lakeville South | 2024 State MN – 6’0 guard, Lakeville South (North Tartan Nike)
Like Hauge, Finley is also an outstanding shooter with a quick, smooth release. She can create her own space and launch bombs all day long. Combine that vital skill with 6 feet of height and a 75-inch wing span on a big frame and you have an offensive weapon. She is also a solid defender whose length enables her to disrupt an offense and block shots at a high level. When evaluating players there’s no question that genetics matter and Ohnstad has Big 10 bloodlines and parents who coach. Not surprisingly, she has a high basketball IQ and well-developed skills. When Finley is dialed in there are few better. The key now is consistency.
#6 Mikayla Thomas Mikayla Thomas 5'11" | SF Spring Lake Park | 2024 MN – 5’11 forward, Spring Lake Park (Fury 2024 UAA)
Although Mikayla is listed at 5’11, she looks much longer with arms that stretch from here to there and back again. Like Ohnstad, she can be a disruptive defender and standout shot blocker. As the lanky forward has grown into her body over the past year she has gotten smoother and become more mobile. She can run the floor with pace and score in transition as well as employ excellent footwork down low to beat bigger, stronger players inside. In the short term we expect Mikayla to have a breakout high school season. In the long run we believe Thomas will become a standout collegian with a big box of tools.
#7 Somah Kamara Somah Kamara 5'8" | CG Cooper | 2024 State MN – 5’8 guard, Robbinsdale Cooper (FBC North 2023)
There were a number of evaluators who weighed in on the class of 2024 rankings and every one of them was enthusiastic in their praise of Kamara. “So smooth,” one wrote. “She is the real deal at both ends of the floor,” said another. “I just love watching her play,” wrote a third. Somah is a pure athlete. She’s still raw but her natural instincts, length, speed and elevation are special. Last winter, Kamara was Cooper’s third-leading scorer as an 8th grader. This summer she played one year up and propelled FBC North to an excellent season. With continued skill development and maturity Kamara’s potential is unlimited.
#8 Ava Cossette Ava Cossette 5'10" | CG Maple Grove | 2024 State MN – 5’10 guard, Maple Grove (Fury 2024 UAA)
After height and length, the first thing I always notice in a great prospect is their feet – the lighter the better. I loved Ava’s potential from the moment I laid eyes on her. Like Olson, Ava just moves up and down the floor with the kind of grace and ease you simply cannot teach. She’s also really quick, with long strides and the ability rise to the hoop and score over top of her defender. Cossette handles the ball well, shoots at a high level, and plays hard all the time. It will be some time before we see Ava play a ton of varsity minutes at Maple Grove but when her time comes she will make it worth the wait.
#9 Anisa Longs Anisa Longs 5'8" | PG Mpls South | 2024 State MN – 5’8 guard, Minnehaha Academy (MN P.R.E.P)
This is supposed to be a bit of a rebuilding year at Minnehaha but the Redhawks are reloading quickly. There’s little doubt that Anisa will turn out to be one of the team’s most important additions. Her talents were on full display last Sunday at Breakdown Fall League: the quick first step, the explosiveness, terrific lateral movement and the defensive advantages provided by a big wingspan and physical presence. She was also knocking down three-pointers, making quality decisions and handling the ball like a veteran. Longs has put in a lot of work over the past year and the fruits of her labor are now evident.
#10 Marisa Frost Marisa Frost 5'8" | PG Centennial | 2024 State MN – 5’7 guard, Centennial (Fury 2024 UAA)
The Fury’s top 2024 team is loaded with next-level talent, and it’s not easy to stand out in such elite company. Marisa isn’t the biggest or strongest or quickest or most athletic player on the team but you would be hard-pressed to find anyone other than Olson who did more to produce victories this summer for the squad. Frost simply does everything well. She’s got great handles, deceptive speed and nice court vision. Marisa’s motor runs non-stop, she can withstand defensive pressure as well as anyone, and she is a very good shooter. In short, Frost is a quiet giant and that’s why she’s in the top 10.