5 newcomers who stood out at the AAU State Prelims
Bright and early on Saturday morning, we watched Olivia Thostenson play her very first AAU basketball game. At 6’2, with an athletic build and a big motor, the freshman from International Falls was hard to miss. Given what we saw…
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Continue ReadingBright and early on Saturday morning, we watched Olivia Thostenson play her very first AAU basketball game. At 6’2, with an athletic build and a big motor, the freshman from International Falls was hard to miss. Given what we saw while drinking our second coffee of the morning, I can say with great certainty that it won’t be the last time we watch the Playmakers North 2024 Showcase forward play basketball. Olivia was the best fresh face we watched last weekend which is why she leads our list today of newcomers who stood out at the AAU State Prelims.
Olivia Thostenson – 2024 forward, Playmakers North Showcase
It was obvious in the early going Saturday that the speed, physicality and athleticism of Metro Stars 2024 was something with which Olivia was not familiar. Within a few minutes, however, Thostenson was adapting well. She showed nice touch from about 15 feet in, rebounded very well, and got up and down the floor with pretty good pace for a big power forward. What we really loved (other than her size, of course!) was just how hard Olivia played. Thostenson clearly has a long ways to go to develop her footwork, learn how to play man defense, and develop her ball-handling skills, but the potential is there to play at a very high level. It’s not easy to get quality training way up in America’s ice box, but if Thostenson figures out the logistics of that the college coaches will definitely come calling.
Braya LaPlant – 2024 forward, Playmakers North Showcase
Thostenson isn’t the only quality prospect on this edition of the Playmakers. We wrote about Tresa Baumgard Tresa Baumgard 6'0" | PF Chisholm | 2024 State MN of Chisholm in our stock raisers story this week, and we have been very impressed by what we have seen so far from Jessika Lofstrom of Grand Rapids, who is emerging as one of the better prospects in the class of 2024. And then there is Lofstrom’s teammate with the Thunderhawks – 6’1 Braya LaPlant. Her performance Saturday may have been the best of the bunch. LaPlant is a pure athlete, with great instincts and nice touch. She attacks the rim with gusto and can finish with either hand. LaPlant is playing point guard for Playmakers coach Tony Peterson because she is so reliable, but that’s probably not her role long term. She has a big body, can guard every position and routinely draws the toughest defensive assignment. No wonder Grand Rapids coach Kris Hamling is so high on this kid.
Elise Dieterle – 2025 guard, Minnesota Fury Blue
As we get deeper into our evaluation of players from the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2025 it is becoming rather obvious that picking and choosing who will be among the top-50 prospects will not be easy. This weekend another talented player from Minnesota’s incoming freshman class stepped up to the plate and made her case. Standing somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 feet, Elise Dieterle of Stillwater has plenty of size and length. Dieterle also made it obvious that she can score, posting totals of 14, 13, 6 and 16 over the weekend to lead the entire 2025 division in point production. Dieterle is a terrific shooter who can knock them down from distance and has nice touch around the rim, as well.
Karly Jusczak – 2024 forward, North Tartan Nike
There were times last fall at the North Tartan tryouts where Karly Jusczak looked like a fish out of water. Although things may have been moving a little fast for her at that point, you could definitely picture the possibilities. Fast forward to the Prelims and Jusczak looked like a completely different player. The 6-footer from Pine City played a key role in North Tartan’s run to the #1 seed in the upcoming AAU State Tournament and looked every bit the part. Karly was strong and physical, played with poise and confidence, and made it clear that her freshman year of high school, a season in which she averaged about 9 points and 5 rebounds per game, was only the beginning. Karly clearly has tremendous upside and we look forward to seeing how it all unfolds.
Kendyl Queensland – 2023 guard, Southern Minnesota Fury
Kendyl Queensland is a very intelligent player who understands the game at a high level. That shouldn’t be surprising given that her dad Ryan is the coach at Grand Meadow in Southeastern Minnesota where the Superlarks have a long history of success in girls basketball. At 5’10, Queensland has nice length with a long frame and excellent reach. She sees the floor well, is a quality shooter from mid-range and long distance, has solid handles and is a good passer. Queensland also plays great defense which definitely makes dad/coach very happy, and will no doubt appeal to college recruiters, too. Kendyl averaged approximately 10 points per game this winter at Grand Meadow. She is a quality prospect who just needs to get stronger.