Best of Mill City: 2025s who rose to the occasion

It’s early. Although we might have a pretty good handle on Minnesota’s Class of 2025 – the first Prep Girls Hoops ranking of the incoming freshmen will take place this fall – they were all new to the Division 1 coaches on hand at the Mill City Invitational last week in Chanhassen. Several of the 2025s made a big first impression, including the five players featured here in the final installment of our Best of Mill City series. Rest assured this won’t be the last time you read about them because these athletes are likely going to be front and center for years to come. [player_tooltip player_id="205298" first="Jordan" last="Ode"] – 5’11 guard, Fury 2025 Blue (Maple Grove) There were a ton of terrific prospects at Mill City representing a wide variety of AAU clubs, including the hosts from Minnesota Fury. One of the main attractions all week was Ode. Jordan first arrived in our consciousness last year at the Prep Girls Hoops Fall Exclusive, where she turned in a month’s worth of impressive performances. Over the winter she did the same while earning a spot in the rotation at Maple Grove, something that almost never happens for 8th graders. This spring, after joining the Fury, Ode has offered more of the same. Last week she did it in front of Division 1 coaches for the first time. Ode is clearly one of the best athletes in the 2025 class, and has the skills to match. Her leaping ability is outstanding, as is her agility. Jordan has exceptional handles, shoots the basketball well from both distance and mid-range, and thinks the game at a very high level. What separates Ode, however, is her motor. This kid is relentless, and she will not back down from anyone. Once she fills out, and gains the kind of strength that comes with that, she is going to be a handful. Ode is one of the top few players in Minnesota in her class and the recruiters were suitably impressed. While [player_tooltip player_id="208184" first="Zahara" last="Bishop"] continued to deliver, and [player_tooltip player_id="205299" first="Ella" last="Kuhlman"] had her best tournament of the summer, it was Ode who was the main topic of conversation. Autumn McCall – 6’2 forward, Fury 2025 Blue (Centennial) I’m not sure how they do it but Centennial High School keeps coming up with long, tall, skilled post players who dominate the inside. Most recently we watched big [player_tooltip player_id="29521" first="Jenna" last="Guyer"] ascend to the north end of the Prep Girls Hoops rankings on her way to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Before her there was current Wisconsin Badger [player_tooltip player_id="1716" first="Sara" last="Stapleton"] and Sarah Grow, now of Minnesota-Duluth. Apparently McCall’s got next. Listed at 6’2, the long and lanky incoming freshmen has shown steady improvement all summer. At Mill City she took it to another level with a breakthrough performance. Overall she was much more aggressive on the boards, played with more physicality than we’ve seen before, and finished consistently at the rim. McCall shot 57% for the week while seeming to play with so much more confidence. When the season began we weren’t sure what to expect from Autumn, who sat out last summer due to COVID-19 and hadn’t played at the highest levels of AAU before. After Mill City our expectations have risen substantially. Unfortunately McCall broke her thumb over the weekend in Indianapolis but that’s just a temporary setback. Her long-term prospects appear to be very, very good. [player_tooltip player_id="307818" first="Mylea" last="Monahan"] – 5’7 guard, North Tartan 2025 Nike (Glencoe-Silver Lake) Carrying the Monahan name onto a basketball court can’t be easy. Let’s just say the family has a history of producing exceptional players who have made it all the way to the Division 1 level. That’s a lot to live up to, but the latest in the Monahan lineage to grace us with her presence appears to be having little difficulty measuring up to those lofty standards. After a high school state tournament that served as her de facto coming-out party, Mylea has carried over her high level of performance into the summer season for Ashley Ellis-Milan’s North Tartan 2025 Nike squad. That level of excellence was on full display at Mill City where the coaches gathered on the sidelines were duly impressed. Monahan is just so versatile. You can put her anywhere on offense or defense and she will deliver. Mylea is an exceptional rebounder for her size. She gets to the basket frequently and knows how to put up points. Like her sisters, Mylea is consistent and reliable and steady as a rock. While gifted point guard [player_tooltip player_id="252379" first="Addison" last="Mack"] put up gaudy numbers once again, and [player_tooltip player_id="296513" first="Bree" last="Bowman"] and [player_tooltip player_id="262910" first="Tori" last="Schlagel"] turned heads with their play, Mylea just did her thing and did it very well. [player_tooltip player_id="296516" first="Regan" last="Juenemann"] – 5’9 guard, Starks Elite (Duluth Marshall) Starks Elite played in an upper bracket at a major event for the first time at Mill City and comported themselves very, very well. They also drew a ton of eyeballs, primarily because of 2024 guard [player_tooltip player_id="178277" first="Jordan" last="Zubich"]. What the coaches discovered while pursuing Jordan was a very talented 8th grader who looked right at home playing with and against kids two and three years older. Regan opened the tournament with an 18-point performance against the Wisconsin Blizzard and followed with 13 against Fury 2024 UAA. Along the way she showcased her superior athleticism, light feet, and excellent ball-handling ability. She is long and fluid, with a quick step, straight-line speed and quality shooting. While this was all new to the D1 coaches gathered courtside, it is exactly what we have seen from Juenemann all summer. She has been consistently good in AAU play and was one of the premier performers at the University of St. Thomas elite camp. The dynamic guard made the Prep Girls Hoops 2025 Watch List in June, and when the first ranking of the incoming freshmen is released this fall you can be pretty certain that Regan will be present and accounted for in a big way. Ryaan Speer – 5’9 guard, North Tartan SE 2025 (Rochester Century) We have been hearing about Ryaan’s play all summer, but due to the vagaries of scheduling it seemed that the 8th grade edition of North Tartan Southeast was always playing in the opposite facility from where we were watching. That changed at Mill City when Russ Speer’s squad showed up at Chanhassen in the championship game of the 14U Blue Division, and the coach’s daughter rather quickly made it clear what folks were talking about. Ryaan stood out immediately. She’s got length and athleticism and a healthy dose of sandpaper which, as you probably know by now, is one of my very favorite attributes in a young player. So, too, is being a vocal, supportive teammate when not on the floor, and Ryaan checks that box, as well. From the time we watched Ryaan last summer to last week at Mill City she has improved by leaps and bounds. With and without the ball she is a consistent slasher. She defends hard, rebounds well, and isn’t afraid to throw her weight around a little in heavy traffic. Speer has nice court vision and a good feel for the game, too. Speer is now learning to play more under control so that she can become a better finisher around the rim. Southeastern Minnesota continues to pump out prospects year after year. With great intangibles and all of the qualities you look for in a leader, Speer appears to be continuing that trend. Top photo: The incoming freshmen were reaching for the sky at Mill City, including North Tartan’s [player_tooltip player_id="296513" first="Bree" last="Bowman"] of Prior Lake. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Bowman)