AAU Defensive Player of the Year: Nia Holloway, North Tartan

Defense wins. No matter the level, no matter the league, no matter the personnel involved, the players who can defend are the players who’ll play big minutes in big moments. [player_tooltip player_id="12732" first="Nia" last="Holloway"] is one of those players, and she proved it all summer long with North Tartan EYBL. Make no mistake, Holloway is a great all-around talent, a gifted athlete who excels at both ends of the floor. But this year, particularly in July against a slate of big-time EYBL opponents, Nia made it clear that defense will be her calling card when she enters the Big 10 at the University of Minnesota next fall. That’s why we are pleased to name Holloway as our Prep Girls Hoops AAU Defensive Player of the Year. Watching the growth in Nia’s game over the years has been fun. Going back three or four summers ago it was obvious that Holloway was a superior athlete who could out-jump pretty much everyone in the gym. Despite a lack of strength and the challenges of dealing with growth spurts, her ability to get to loose balls on the glass was evident even back then. Over time, Nia invested a tremendous amount of time in developing her basketball skills. The work has been well worth it. Now the Top 5 incoming senior can shoot, she can handle, and she can score off the bounce or from the outside. As things have evolved, however, it is Nia’s defense that has come to define her as a player. So much of that success comes down to one thing: sheer effort. Holloway simply won’t be denied, and she doesn’t care if the opponent is four or five inches taller. She’s not bothered by leapers or sprinters or big girls with big bodies who like to bang hard. She’ll take on all comers of all pedigrees and, more often than not, come out on the right end of the equation. She is also a great communicator which, as we all know, might be the most important defensive attribute of all. <strong>RUNNER-UP</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="215958" first="Tori" last="McKinney"] <strong>– 2024 guard, North Tartan Nike (Minnetonka)</strong> Most young players are focused on the offensive aspects of the game. It’s only with time and seasoning and plenty of poking and prodding from coaches along the way that the majority add the defensive tools to their toolbox. Not McKinney. She arrived on the high school scene as an 8th grader whose defensive sensibilities were already well-developed, and she keeps on getting better. This summer Tori led her 2024 North Tartan squad to a 15U state championship and they did it with defense. The Tartan 24s weren’t the most talented team in the tournament, but they were definitely the best at keeping their opponents in check. Nobody on the squad epitomizes that approach more than McKinney, who has light feet, great lateral movement and tremendous length. She uses all of that, along with excellent anticipation, high basketball intelligence and a big motor to maximum benefit. This summer the 5’10 guard vaulted up the 2024 prospect rankings into the #6 position, an improvement that was well-earned. <strong>HONORABLE MENTIONS</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="12718" first="Ellie" last="Buzzelle"] <strong>– 2022 guard, Fury 2022 UAA (Rogers)</strong> When most people talk about Ellie they usually talk about her three-point shooting, her excellent handles and those incredibly light feet. Buzzelle can definitely get up and down the court and make things happen on offense. What gets lost is just how much Ellie brings to the table defensively, much of which is generated through sheer effort. The Fury’s top 2022 squad got off to a slow start this summer but midway through the season they started clicking, and eventually made it to the UAA national championship final. One of the primary reasons for the about-face was better defense. Buzzelle is the 11th ranked player in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2022 and has committed to D1 Grand Canyon University where she will have plenty of opportunity to utilize her skills without the ball at the next level. [player_tooltip player_id="57915" first="Alayna" last="Contreras"] <strong>(Hopkins) &amp; </strong>[player_tooltip player_id="109140" first="Ari" last="Gordon"]<strong> (Maple Grove) – 2022 guards, Metro Stars 3SSB</strong> Much like the Fury, the top Metro Stars squad has some tremendous offensive weapons, from [player_tooltip player_id="108298" first="Taylor" last="Woodson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="108348" first="Nunu" last="Agara"] to [player_tooltip player_id="12713" first="Amaya" last="Battle"] and [player_tooltip player_id="178269" first="Liv" last="McGill"]. Although their contributions are often overlooked, the Metro Stars also boast two of the state’s premier defenders in Contreras and Gordon. Both guards are quick and athletic, and both have embraced their roles on the team to maximum extent. This summer they were once again vital to the rather ample success of Coach Tara Starks’ team. Unfortunately, Contreras’ season was cut short by a torn ACL and Hopkins will definitely miss the contributions of the #21 player in the class. Gordon, ranked #38, will no doubt be critical for Maple Grove. [player_tooltip player_id="30163" first="Adeline" last="Kent"] <strong>– 2022 guard, Minnesota Stars Nilsen (Becker)</strong> The feisty guard from Becker is no stranger to defensive honors. Kent made our All-Defense Team last spring at the conclusion of the high school season and she continued to lock down opponents all summer for Matt Nilsen’s Stars. Kent’s speed, quickness and an innate sense of when to wait and when to pounce has made her something special. She is just so adept at getting a hand on the ball and forcing turnovers. Adeline is a prolific scorer, and more often than not her baskets come in transition after making a smart defensive play. Ranked #30 among Minnesota’s incoming seniors, Kent has committed to the University of Tampa. [player_tooltip player_id="205298" first="Jordan" last="Ode"] <strong>– 2025 guard, Fury Blue (Maple Grove)</strong> As mentioned above, it’s pretty rare for a freshman to be an impact defensive player. But an 8th grader? Well that’s unheard of. If you’ve watched Ode play, however, then you know we’re not blowing smoke here. The 5’11 guard is long and wiry. She’s incredibly athletic, with the ability to outleap bigger, stronger players. She can guard guards and she can guard posts. Like Holloway, Jordan doesn’t care how big or strong or how many years older her opponent may be, she’s going to fight to the finish to prevent baskets and score a few of her own. She received substantial minutes as an 8th grader at Maple Grove in no small part due to the fact that she can reliably defend. We have yet to rank the Class of 2025, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: when the list comes out this fall you’ll find Jordan’s name very, very close to the top.