Minnesota Top 250: 2024 Fresh Faces Part 1

The reason we love this is event is because it helps us find the hidden gems we haven't seen much of or at all. I love finding new talent in the gym, when I can do a double take and ask the person next to me, who is that? These 2024 Top 250 standouts are not quite ranked yet but look for them to make a big impact this year as they start their sophomore season. Here are the top 2024 newcomers from the Top 250 Expo: <strong><img class="alignnone wp-image-338452" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/52-Olivia-Wren.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="133" /></strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="339197" first="Olivia" last="Wren"] - 5'7 guard, Roosevelt </strong> Wren blew me away at the Expo and this was the first time I laid eyes on her. She's got a nice athletic frame with great timing and speed. The guard is a two-way player but mostly likes to play the point. On offense she pushes the ball up really well in transition to get it to her open teammate, and in the halfcourt she can pull up for the mid-range jumper. Her best asset is her ability to go left and finish at a high volume where she likes to kiss it off the glass or finish with a floater. <b><img class="alignnone wp-image-338495" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/98-JaKahla-Craft.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="133" /></b> <b>[player_tooltip player_id="339129" first="Ja'Kahla" last="Craft"] - 5'7 guard, St. Michael Albertville</b> Craft plays a physical game on both ends of the floor. On offense she can play both down low or pop up to the wing. She's got a nice mid-range jumper and can take you off the bounce. She is the definition of tough! The athletic guard does all the dirty work for whatever team she is on and is one of the best offensive rebounders I've seen. She is good at getting her own rebound and putting it back in with her high vertical and long arms. <strong><img class="alignnone wp-image-338469" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/74-Anna-Goodman.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="133" /></strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="350108" first="Anna" last="Goodman"] - 5'5 guard, Lakeville South</strong> Goodman caught my eye with her sharp shooting on Sunday. She has a great stroke from beyond the arc and is always ready to shoot. The guard worked hard while she was on the court making cuts on offense and being scrappy on defense. Anna is very unselfish on the floor and makes the right decisions for the betterment of the team. <strong><img class="alignnone wp-image-338570" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/184-Ayelishka-Bel-Teko-Folly.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="133" /></strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="339216" first="Ayelishka-Bel" last="Teko-Folly"] - 5'11 forward, Rosemount </strong> The power forward continues to get better and better. She is a raw athlete who is just scraping the surface. With her length and long arms she blocks anything that comes into the lane and can secure any rebound that comes near her. On offense she was best at slashing through the lane down low and finishing in motion. She's got a nice touch around the rim and uses the backboard really well. <strong><img class="alignnone wp-image-338553" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/169-Leilani-Fonoti.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="133" /></strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="339115" first="Leilani" last="Fonoti"] - 5'10 forward, Cloquet</strong> Fonoti has a textbook shot and can shoot it from anywhere on the court. She stays active on offense by setting screens and getting offensive rebounds. At 5'10 she has the skills of a guard and can play both inside and out. A team-first player who is willing to make the extra pass.