Top 250 Expo: 2023 defensive difference-makers, part 1

Defense wins! Yet no matter how many times we say it, folks still get enamored with players who put points up on the board. What about those who keep points off the board? We think they’re just as important, if not more so, as do the coaches who hold the keys to the candy jar when it comes to recruiting. That’s why the next two installments of 2023 standouts from the Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo are all about defense. Today we bring you 10 guards who made a difference on defense at the Expo. Tomorrow we’ll follow up with the forwards. <strong>10 DEFENSIVE DIFFERENCE-MAKERS</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="220830" first="Isa" last="Nelson"] – The 5’9 combo guard from Edina (top photo) is the ultimate under-the-radar performer. She’s skilled and athletic, handles the ball well and excels at both ends of the floor, but it is her steady, reliable nature that will take Isa to the next level. Coaches can trust this Top 100 prospect to contain her assignment while still producing at the other end of the floor. An underappreciated talent for sure. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338497 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/100-Emily-Bowron-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="148325" first="Emily" last="Bowron"] –  The 5’7 combo guard from Rochester Lourdes just goes about her business game after game after game. She’s got plenty of quickness which makes her a threat offensively but also allows her to do an excellent job as an on-ball defender. Like Isa, Emily is steady as she goes – not too high, not too low but always dialed in. She is currently ranked #41 in the class. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338518 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/127-Jasmine-Dupree-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="108333" first="Jasmine" last="Dupree"] – The 5’8 guard from Hopkins continues to impress on both sides of the ball while attempting to emerge from the very large shadows cast by her high-profile teammates. We can assure you that Jazz didn’t end up in the Top 50 by accident. Dupree is strong, she’s athletic, and she’s not afraid to get physical when it comes to stifling opponents. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338528 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/137-Camryn-Smith-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="148335" first="Camryn" last="Smith"] – The feisty 5’7 guard from Spring Lake Park is a certifiable junk yard dog. We love her constant high-energy demeanor on the floor and her willingness and ability to make life difficult for opponents no matter how big or skilled or strong they might be. Cam is just scrappy. If there’s a loose ball she’s on it like nobody’s business. Smith is currently #64 in the class. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338544 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/157-Emily-Crandall-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="148322" first="Emily" last="Crandall"] – The 5’10 combo guard from Sartell is cut from pretty much the same cloth as Smith. She plays hard, grinding out one shift after another with a high level of effort. Emily was among our top performers at last year’s Top 250 Expo and she did not disappoint this time around, either. In addition to her substantial defensive abilities, the 70th-rated junior can also score the basketball. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338527 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/136-Sonya-Potthoff-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="220833" first="Sonya" last="Potthoff"] – We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again about Sonya: Nobody is going to outwork her on or off the floor. The 5’9 guard from Mahtomedi has really put in the effort to improve steadily over time. She is a weight-room junkie (not surprising given that her dad Doug is a strength coach!) and that heavy-metal dedication has paid off. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338455 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/57-Taylor-Hill-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="220835" first="Taylor" last="Hill"] – The scrappy 5’8 guard from Rochester Mayo is really quick, both in a straight line and side to side. That’s a great starting point for any quality guard. Throw in a big motor, a keen sense of anticipation, and the willingness to sell out 100 percent when it’s time to put her body on the line and you have a rather formidable package. Currently ranked #121 in the class, Hill is trending upward. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338499 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/102-Hannah-Compton-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="302264" first="Hannah" last="Compton"] – Hannah is sneaky good. The 5’8 junior from Legacy Christian entered the Prep Girls Hoops Rankings at #134 in June, but that’s probably underestimating just how much is possible for her long term. Compton won’t wow you with her athletic prowess or dazzle you with her ball skills. She’ll just quietly go about her business as assigned and complete the tasks the coaches gave her. That’s a skillset we need more of! <img class="alignnone wp-image-338494 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/97-Mackenzie-Berg-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> [player_tooltip player_id="302276" first="Mackenzie" last="Berg"] – STMA has had so many great guards of late that it has been challenging for a number of nice prospects to gain much traction in the varsity rotation. That would include Mackenzie. We love the high-energy approach the 5’6 guard brings to the table. She plays hard, she’s gritty and it’s about time Mackenzie earned some headlines of her own. On Sunday the Top 150 prospect did just that. <img class="alignnone wp-image-338468 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/10/73-Savannah-Schlueter-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="339166" first="Savannah" last="Schlueter"]</strong> – Everyone who plays at Hutchinson knows a little something about defense. OK, they know a lot of everything about defense because coach Tim Ellefson insists it be that way. Nobody works harder or brings more energy than Savannah. At 5’5 she’s not very big but her motor certainly is. Schluetter will give you everything she has every time out. What more can you ask?