Big 8 Preview: Middleton's Most Intriguing Prospects

With Dane County prep hoops set to get underway in the latter half of the month, it’s time to review and reevaluate the youngsters of yesteryear. And Middleton High School has a surplus of young players that could take another step in their games and become impact players at higher levels of basketball. These are their most intriguing varsity prospects. (Note: Intriguing is entirely subjective but in this article, it stands as I define it. When I say intriguing I mean to say that a player has demonstrated some kind of potential -- either consistently or inconsistently -- and I see that potential as a launching pad to a higher level of basketball. The rankings on this list aren’t reflective of how impactful the player is right now, but simply their intrigue level of what they could be) 1. Evin Jordee -- Wing -- 5’9” -- Class of 2023 -- Unranked When Evin Jordee subs into the game there is an immediate shift in tone to Middleton’s defense. Her length is that impactful. In tandem with her quick feet, Jordee consistently provides smothering on ball defense. Her versatility on that end of the floor extends from point guards to front-court players. She plays bigger than her slight 5’9” frame and her length is a massive asset when working the help side, getting around/contesting shots off of picks, and recovering from the help side to her original assignment. The biggest question marks for her come on the offensive end. Her off-ball movement is pretty standard, and when she gets on the ball she isn’t very patient, making a move before knowing what she wants to do. This kind of habit leads to easy traps and turnovers for Middleton. But habits can be broken and she’s demonstrated flashes of a quick first step and the ability to pass over the top of her defenders. While she isn’t a prolific offensive presence, her physical tools put her in a place to be extremely impactful, and the more time she sees on the court the more her feel for the game will develop and the more her skillset will come into its own. 2.[player_tooltip player_id="132378" first="McKenna" last="Monogue"] -- Wing -- 6’0” -- Class of 2022 -- #21 overall prospect, #3 SF Any conversation about Monogue should start with her tantalizing offensive bag. She has a quick release and range up to 23 feet and when she gets hot it’s lights out for the opposition. Her height and vision make it easier for her to find open teammates once she gets doubled, and her accuracy with skip passes adds another layer to her playmaking ability. But her frame does not come at the cost of quickness. She reads the game exceptionally well when operating on the perimeter. She just needs to put it all together more consistently. Monogue can be the central figure of an offense if she delivered consistently. She primarily operates along the perimeter -- which compliments her shooting and passing ability -- at the cost of refining her back to the basket skills. With her touch and footwork, she could take her game to an even higher level by adding a more reliable post game to her repertoire. 3. Milanne Dahmen -- Guard -- 5’2” -- Class of 2022 -- Unranked Dahmen’s impact for Middleton is evident the second she steps on the floor. She controls tempo while adding an element of speed and transition play for the Cardinals. Her IQ and vision are essential to a Middleton offense that has a tendency to stagnate against superior opposition. At her disposal is an extremely tight handle and the raw point guard mentality to get everyone involved. She also provides reliable on-ball defense and has a nose for where to be helpside. What makes her such an interesting prospect is her ability to raise the floor of everyone around her. Dahmen is an engine of sorts whose best attribute is her presence on offense. With talents like Monogue and the soon-to-be-mentioned [player_tooltip player_id="206581" first="Audrey" last="Deptula"], Dahmen should be judged by her ability to initiate offensive sets quickly and find her star wings while making sure role players are involved as well. She straddles between the glue that holds a team together and the x-factor to maximize the potential of some already very talented players around her. 4. [player_tooltip player_id="206581" first="Audrey" last="Deptula"] -- Combo Guard -- 6’0” -- Class of 2023 -- #13 overall prospect, #5 CG Deptula is a classic example of how the listing of this article functions. She is Middleton’s best player, but 4th on this list. Why does she rank so low? Because she’s already such a polished scorer and defender that there isn’t a ton of room for intrigue. When she attacks the paint she looks more like a running back than a combo guard, holding the ball securely before exploding vertically using her length and touch to finish tough floaters over any amount of defenders you want to throw at her. Alongside a silky smooth jump shot that translates from the midrange to well beyond the three-point line, Deptula is an ideal three-level scorer. She also happens to be a magnet for the ball defensively, especially when operating off the ball. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have room to improve. While she has a pretty strong dribble in that she won’t get pickpocketed if she keeps it simple, her advanced dribble moves can be loose. And her lack of elite speed can lead to turnovers especially when attempting to single-handedly break a press. Though her aggression is what makes her such a treat to watch offensively, the same aggression gets her in trouble at times -- biting off more than she can chew and attacking the paint recklessly. 5. Sierra Pertzborn -- Forward/Center -- 6’3” -- Class of 2023 --Unranked To round out the list we have a prospect who didn’t necessarily see the court a ton in 2021. But everything I saw of her has me believing she’s the perfect candidate to fill the vacuum at the 5-spot left by graduated senior Melanie Accola. She’s extremely long and is a defensive stalwart in the paint. She has a great feel for where to be defensively and has the potential to be a legitimate anchor. Where Accola was so good for Middleton was off the roll and on the board--both offensively and defensively. Pertzborn will have to tighten up her screen setting and rolling technique to maximize her offensive impact but is already well versed in rebounding with the ball at its apex height. What makes her doubly interesting is her status as an elite volleyball prospect. The translation of skills from volleyball to basketball -- touch, feel for positioning, attacking the ball at its top height, footwork, etc. -- is well documented and Pertzborn embodies all the positives of the stereotype. She also has no business being as fast as she is at 6’3” and with the playmakers around her, there is serious potential to be a threatening rim runner on the fastbreak.