Class of 2025 Rankings: #11-#20 Strengths and Improvements
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PGH Wisconsin has just launched its inaugural class of 2025 ranking, listing to the top freshman girls hoops prospects in the state. Let’s breakdown the bottom half of the top-20: Tess Wiczek Tess Wiczek 5'7" | PG Pius XI Catholic…
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Continue ReadingPGH Wisconsin has just launched its inaugural class of 2025 ranking, listing to the top freshman girls hoops prospects in the state. Let’s breakdown the bottom half of the top-20:
Tess Wiczek Tess Wiczek 5'7" | PG Pius XI Catholic | 2025 State WI | Pius XI | 5’7″ | Guard | #11 Overall Prospect
Strengths: Wiczek is a high effort, high-intensity off-guard who’s shown promise as a two-way player. Her calling card is as a strong on-ball defender with shooting touch from the outside. And while it’s unrealistic and unfair to expect her to be a career 47% three-point shooter, her mechanics are strong enough to believe that Wiczek can still be an efficient shooter at a higher volume (she currently sits at two attempts per game). She’s also flashed above-average vision and shown sparks of being a creator off the bounce as well.
Weaknesses: While Wiczek has shown in bits and pieces that she can create off the dribble, she’s not consistently aggressive on the offensive end. This is likely a result of her limited dribble package–she can handle the rock, but isn’t a wildly creative player. She doesn’t put pressure on the rim in half-court sets, and while she’s a catch-and-shoot threat, the freshman guard isn’t a great relocator/movement shooter. Still, the shooting prowess and defensive skill should enable her to expand her game and reach her ceiling.
Georgia Acompanado | Greenfield | 5’5″ | Guard | #12 Overall Prospect
Strengths: Acompanado is a creative lead-guard whose offense value comes from her ability to create off the bounce. And while slight-of-frame, Acompanado consistently initiates her own contact when attacking the rim. Her handle and improvisation skills going downhill make her a threat in the half-court, but she’s more often looking to attack on the break. And defensively, she welcomes contact and stands her ground, using length to matchup and angles to lock up stronger guards. For a smaller guard, she’s also an excellent rebounder–another testament to her aggressiveness and physicality.
Weaknesses: G.A.’s biggest weakness in the half-court is as a shooter, she’s only hitting 30% of her three-point shots on 20 total attempts at the 1/3 mark of the season and hasn’t knocked one down in her past five games. And though her handle and quickness get her out of sticky situations, her handle can be loose at times and she’s not yet a steady enough decision-maker to take control of an offense. Defensively, her length lets her keep shooters at bay, but she’s not an ultra-aggressive on-ball defender. For now, her shooting is what primarily holds her back, but her creativity and aggressiveness enable a very high ceiling.
Lydia Aalsma Lydia Aalsma 5'10" | SG Waupun | 2025 State WI | Waupun | 5’10″ Wing/Forward | #13 Overall Prospect
Strengths: Aalsma adds a ton of value to Waupun because of her confidence alone. She makes freshman mistakes but her willingness to move sharply without the ball and shoot the ball forces the defense to play her honestly. Her length becomes an important factor in her offensive ceiling, allowing her to get her shot off over most wing defenders and attack the basket without fear of being blocked. Her versatility defensively makes her a viable option to play significant minutes. Her length and quickness also play roles in her defensive ceiling, allowing her to contest shots and close out effectively.
Weaknesses: Aalsma is still looking to find her exact role offensively. She’s a sub-30% three-point shooter who hasn’t shown a pension for creating for herself. As of now, she’s a relatively limited offensive player compared to the players ranked ahead of her. And while she’s shown the potential to be an impact player defensively, she’ll miss her help-side assignments and get lost in the actions of opposing offenses. But if Aalsma can improve her shooting touch from three-point land and maximize the use of her physical tools defensively, she can be an elite wing prospect.
Karinna Trotter Karinna Trotter 6'2" | PF Divine Savior Holy Angels | 2025 State WI | DSHA | 6’2″ | Center | #14 Overall Prospect
Strengths: A lot of Trotter’s upside is theoretical. At 16 minutes a game, she’s flashed aggressiveness on the offensive glass and shooting touch to the outside–a tantalizing thought considering her height. She also has a really solid base as a pick-and threat, whether that be on the roll or on the pop. And while she needs direction and instruction to maximize her potential, there’s also promise for Trotter as an elite shot blocker.
Weaknesses: Despite her frame, there are times where Trotter seems to avoid contact. She doesn’t create space for herself offensively and isn’t an aggressive presence either. This limited offensive skillset is going to be her biggest obstacle going forward. On the defensive end, Trotter doesn’t have great feel for where to be as an anchor yet. Trotter has some of the highest upside of any freshman but needs to develop a lot of skills to reach her potential as a basketball player.
Lillian Merow Lillian Merow 6'2" | C Port Washington | 2025 State WI | Port Washington | 6’2″ | Forward/Center | #15 Overall Prospect
Strengths: Merow is a very promising post prospect who’s already demonstrated fluidity and strength on the low block. She’s physical and determined once she gets around the basket, and is constantly looking to sharpen her go-to post moves. Her footwork and quickness elevate her ceiling as a post-scorer and interior presence. Defensively, she has great reaction time and recovery quickness as a rim protector.
Weaknesses: Although she’s not as raw as Trotter, she lacks consistent touch from the outside and on the interior. Her post-moves are a strong foundation to build her scoring profile, but she has to improve her finishing ability to maximize her scoring talent. Additionally, some of the habits she’s built in the post–bringing the ball down low, dribbling in congested areas–limit her. Defensively, she’s a half-step slow to get to the right position at times. Overall, Merow is a high-upside player with a great foundation to build on.
Olivia Olson Olivia Olson 5'8" | PG Cuba City | 2025 State WI | Cuba City | 5’7″ | Guard | #16 Overall Prospect
Strengths: Olson’s scoring prowess in a lead guard role as a freshman is what puts her on the map. She’s got the green light to run the offense, and her ability to handle the rock shines through. Her right-to-left cross is lethal and embodies her aggressive offensive playstyle. Her self-creation and ability to get downhill is a prized asset in her offensive repertoire, but Olson’s also been consistent as a movement shooter without the ball as well. Defensively, she’s proven to be a tough and competitive on-ball defender.
Weaknesses: Having reign over a lot of decisions offensively sometimes overwhelms her and she gets caught between those decisions. This will fix itself with time and experience, the more immediate aspect of her game that can be corrected is her inconsistent shooting mechanics. Her release point wildly differs from shot to shot, especially on looks from beyond the arc. Her 18 points a game average could see a sizeable increase with this correction. Her off-ball defensive instincts are good, but she needs to be more active on that end to realize her two-way potential given her speed and quickness.
Natalie Mueller Natalie Mueller 5'6" | SG Homestead | 2025 State WI | Homestead | 5’6″Guard/Wing | #17 Overall Prospect
Strengths: Mueller is one of the best on-ball defenders in the top-20. Her raw speed and quickness are matched by her activity in that aspect of the game. She’s already a complete wing defender who plays with more length and physicality than her frame dictates. And though Mueller is on off-guard who doesn’t typically create for herself, she’s shown offensive versatility as a passer/playmaker. She makes great decisions 15-feet and in while flexing her impressive vision.
Weaknesses: Mueller needs to improve her catching skills to develop offensively. It may seem basic, but at times she struggles to catch the ball, looking to make a play before securing possession. She’s not a confident shooter of the ball either, passing up open looks. And while this can be interpreted as trading a good shot for a great one, it often looks erratic and speaks to her need to develop an offensive skillset. Her defensive presence will keep her on the court, giving her an opportunity to develop into the offensive player she’s showing promise of being.
Mimi Hart Mimi Hart 5'8" | CG Cedarburg | 2025 State WI | Cedarburg | 5’8″ | Wing/Forward | #18 Overall Prospect
Strengths: Hart’s already a winning player. Where most freshmen need to develop, usually costing their team’s possessions, Hart’s high IQ and decision-making improve the team around her. She’s a strong defender both on the ball and on the help side. She’s flashed creativity on the break and in the halfcourt, using her footwork and physicality to create for herself while staying relatively efficient. Her ability to navigate a fastbreak is an encouraging sign for her offensive development as a creator for herself and others.
Weaknesses: Hart’s weaknesses don’t really glare. Her shot mechanics aren’t great and she’ll need to develop her shooting touch to grow as a player, but other than that there isn’t an aspect of the game that she falls backs significantly in. She could be more creative and hunt her shot more aggressively offensively, but she plays on a fairly veteran team with better scoring options ahead of her. And the only other aspect of her game that’ll need to develop is her feel in the halfcourt–knowing when to cut, how to space, and how to get herself open, but the foundation is there.
Tierney Madigan Tierney Madigan 5'10" | SG Laconia | 2025 State WI | Laconia | Guard/Forward | #19 Overall Prospect
Strengths: Madigan has the physical tools to be a menace down the road. Her speed and athleticism shine when she attacks the basket, where she’s also shown her ambidexterity. And at 5’10″, Madigan’s also flexed a solid ball-handling foundation, at times being the lead ball-handler amid full-court pressure. She runs a fast-break well and has good vision in advantage scenarios, an important first step for someone of her playmaking potential.
Weaknesses: There’s no hiding that Madigan absolutely needs to improve as a shooter. At 15% from beyond the arc, Madigan is the weakest shooter among players that have attempted at least 20 three-pointers in the rankings. This limits her as a half-court presence. And though she’s a terror on the break, she struggles to find her role in the half-court, leading to large disparities in her scoring output. For someone of her handle and role on the team, it’s imperative that she develops her jumper and becomes a decision-maker in the half-court.
Maddy Jensen Maddy Jensen 5'6" | CG Brookfield Central | 2025 State WI | Brookfield Central | 5’6″ | Guard | #20 Overall Prospect
Strengths: Jensen’s jumper is what could see her become a riser in years to come. She’s got great mechanics and a consistent launching angle–and the confidence to rip it from downtown. It’s where the majority of her points come from, and she’s shown a penchant for coming off of screens and rising up from downtown. She’s also a physical guard who can bang with bigger guards defensively, providing a nice layer fo versatility within her skillset.
Weaknesses: Simply, Jensen isn’t an efficient scorer. Her splits of 35%-67%-30% are slightly concerning considering the volume with which she puts shots up. She’s only posted one game so far hitting the 50% mark from the field. Jensen also needs to improve her activity level in the natural flow of the offense. When the action is designed for her to get open, she’s a diligent and hard worker, and making that effort a consistent aspect of her game will open up the half-court for her. I’m a believer in her jumper and Jensen has a ton potential as a movement shooter down the road.