ESPN Next Girls Basketball Invitational Tournament
Minnesota girls’ basketball is growing exponentially, and everyone is starting to take notice. It’s not every day we get to host big events like this and bring in the top teams in the nation. Hopkins was the host of the…
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Continue ReadingMinnesota girls’ basketball is growing exponentially, and everyone is starting to take notice. It’s not every day we get to host big events like this and bring in the top teams in the nation. Hopkins was the host of the Sports Center Next Girls Basketball Invitational that included number-one ranked Sidwell Friends, second-ranked Desoto, and Grandview which currently has the number-one senior in the nation. Hopkins girls’ basketball team is the third-ranked team in the country and finally got to compete against the highest-level talent. Hopkins has been a powerhouse for the last 20 years and as a basketball community we are happy they represented Minnesota so well.
The level of talent we saw on the floor over the two days was ELITE. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a few of these girls hit the WNBA floors in the future. These teams were big, athletic and fast. The coaches were top notch and the most exciting thing about this tournament is the fact that the three top teams in the nation are coached by women, did I mention women of color. With over 15 Division 1 kids in the tournament, it was hard to just pick the top 10, but these girls proved their ranking and showed up in both games, making big contribution to their teams.
First Team:
Kiki Rice Kiki Rice 5'11" | PG Sidwell Friends School | 2022 State #4 Nation MD – 2022 point guard, Sidwell Friends (Washington DC)
Rice was impressive from the jump and showed us she is the leader of the team. The point guard who is ranked number two in the nation and is a UCLA commit, proved her ranking this weekend playing against two of the top three teams in the nation. Rice controlled the pace for her team coming up big in the first game against Hopkins by putting up 21 points and showing off her silky-smooth moves. She can shoot the three ball at a high rate, hit the step-back or hit you with a eurostep in the lane. The point guard did all the little things right pulling down 9 rebounds and dishing out 5 assists. She struggled to get the ball in the hoop during the first half of the championship game but when it came down to the wire, Rice hit big shots, and made great decisions to help her team go on a 11-0 run and win the game.
Jadyn Donovan Jadyn Donovan 6'1" | SF Sidwell Friends School | 2023 State #21 Nation MD – 2023 guard, Sidwell Friends (Washington DC)
Donovan was the MVP of the tournament, and it was well deserved. She helped her team come back from behind and go on a 11-0 run late in the second half to beat Desoto. She finished with 25 points and 9 rebounds in the championship game and shot 44% from the field. She came in clutch hitting 11 of her 13 free throws. The number-10 ranked junior is listed as a guard but can play at almost any position. Her athleticism is through the roof and she may be one of the most athletic kids I have ever seen. What she does on the court leaves you shocked and in awe. She has handles, she can rebound, she can shoot, and she can finish around the rim. Her vertical is insane… she was getting rebounds over girls way taller than her and finished her layups touching the backboard with two hands. I wouldn’t be surprised if she starts dunking in the next couple of years. She is uncommitted but with her skill and IQ she will make a huge impact at the next level.
Lauren Betts Lauren Betts 6'7" | C Grandview | 2022 State #1 Nation CO – 2022 center, Grandview (Colorado)
The first player you notice on the court is Betts, the 6’7 senior center who holds the number one spot in the 2022 class rankings. She is the go-to person on her team to score. On almost every possession on offense, the team is looking for her to score or running a play for her to get open. The center was best at getting her defender out of position so her teammates could give her a high pass over the top for an easy layup. Both teams figured out early that you have to double her. We got to see an early preview of Stanford practice as Betts and future teammate Agara battled down low. Hopkins size and strength were too much for Grandview, but the center senior finished with 16 points in the third-place game.
Tionna Herron Tionna Herron 6'3" | PF DeSoto | 2022 State TX – 2022 center, Desoto (Texas)
Herron was most impressive in the championship game as she dominated the paint on both ends of the floor and was unstoppable in the first half. She was a huge contributor to Desoto leading most of the game. The center is strong and has great timing on offense. She’s smooth around the rim and has the footwork to compliment it. Not only is she good down low, she also has a nice stroke from mid-range and can hit the jumper at a high clip. The center is ranked number 69 in the nation and proved she will be great at the next level, where she will be playing at Kentucky.
Nunu Agara Nunu Agara 6'1" | PF Hopkins | 2023 State #32 Nation MN – 2023 forward, Hopkins (Minnesota)
Agara continues to improve her game and it showed against some of the best teams in the nation. The number-38 ranked junior was great on both ends of the floor making big buckets and getting stops on defense against some of the best bigs. At times she was able to shut down her future 6’7 Stanford teammate Betts. The forward made a living by getting offensive rebounds and put-backs, usually resulting in free throws. She puts herself in position to get inside her defender when a shot goes up. Agara continues to add to her game and was knocking down the mid-range jumper with confidence.
Second Team:
Kendall Dudley Kendall Dudley 6'1" | SF Sidwell Friends | 2024 State MD (No. 4) – 2023 guard, Sidwell Friends
Sa’Myah Smith Sa’Myah Smith 6'4" | PF DeSoto | 2022 State #14 Nation TX (No. 58) – 2022 power forward, Desoto (LSU)
Amaya Battle Amaya Battle 5'10" | PG Hopkins | 2022 State #29 Nation MN (No. 39) – 2022 point guard, Hopkins (University of Minnesota)
Sienna Betts Sienna Betts 6'5" | PF Grandview | 2025 State CO (Top 25) – 2025 power forward, Grandview
Amina Muhammad Amina Muhammad 6'3" | PF DeSoto | 2022 State TX (No. 63) – 2022 power forward, Desoto (University of Texas)
* National Rank