Brady’s Notes: Midwest Kickoff Classic Day One

<span data-preserver-spaces="true">On the first day of the Midwest Kickoff Classic, I saw some of the best talents in the midwest. Here are the notes on some of the kids I got to see.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="108340" first="Lauren" last="Knudson"]-Metro Stars 2023 Wiese</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">I hadn’t heard of Knudson before seeing her play yesterday morning. The Minnesota native is one of the best ball handlers when dealing with pressure. It’d be a challenge to knock the ball loose when the way she has it on a string. Knudson is also aggressive when coming off of a high ball screen. If someone doesn’t pick her up, she’ll punish defenses immediately.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="108336" first="Audrey" last="Kormann"]-Metro Stars 2023 Wiese</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">The junior is excellent around the basket. If someone asked me to build my ideal post player, it’d look like the game Kormann possesses. Kormann scores well around the rim and passes out to shooters when she gets doubled in the post. It also helps that she was one of the best paint protectors I saw and didn’t foul that much.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="339224" first="Marin" last="Blom"]-Crossfire 11th Modrynski</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">I like how Blom attacks full-court presses. It’s almost like she sees teams try to speed her up then, pull out a reverse card, and makes the pressing defense look uncomfortable. Blom also did things you wouldn’t have expected a lead guard to do, like rebound on the offensive end. Blom affects every aspect of the game.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Ashley Bryfczynski-43Hoops Premier (Cubie)</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">The main thing I learned in the game I saw Bryfczynski is that she’s relentless. She will attack the rim at all costs. I saw her take two hard falls in front of me and somehow got up and kept playing. It takes toughness to keep going, and it takes willpower to continue playing at a high level. That’s what she did.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="208187" first="Annika" last="Southworth"]-MN Rise 2025 Hulke</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">I can tell that Southworth understands the power she has as an initiator. The way she maneuvers against defenses, you can tell she’s looking for specific details, like a help-side defender losing track of their assignment for a split second. Southworth will make winning plays for teams she plays on for the next few years.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="374234" first="Olivia" last="Olson"]- Minnesota Fury 2024 UAA</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">I knew that Olson was one of the most talented players in the country coming into the day, but somehow I still left impressed by what she does. Her ability to get to her spots is unbelievable. She has a complete understanding of what she is, and isn’t, capable of doing. She’s an excellent scorer and facilitator, but there’s something else I took away from seeing her play. The way she treats every possession is incredible. By looking at her face, you can see that she treats every possession as a game. You can see how much she hates getting scored on, and you see how aggressive she is to find the best shot possible for her team. Beyond what the box score says about her game, Olson will succeed because she plays every second with desperation. If you ever get a chance to see her play, I can’t suggest doing it enough.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="329548" first="Mary" last="Berg"]-Team Wisconsin 2024</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">The Menomonie native knocked down four 3’s the last time I saw her in the state tournament, and she continued to play well yesterday. Berg is an unbelievable shooter who does an excellent job getting her teammates involved. She’s an effective scorer and passer, but the best part about her game is that she rarely makes a mistake with the ball. Berg is an excellent ball-handler and gets the most out of every offense she plays in.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="156059" first="Lily" last="Cayley"]-Team Wisconsin 2023</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">You won’t see many guards have a quicker first step than Cayley. The way she can attack ball screens to create an advantage is unique. When she comes off a high ball screen, she does an excellent job of making the right decision. Cayley does a good job reading defenses, and she’s seen it all. In high school, teams will throw all their resources at her, so not much could catch her off guard at this point.</span>