Spring Showdown: A sneak peek at some solid 2027s
I think we have already watched more 7th graders this AAU season than ever before and we’re only a month in! That wasn’t the plan but that’s the way it’s working out so far. We saw a whole bunch more…
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Continue ReadingI think we have already watched more 7th graders this AAU season than ever before and we’re only a month in! That wasn’t the plan but that’s the way it’s working out so far. We saw a whole bunch more of them last weekend at the Spring Showdown in the Twin Cities. Here are some first-look snippets on six strong 2027s.
Maya Kilian Maya Kilian 6'0" | CG New Prague | 2027 State MN – 2027 guard/wing, Minnesota Stars Lindahl
The New Prague guard just looks like a basketball player should. She’s super long, very lean and already stands about 5’9. Her length is a weapon at both ends of the court, and she seems to get a finger or hand on just about everything on the defensive side of the ball. We saw Maya utilize her exceptional strides and nice ball-handling ability to slip deftly past her defender on numerous occasions to score, and she knocked down outside shots, too. There’s plenty of height in the Kilian clan, and mom played collegiately at Mankato. Add it all up and you have an athlete with all of the ingredients to excel.
Tessa Frank – 2027 guard, Minnesota Stars Lindahl
Tessa is a stocky guard who is much quicker than she looks, more explosive than you’d expect and very, very crafty. The Wayzata 7th grader is a dynamic floor leader who appears to have the skills, confidence and strength of personality to have earned that role. Tessa’s got moxie. She moved the ball when appropriate, attacked the basket often, and demonstrated some nice one-on-one ability, including a sweet Eurostep. She and Maya combined for 22 points in the first game I watched. Frank is also an active, aggressive defender who talks a lot on defense and seems to have a good understanding of what is expected.
Annika Kieser – forward, North Tartan 2027 Nike
Annika is an aggressive power forward who plays with utter fearlessness. She’s pretty well put together for a 7th grader, with plenty of strength and a distinct physical advantage over most of her current opponents. She’s also a walking hustle play, the kind of competitor who will fight you to the final buzzer as often as needed. Kieser is about 5’8. If she grows she’ll likely end up in the four spot. If not, she’ll have to develop her outside game to a much higher degree. Kieser takes no prisoners in the paint and is an excellent rebounder at both ends of the floor. She is yet another in a very deep pool of prospects from Wayzata.
Lyla Hentges Lyla Hentges 5'10" | SG Chanhassen | 2027 State MN – guard, North Tartan 2027 Nike
Lyla wears #13 for North Tartan and they are lucky to have her! The Chanhassen 2/3 is about 5’8, long and athletic, with an ease of movement and a lot of bounce in her game. We’re told Hentges spends a ton of time in the gym and it definitely shows. She is just so fundamentally sound, with quality handles and the ability to score off the bounce, from mid-range or beyond the arc. She’s more than willing to share the basketball (sometimes too willing!) and is a very good passer. She’s a great shooter, as well, with a quick release and a nice high arc. Defensively Hentges is much-improved and getting better.
Kate Arnold – guard, Minnesota Fury 2027 Blue
There are plenty of highly-regarded 2027s in Minnesota, many of whom have already made a big splash on the varsity level. One name you will definitely be hearing a lot of in the years ahead is Kate Arnold. The 5’9 guard from Chanhassen is the sister of Lauren Arnold Lauren Arnold 5'9" | CG Chanhassen | 2024 State MN , an elite 2024 who toils with the Fury’s top sophomores. It looks like Kate has all of the skills and attributes that Lauren has, but with a lot more length and a set of arms that stretches from here to there and back again. Kate has terrific handles, is so agile, and positively floats across the court. Kate is a great passer with terrific court vision and she shoots it beautifully with a ton of range.
Berkley Blaisdell – 2027 guard, Minnesota Fury 2027 Blue
Berkley is a baller! So skilled. So speedy. So shifty. So fast and quick and smart. And just so much fun to watch. It’s hard not to talk about size when we’re talking about a tiny 7th grader. It’s a thing. But the 5’1 guard from Mahtomedi is positively overflowing with ability. This is a dynamic athlete who can blow past bigger, stronger opponents. She can also flat out shoot the basketball, with a quality stroke that makes it obvious how much work has been put into it. Blaisdell’s acceleration and ability to change speeds is impressive, as is her knack for avoiding the swarms of bigger bodies in her midst. Berkley comes from a basketball family (sister Ella Hronski plays for UM-Duluth) and there’s no shortage of height. Fingers crossed!