The Battle for Mom: Fresh faces we liked
The mission at the beginning of the day on Saturday was clear: Locate some fresh-faced 2026s and 2025s. It didn’t take long as the first game of the day at the Minnesota Heat’s Battle for Mom, a contest between Central…
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Continue ReadingThe mission at the beginning of the day on Saturday was clear: Locate some fresh-faced 2026s and 2025s. It didn’t take long as the first game of the day at the Minnesota Heat’s Battle for Mom, a contest between Central Minnesota Swish and Minnesota Heat Chouinard, yielded not one but two prospects of note. We found more as they day went along, too. You can read about a few of them in our recap of AAU Week 3 published on Tuesday. Here are a half dozen more fresh faces we liked in Forest Lake.
Madison Gothmann – 2026 guard, Central Minnesota Swish
Milaca is a little off the beaten path when it comes to recruiting, but the one Wolves player drawing some attention right now is 6’0 sophomore Maggie Westling, who plays AAU for Crossfire Schuck. Pretty soon folks may be talking just as much about 8th grade guard Madison Gothmann. We saw Madison (top photo) for the first time at 8 o’clock on Saturday morning and her potential became evident immediately. Gothmann is a small but stocky guard with plenty of strength and power and a high-quality skill set. She is the primary ball-handler for the Swish, and ran the offense efficiently and at pace. She’s got good feet, nice acceleration, and the ability to produce points in multiple ways. The team’s opening game was a low-scoring affair, but Madison had 13 of her team’s 27. She was all business on the court with a nice focus on both sides of the ball, a high degree of intensity, and that air of calm confidence we love in a point guard.
Jesalyn Chouinard – 2026 guard, Minnesota Heat Chouinard
Gothmann wasn’t the only player who stood out in that first game. Jesalyn Chouinard quickly caught our attention, as well. She, too, is a strong, stocky guard who stands about 5’6. We say she’s a guard because that’s the position the Forest Lake player seems most suited for long term. Presently she’s playing forward for her dad Josh’s AAU team because she appears to be the most effective option available on the present roster. Jesalyn is strong and athletic with good feet and nice handles. She showed some high-skill moves, as well, including a perfectly executed 360-degree spin-and-score in the lane that raised some eyebrows. Chouinard is scrappy, too, and made a series of nice hustle plays to keep her team in the game. Although she isn’t going to wow you with any one particular aspect of her game, Chouinard she is a well-rounded prospect who is trending in the right direction.
Presley Albers – 2025 guard, Minnesota Heat Pelzel
I wish I had a tape measure with me on Saturday because there’s no way Presley Albers is actually the 5’7 height listed on the Mahtomedi roster. Perhaps she’s had a growth spurt since that number was deduced. Maybe it’s because she is crazy long and very bouncy. Regardless, Albers played way bigger when we watched, and the word out of the Zephyrs camp is she is a player on the rise in a rising program. Presley is a quality prospect with speed, athleticism and good feet. She is a passionate defender who never seems to be stationary. After struggling with consistency from three-point range this winter, Presley has had the hot hand so far for the Heat and has become their go-to gunner from distance. She runs the floor well and can knock down shots in transition. Albers’ rebounding has improved a lot as has her ability to handle the basketball under pressure, both at pace and in the half court. Perhaps her most valuable asset right now is the desire to get better and a willingness to put in the work to do that. The potential is all there.
Ella Frazier – 2025 guard, Minnesota Heat Pelzel
Ella Frazier worked her way into Mahtomedi’s varsity lineup as a freshman for a number of reasons, but none more so than her tenacity. This kid is a walking hustle play. The guard isn’t afraid to get on the floor for a loose ball, play some in-your-grill defense on the perimeter, and sprint up and down the floor at a high rate of speed. We love that type of intensity and so do most college coaches for obvious reasons. Ella is quick and athletic, with the kind of speed and agility that enables her to jump the passing lanes to create turnovers that lead to easy transition baskets. Her vertical is impressive. Frazier’s also got pretty good range to beyond the arc but will improve as her release gets quicker. The focus now for Frazier is on improving her conversion rate in driving to the basket and finishing through contact.
Lalie Scaccio – 2026 guard, Air Minnesota
Lalie Scaccio from Rochester Lourdes stood out immediately on Saturday when we watched Air Minnesota, first because she is a great communicator on the court and second because she is so much bigger and more physically advanced than 95 percent of the players her age. Standing 5’10 with broad shoulders and a big frame, Lalie is a physical force. Not only is she big and strong but she’s not at all shy about mixing it up in the trenches. She’s not super smooth just yet, and has a ways to go to develop her skills for the next level, but that will come. Lalie is a multi-sport athlete competing in softball and track – what high school coach, regardless of the sport, wouldn’t want an 8th grade specimen like Scaccio on their squad!? – but if she chooses to focus on basketball Lalie’s future will be bright.
Lily Ryan – 2025 guard, Minnesota Heat Pelzel
By now you’ve figured out that Coach Pelzel’s 2025 Heat squad has some players with potential, the kind of prospects we need to be keeping track of. That’s why/how they went undefeated to win the best 9th grade division at the tournament. And there are more to talk about. One additional player to watch is Mounds View freshman Lily Ryan, who has a well-rounded game that is sneaky good. The rangy guard played a big part in the success of the Mustangs B Squad that went 20-2 this winter. She is long and athletic, defends very well, and is an excellent rebounder, particularly on the offensive end. She just has a knack for getting good position and finding the ball off the rim. Lily hit a couple of nice 3-pointers in Saturday’s championship game and her offense will improve as she gains more confidence in that part of the game.