AAU Defensive Player of the Year: Liv McGill
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Liv McGill Liv McGill 5'7" | CG Hopkins | 2024 State MN is an incredible talent, a player with all of the physical tools, desire and skillset to have earned a Top 15 ranking nationally in the Class of 2024.…
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Continue ReadingLiv McGill Liv McGill 5'7" | CG Hopkins | 2024 State MN is an incredible talent, a player with all of the physical tools, desire and skillset to have earned a Top 15 ranking nationally in the Class of 2024. She is a wizard one-on-one, gets to the rim frequently, can light you up from the outside and plays with the type of intensity and passion that simply cannot be measured. Her best asset, however, might be her defense which is why we are pleased to select the incoming junior from Hopkins and Metro Stars Pryor as our Prep Girls Hoops AAU Defensive Player of the Year.
“She is an incredible defender,” said her AAU coach Matt Pryor. “She has great lateral movement that allows her to stay in front of even the quickest ball handlers. Combine that with her strength and size to guard multiple positions and you have an elite defender. She has very active hands that enable her to generate a lot of steals. You would be hard-pressed to find a point guard who blocks more shots than Liv does.”
In addition to her success at swatting shots, McGill impressed in several other statistical categories, as well. She averaged 14.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 3.2 steals per game playing up one year this summer. She also demonstrated a number of improvements that don’t show up in the box score, particularly in the areas of leadership and communication. With her former Hopkins and Metro Stars teammate Amaya Battle having moved on to the University of Minnesota, much of the burden of making things run properly for Pryor’s team fell on Liv’s shoulders. She could not have done any better with the added responsibilities.
McGill’s talk on the floor was more positive, more encouraging. In addition to setting a great example with her work rate, Liv helped many of her teammates deliver their best efforts, too, which made the team that much better. “Her communication across the board was fantastic,” Pryor said. “She talked the talk and walked the walk. She held her teammates to a high standard of accountability and consistently pulled the best out of them.”
Players are often measured by how they perform when the spotlight shines brightest – the biggest games, the biggest moments, the most pressure. And how they do against the best players. For McGill it was an intense meeting with UConn commit KK Arnold that stands out the most for her coach. “When we beat All Iowa Attack we knew we couldn’t help off their shooters so the game plan was to leave Liv on an island one-versus-one with KK Arnold,” Pryor explained. “Liv’s defensive acumen was on full display forcing turnovers and limited KK’s ability to get into the lane and create. I believe that game established her as arguably the best perimeter defender in the country.”
RUNNER-UP
Tori McKinney Tori McKinney 6'1" | CG Minnetonka | 2024 State MN – guard, North Tartan 2024 Nike (Minnetonka)
Tori earned honors last week as our Prep Girls Hoops 2024 Most Valuable Player. In reality that award could just as easily have gone to McGill. Ditto for Defensive Player of the Year which could just as easily have gone to McKinney. Both are high-major prospects with more than enough game to be successful now and well into the future. Tori has built her reputation on defense where she has proven that she can go up against the very best and come out on top.
Our colleague Rudy Ruffin was the assistant coach for North Tartan’s Marqus McGlothan, who has now moved on to coach at D1 Eastern Illinois. Rudy saw what McKinney could do every day. “Tori is one of the best defenders in the state and proved that at the national level, too, by shutting down some of the top-ranked kids in the country this season,” Ruffin said. “What makes her an elite defender is her desire, her discipline and her instinct on the defensive end. It requires a lot of internal motivation, consistent effort and determination, which she shows on the court every single time she plays. Her ability to know exactly when to jump the passing lane or predict a ball handler’s move is above and beyond. It also helps that she is super athletic, quick and can get down in a stance, where she has a great understanding of position, angles, and footwork.”
Well said Rudy. Well played Tori.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Marisa Frost Marisa Frost 5'8" | PG Centennial | 2024 State MN – The crafty guard from Minnesota Fury 2024 UAA does a ton of great stuff offensively but she is also one of the state’s best shut-down defenders. She can get up in your kitchen and raise the heat in a big way. The Centennial junior-to-be is a Top 10 prospect in the Class of 2024 and has committed to North Dakota State.
Nunu Agara Nunu Agara 6'1" | PF Hopkins | 2023 State #32 Nation MN – The uber-athletic forward from Metro Stars 2023 Pryor and Team USA has the length, athleticism, elevation, anticipation and innate sense of timing to be a special talent on the defensive end of the equation. She’s proven that year after year at Hopkins and with the Metro Stars. She’ll no doubt prove it again next year at Stanford.
Brynn Senden Brynn Senden 5'6" | PG Wayzata | 2023 State MN – In high school the stocky, athletic guard from Wayzata usually draws the assignment of defending the other team’s most athletic guard and she does it with passion, physical presence and sheer will. Ditto for her role with Minnesota Stars Hersch. The incoming senior is committed to the University of Minnesota.