Freshman Showcase: 5 more players to watch

There were a ton of prospects for us to catch up on and evaluate at the Freshman Showcase and it takes time to make sure we get it right. There was no shortage of talent in the gym during the showcase. We'd be remiss if we didn't take the time to highlight some more players that balled out and left lasting impressions on myself and colleagues alike. Below are a handful of players that caught my eye.    Surprise, surprise, another up-and-coming guard from the Minnesota Rise! [player_tooltip player_id='502534' first='Riley' last='Wilson'] is another tough guard that can do it all with the rock in her hands. She has a good looking jumper and if given space knocks it down with regularity. She has a good handle and gets where she wants to on the court playing under control and with pace. Wilson is a solid defender that uses her quick hands to cause deflections and her great anticipation to beat her opponent to their spot. She's always smiling and genuinely looks like she's having fun on the court.    I love small guards and Saari is no exception. She uses her speed to get to her spot and understands the nuances of the game. Anna doesn't over-penetrate which keeps her from putting herself and teammates in tough spots. She stops on a dime and uses her floater to keep taller defenders at bay. She's not shy by any means regarding shooting the ball from distance and does it with supreme confidence. With Saari's ability to break the defense down and willingness to hit teammates in their shooting pockets, she the consummate point guard. She displayed these skills time and time again during the Showcase.    It's something in water up in the Duluth area as they are churning out hoopers like Meierotto, the aforementioned Saari and 2028 wunderkind [player_tooltip player_id='433933' first='Chloe' last='Johnson'] at a rapid pace, but lets stay on track. Meierotto shoots the ball as well as anyone in her class and the rest of her game is not far behind. She has a very high basketball IQ and uses her quickness to navigate around the court to beat unsuspecting defenders to the basket or set her self up to release that silky smooth jump shot that has become her calling card. Keep an eye on this one as she showed her contemporaries at the showcase that she's a force to be reckoned with.    Jensyn was all over the place during the showcase, and all in the right ways. She has a smooth handle, a good looking jump shot and plays with enthusiasm. She understood that it wasn't just about her looking for hers and got teammates involved. She was willing to defend as she was jumping into passing lanes and had no problem sliding over to play help defense which you usually don't see a ton of in events like this. I'm told she's a multi-sport athlete but I'm hoping for our sake that bball is on the top of that list!!    Tusler plays with a level of confidence that I can appreciate. I would definitely consider her a position-less player as she has the ability to play anywhere on the court that's needed. I thought I had her pegged as an inside presence just for her to come down and stroke a 3 or take her defender off the dribble and finish through contact. She just kept making plays and being involved in the action on both ends of the court.

There were a ton of prospects for us to catch up on and evaluate at the Freshman Showcase and it takes time to make sure we get it right. There was no shortage of talent in the gym during the showcase. We'd be remiss if we didn't take the time to highlight some more players that balled out and left lasting impressions on myself and colleagues alike. Below are a handful of players that caught my eye.