Breakdown Fall League: Best of week 3

There's nothing quite like a battle between two of the best point guards in the state to start your Sunday morning off right. That's what we did over the weekend as the Breakdown Fall League resumed play after a one-week hiatus. Bright and early, large Caribou Coffee dark roast with a splash of cream in hand, we watched Drew Buslee Drew Buslee 5'9" | PG Eagan | 2024 State MN and Aneisha Scott Aneisha Scott 5'6" | PG DeLaSalle | 2025 State MN do battle at Hopkins High School. The early morning showdown between Buslee – a junior from Eagan – and Scott – a sophomore from DeLaSalle – did not disappoint. That's where we'll kick off our recap of Breakdown Fall League: The best of week 3.

BATTLE OF THE BEST

Eagan and DeLaSalle are two very different programs. DLS is one of the most storied programs in Minnesota basketball, winners of four state championships in the past decade. Eagan, which is more known for its dance and volleyball programs, has never been to state. Yet Sunday morning they were pretty much even steven and it made for entertaining basketball. There were a number of nice prospects on the floor but none as intriguing as Buslee and Scott. Drew is a big guard with a physical presence and a healthy dose of confidence. Scott is a small guard with a skill set that is off the charts and enough swagger for three players. Both have great court vision. Both have a good feel for the game. Both are among the best in their respective grades – the 5'9 Buslee is ranked #29 in the Class of 2024 while 5'5 Scott is #22 in the Class of 2025. Going head to head it was fun to watch.

The Islanders got the early edge, jumping out to a 16-8 lead midway through the opening half. But Eagan used its physical presence to great effect and quickly closed the gap with a 10-0 run. When Buslee, a lefthandler, put up a smooth three-point attempt that hit paydirt the Wildcats pulled ahead 18-16. The game went back and forth the rest of the way but Eagan was stymied around the rim on multiple occasions in the second half enabling DeLaSalle to pull out a 46-40 win.

Eagan is a program that is definitely trending in the right direction under coach Jesse Madsen. After going 18-10 last winter, the question this season is clear: Will they be able to overcome the graduation of all-state performer Lily Fandre (Lehigh) and rebounder extraordinaire Jocelyn Plonski (UW-River Falls). In addition to Buslee's alpha-dog leadership abilities, the Wildcats will be relying on big contributions from seniors Belle Iten Belle Iten 5'11" | SF Eagan | 2023 State MN (Wheaton College) and Madison McCullum and standout sophomore guard Lydia Schmitter Lydia Schmitter 5'8" | CG United Christian Academy | 2025 State MN . The team is long and physical and competes hard which are some nice attributes to build on.

Meanwhile, Scott will lead a DeLaSalle team that went 22-7 last year but needs to overcome some significant graduations of its own, including Savannah White (Wisconsin), Sydney Runsewe (Quincy) and I'Tianna Salaam (Minnesota track). Coach James Fassett will need to get big contributions from the likes of freshman guard Maddy Blaylark Maddy Blaylark 5'7" | CG DeLaSalle | 2026 State MN , sophomore shooter Maliyah White Maliyah White 5'8" | CG Hopkins | 2025 State MN , sophomore post Jordyn Johnson and senior guards Estelle Bass Estelle Bass 5'8" | CG DeLaSalle | 2023 State MN and Erianna Moeschter Erianna Moeschter 5'9" | SF De Lasalle | 2025 State MN . If Sunday's performance is any indication the Islanders will be ready to compete.

GAME OF THE WEEK

On paper the game of the week was pretty obvious, and Breakdown match-maker Dean Kesler had set it up that way: Providence Academy vs Minnehaha Academy. In other words Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN vs Addison Mack Addison Mack 5'9" | PG Minnehaha Academy | 2025 State MN , two of the most talented, most highly-recruited underclassmen in the state right now. Alas, it was not to be. Fresh off yet another hat trick on Saturday in PA's quest for a berth in the soccer state tournament, Greenway sat out on Sunday to rest up for the next big soccer game to be played on Tuesday. She was disappointed. Mack was disappointed. We were all disappointed.  The good thing is it gave Providence 8th grader Emma Millerbernd Emma Millerbernd 5'10" | CG Providence Academy | 2027 State MN (photo above) an opportunity to run the point for the Lions against one of the very best immediately after she had faced Chaska's Kennedy Sanders Kennedy Sanders 5'8" | CG Chaska | 2023 State MN (Colorado) in the previous hour. That's a two-headed monster in anyone's books! Emma is a high-skill guard who was a key player for PA in last season's run to the Class 2A state championship. She's strong and athletic and plays the game with a level of poise that's way beyond her years. The contest wasn't particularly close with Minnehaha winning 47-31, but one suspects their meetings in the coming regular season will be nail-biters. We'll definitely be watching.

TOP PERFORMERS

Bree Bowman Bree Bowman 6'2" | SF Prior Lake | 2025 State MN – 2025 wing, Prior Lake

Last season was a struggle at times for Bowman whose stellar performances in AAU ball didn't carry over to the high school season in at atmosphere that was less than ideal. Her confidence was clearly shaken. Now, with new coach Maurice Hodges in charge, Bowman looked on Sunday like the elite-level prospect that she is. We watched her go head to head with Maple Grove's Claire Stern Claire Stern 6'0" | SF Maple Grove | 2024 State MN (North Dakota State) and Jordan Ode Jordan Ode 6'0" | CG Maple Grove | 2025 State MN (#3 in 2025) and she did a really nice job. With a ton of length, plenty of skill, and a sweet touch. the 6'2 sophomore was on fire Sunday. She set the tone for Prior Lake which looked really good. It's very early, of course, but the Lakers played with so much flow, they moved the ball very well, and were clearly having a ton of fun which is exactly the atmosphere that Bowman will thrive in. Ranked #6 in the sophomore class, she is being recruited by most of the elite D1 programs in the region. On Sunday it was obvious why.

Tori Schlagel Tori Schlagel 5'9" | CG Eden Prairie | 2025 State MN – 2025 guard, Eden Prairie

Molly Lenz Molly Lenz 5'8" | CG Eden Prairie | 2023 State MN generally runs the show for Eden Prairie at the point but the Illinois State commit is currently sidelined after bunion surgery on her feet. She'll be out another two or three weeks but in the meantime that has opened the door for the sophomore Schlagel to show off a whole lot more from her rather deep bag of tricks. Tori is a top 10 prospect being wooed by the same programs as Bowman, but her game is generally pretty straightforward, not flashy. Schlagel is an outstanding physical defender who punishes opponents. Offensively she tends to keep it simple but has no shortage of options. On Sunday, however, Tori let loose a bit and showed us a whole lot of offensive pizzazz by scoring in multiple different ways and taking on opponents mano-a-mano with zero fear and a ton of success. We'd love to see more of the same in the weeks and months ahead from this elite talent.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

Bre Frazier Bre Frazier 5'7" | SG Cooper | 2023 State MN – 2023 guard, Robbinsdale Cooper

Bre is a gifted point guard, a top 60 player in Minnesota's senior class, and the kind of experienced veteran you want running the show. Now that Top 20 prospect Vanessa Saidu Vanessa Saidu 6'2" | SF Cooper | 2023 State MN has transferred to Cooper from Park Center, she and Frazier should form a potent one-two combination for the Hawks. They certainly looked good together on Sunday. But when their contest with Eagan came down to the wire it was decided on the most basic of plays in basketball – the free throw. Well two free throws actually. The overtime rules in Fall League are simple: the first team to score two points wins the game. Frazier was fouled in the first minute of the extra session sending her to the free throw line for two attempts with the weight of the outcome on her shoulders. Swish. Swish. Game over. The Hawks knocked off the Wildcats 34-32.

FRESH FACE OF THE WEEK

Isa Griefenhagen Isa Griefenhagen 5'10" | CG DeLaSalle | 2027 State MN – 2027 guard, Minnehaha Academy

There is no shortage of talent at Minnehaha Academy. That's the advantage of being a private school with a winning program in an elite academic institution. It looks like the Redhawks will have two key additions this season. First, 2026 #19 Sinae Hill Sinae Hill 5'10" | SG Minnehaha Academy | 2026 State MN who comes over from Minneapolis Southwest. And 2027 guard Isa Griefenhagen Isa Griefenhagen 5'10" | CG DeLaSalle | 2027 State MN of White Bear Lake, who looked very good on Sunday. The guard is about 5'9 with a physical maturity that is well beyond her years. She is strong, likes to play a physical game, is a very effective rebounder and knows how to finish around the rim. Most importantly, perhaps, is Griefenhagen's motor, which is huge. Isa has already made her mark in AAU basketball and promises to be a strong prospect in the Class of 2027. Don't be surprised if you see her playing a significant role in the Redhawks rotation.