Class of 2023 Players I Like This Season

Photo: Lady Pure Prep

Brady Peterson November 27, 2022 @ 11:07 AM

Now that the season is underway, I'd like to talk about a few kids' games I like going into the high school season. Today, I'll start with the 2023 class and go through the other graduating classes throughout the week. These aren't necessarily the best kids in the state, but they each do things I like.   [player_tooltip player_id='127616' first='Haidyn' last='Hull']   I enjoy players who can change games, and Hull can do that with her jumper. Last season, Hull knocked down eight 3-pointers against Newton, things like that change the complexion of games. The now seniors shot 38% from the 3-point line last season, so that outburst wasn't a fluke in any way or form. Hull will step into a more prominent role this season with the graduation of Ivey Schmidt last spring, and I'm excited to see what she can do.   [player_tooltip player_id='160574' first='Elizabeth' last='Puot']   The Des Moines North product can win games on both ends of the floor. On the offensive end, she can score at every level and beat her defender off the dribble to create advantages for herself and her team. Her jumper is solid and will translate well once she gets to the next level. Puot's size and ability to handle the ball create countless options. On the other end, she's a switchable defender and constantly makes plays on the ball. Puot does an excellent job ending possessions for the opposition with either one or no shots by creating turnovers.   [player_tooltip player_id='127632' first='Jenna' last='Twedt']   Kids with elite athleticism will always catch people's eyes at the high school level on the guy's or girl's side of things. Twedt isn't an elite athlete, but she's one of the most skilled kids you'll find in Iowa. She reads the game at a high level. Twedt takes what defenses give her and runs with it. In Iowa, she's one of my favorite kids to watch attack ball screens because it never feels like she does the same thing twice, and defenses tend to look lost when guarding her. I'm not sure what her next-level prospects hold, but I know she has a high enough basketball IQ to get on the floor early.   [player_tooltip player_id='63055' first='Jenna' last='Pitz']   I love that Pitz is that she finds ways to use her athleticism to put pressure on defenses. The Ankeny product gets downhill and forces the defenders to backpedal. Her ability to bend defenses helps her team get easy shots all around the court, and it also helps her get easy offense when she gets to the basket.

Now that the season is underway, I'd like to talk about a few kids' games I like going into the high school season. Today, I'll start with the 2023 class and go through the other graduating classes throughout the week. These aren't necessarily the best kids in the state, but they each do things I like.