2024 Rankings Update: Stock risers in the Top 30
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The journey of Jordan Zubich Jordan Zubich 5'11" | SG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2024 State MN has been well-documented ever since our first viewing way back when she was still in middle school. When we first ranked the Prep Girls…
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Continue ReadingThe journey of Jordan Zubich Jordan Zubich 5'11" | SG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2024 State MN has been well-documented ever since our first viewing way back when she was still in middle school. When we first ranked the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2024 in the fall of 2020, we put Zubich in the 33rd position, which seems preposterously low in hindsight. At the time, however, she had only really faced small-school competition with Mountain Iron-Buhl up north. Our litmus test in such cases is AAU competition. If she could produce similar results on the summer circuit, she would rise accordingly. She did that, first with Starks Elite out of Duluth, and then with the MInnesota Fury’s top UAA team. Once her capabilities became more obvious against tougher opposition she vaulted up the rankings – to 16th in June of 2021, to 7th last fall, to 6th in February of this year, to 4th in June. Now, as we update the 2024 prospect rankings again, Zubich has moved into the top 3 along with Olivia Olson Olivia Olson 6'1" | CG Benilde-SM | 2024 State MN of Benilde-St. Margaret’s and Liv McGill Liv McGill 5'7" | CG Hopkins | 2024 State MN of Hopkins.
Last weekend, Jordan’s brother the quarterback and dad the coach won a state championship in football, she led her team to an impressive win over Hayfield at the Breakdown Tip Off Classic and received her dream scholarship offer from Coach Courtney Banghart at the University of North Carolina. Clearly, Jordan Carolina Zubich – yes, she’s named after that ‘Jordan’ of that ‘Carolina’ – is on quite a roll.
Besides the Tar Heels, Zubich holds scholarship offers from a litany of collegiate programs including the likes of Minnesota, Creighton, Iowa State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Georgia, Kansas State, Marquette, Utah… the list goes on. She is arguably the best long-distance shooter in America as she proved this summer on the UAA circuit with the Minnesota Fury’s top 2024s, a unit that has turned out to be the perfect platform to prove her vast capabilities on the national stage.
MOVING UP IN THE TOP 30
Zubich wasn’t the only prominent player to move up at the top end of the rankings. A half-dozen other players in the Top 30 have made notable improvements as well:
#10 Olivia Pawlicki Olivia Pawlicki 6'1" | SF Shakopee | 2024 State MN – The lanky forward from Shakopee rises three positions from #13 to #10. She is just so consistent now at both ends of the floor. Olivia had a great summer with the Minnesota Suns and lit it up at the Fall Exclusive. The Colorado State commit is off to a great start to the high school season, as well.
#15 Jocelyn Land Jocelyn Land 6'0" | PF Holy Family | 2024 State MN – The big power forward from Holy Family moves up three spots from #18 to #15. Since arriving in Minnesota from Vermont, Land has built a reputation as a fierce competitor who can score and rebound in a big way. Over the past year the Butler commit has moved from #38 to #21 to #18 and now #15.
#16 Alyssa Sand Alyssa Sand 6'2" | PF Albany | 2024 State MN – The 6’2 forward from Albany also rises by three spots from #19 to #16. Players with Alyssa’s length, overall skill set and touch around the basket are very hard to find. She has proven herself in Class 2A ball, with the Minnesota Comets and at Minnesota showcases. As a result, the interest among mid-major Division 1 coaches is growing rapidly.
#24 Elisabeth Gadient Elisabeth Gadient 5'10" | CG Goodhue | 2024 State MN – The crafty point guard from Goodhue continues to improve, rising three positions from #27 to #24. Gadient’s game has grown a lot over the past 18 months or so. She is highly-skilled, very long and so composed on the court. She’s drawing Division 1 interest.
#25 Kylan Gerads Kylan Gerads 5'11" | SF Albany | 2024 State MN – The big guard/small forward from Albany rises one position into the Top 25. While her overall skills have developed well over time, Kylan’s biggest assets are her physical strength and willingness to go to war and her motor, which is one of the state’s best.
#28 Anna Vaaler Anna Vaaler 5'10" | SF Andover | 2024 State MN – The feisty guard from Andover makes the biggest stock-rising move in the Top 30 climbing nine positions from #37 to #28. Vaaler has proven over time that she can go head-to-head with the best and be incredibly effective. We believe she is now a Division 1 prospect.
Top photo: Jordan Zubich Jordan Zubich 5'11" | SG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2024 State MN (left) posted with current North Carolina standout Alyssa Ustby, the Rochester Lourdes and Minnesota Fury graduate who is having a stellar career with the Tar Heels