AAU Week #3: Best of the Midwest Kickoff Classic

We're three weeks into the 2023 AAU season now. Week #1 with a warmup of sorts at the Suns Spring Showcase followed by the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit tournament in Milwaukee in Week #2. This past weekend, however, things got real at the Midwest Kickoff Classic in Bloomington where many of the most highly-rated prospects in Minnesota went at it tooth and nail. Some 21 of the Top 25 freshmen in the state played at Jefferson. There were 20 of the Top 25 sophomores there too, along with a plethora of state title contending teams. It was a veritable buffet of quality basketball.   Our major focus in these early weeks of the spring and summer campaign are the incoming freshmen – the Class of 2027. We saw a few good ones this weekend and we'll have evaluations on some of the more intriguing 8th graders in the next day or two. We also focused on the highly-competitive 2026 squads including North Tartan, Minnesota Fury, Minnesota Stars Hill and Minnesota Rise Wright. We'll take a look at those teams and their top prospects in the next day or two, as well. Let's kick off our recap of AAU Week #3 with some 2024s and 2025s who stood out this weekend.   STOCK RISER OF THE WEEK   [player_tooltip player_id='461358' first='Mallory' last='Czinano'] – 2024 forward, Metro Stars Szabla   It's never easy being the little sister. That's especially true when your oldest sister just helped the University of Iowa to the Division 1 national championship game one week and was drafted into the WNBA the next. That would be Monika. Then there's the next-oldest sister Maggie, who just happens to be a mainstay for the University of Minnesota. To be fair, we have never anticipated nor expected nor intimated that Mallory could possibly live up to the accomplishments of the other two. That's just unfair. But we've also never seen her look as good as she did this weekend.   Mallory is part of the Metro Stars 2024 squad led by North Central University coach and former University of North Dakota star Leah Szabla. The Metro Stars went 3-0 at the Kickoff in the 11th Red Division, the highest grouping of teams to play the full tournament schedule. Czinano scored 35 points for her squad as they knocked off Crossfire Schuck, Southern Minnesota Fury, and Minnesota Fury Premier.   Built more like Monika than Maggie, Mallory stands about 6'1 with broad shoulders, a big body and a ton of strength. She's quick for her size, though, and can get up and down the floor at pace with ease. Like her sisters, Mallory has a terrific set of hands, can finish around the rim consistently, and is a great passer with good vision. She is a high-IQ performer who has a nice feel for the game. Mallory led 18-9 Watertown-Mayer in scoring this year at about 11 points per game and reaches double digit rebounds with frequency.   Czinano is a great addition to Coach Szabla's squad, but she's not the only one. The Metro Stars have added a pair of elite sophomores in #21 [player_tooltip player_id='296527' first='Aneisha' last='Scott'] of DeLaSalle and #57 [player_tooltip player_id='346181' first='Lydia' last='Schmitter'] of Eagan. Among the new juniors are #35 [player_tooltip player_id='215969' first='Nicole' last='Maenke'] (Shakopee), #44 [player_tooltip player_id='178271' first='Willow' last='Thiel'] (Perham), #62 [player_tooltip player_id='302304' first='Mackenzi' last='Simmons'] (Winona), and #87 [player_tooltip player_id='425385' first='Amina' last='Allen'] (Minnehaha Academy). The veterans are #30 [player_tooltip player_id='215983' first='Drew' last='Buslee'] (Eagan), #47 [player_tooltip player_id='304893' first='Lilly' last='Hahs'] (Cretin-Derham Hall) and #105 [player_tooltip player_id='350099' first='Peyton' last='Shaffer'] (Stillwater). It is a formidable group.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/04/Ellie-Edberg1-scaled.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-415221" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='304924' first='Ellie' last='Edberg']</figcaption></figure>   TEAM TO WATCH   Minnesota Rise 2024 Purfeerst   While the Metro Stars 2024s were having success with a massively reworked roster, the best 2024s from the Rise showed up in Bloomington with the exact lineup that brought them so much success one year ago. Led by Bethany Lutheran coach Emma Purfeerst, the Rise 11th graders feature some strong D2 talent from across Southern Minnesota. Their two biggest names are a pair of Top 20 guards heading to the Northern Sun Conference one year from now: MSU-Mankato commit [player_tooltip player_id='178267' first='Rhyan' last='Holmgren'] of St. Peter and Southwest Minnesota State signee [player_tooltip player_id='178265' first='Kadence' last='Hesse'] of Sleepy Eye. They are the offensive engine that drives the purple bus along with the highly-versatile, always energetic Top 50 twins [player_tooltip player_id='304915' first='Rachel' last='Kottke'] and [player_tooltip player_id='304916' first='Kristi' last='Kottke'] of Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart. All four were outstanding when we watched on Saturday and Sunday. Holmgren is a former North Tartan EYBL athlete who can score in bunches. Hesse is a savvy playmaker who can also fill up the basket.   The Rise beat Minnesota Starks by 10, fell to Minnesota Fury Premier by a bucket, and defeated Southern Minnesota Fury by 8. Hesse finished the tournament with 35 points; Holmgren had 32. They lead a well-oiled machine that includes bigs [player_tooltip player_id='304899' first='Abby' last='Maloney'] of St. Peter and [player_tooltip player_id='304937' first='Brea' last='Mertz'] of Sleepy Eye, both in the Top 100 juniors. #55 [player_tooltip player_id='215987' first='Daviney' last='Dreckman'] of New Ulm is a lengthy, athletic guard who wreaks havoc at both ends of the floor. Feisty guard [player_tooltip player_id='392475' first='Brooke' last='Christianson'] of Glencoe-Silver Lake is an elite defender. Length and shooting prowess make Mankato East guard [player_tooltip player_id='304924' first='Ellie' last='Edberg'] an important piece of the puzzle. Watch for this team to make more noise all spring and summer.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/04/Dani-Coleman_Elayna-Boe.jpg?w=705" alt="" class="wp-image-638381" width="352" height="512" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Coleman & Boe</figcaption></figure>   2025s WHO GOT NOTICED   As mentioned above, many of the very best players in the Class of 2025 were on hand at the Midwest Kickoff Classic this weekend. Not surprisingly, most lived up to the status associated with their particular Prep Girls Hoops ranking. 2025 #3 [player_tooltip player_id='205298' first='Jordan' last='Ode'] of Fury 2025 UAA, for example averaged 15 points per game while her teammates #4 [player_tooltip player_id='252379' first='Addison' last='Mack'] and #12 [player_tooltip player_id='208185' first='Liana' last='Buckhalton'] both drew praise. #6 [player_tooltip player_id='262910' first='Tori' last='Schlagel'] and #10 [player_tooltip player_id='346165' first='Hadley' last='Thul'] of North Tartan were similarly successful. Beyond the top-end 2025s, who else stood out over the weekend?   Crossfire Mueller 2025 had a nice weekend playing in the top 10th Red Division winning twice and falling by three to the strong Fury 2026 UAA squad. We were impressed by the play of 28th-ranked [player_tooltip player_id='339143' first='Danielle' last='Coleman'] of Lakeville South and #36 [player_tooltip player_id='346182' first='Elayna' last='Boe'] of Lakeville North, who combined for 78 points over three games. Boe's high school teammates [player_tooltip player_id='296530' first='Gracie' last='Winge'] (#23) and [player_tooltip player_id='396430' first='Aduke' last='Ojullu'] (#43) were also very good along with rising prospect [player_tooltip player_id='339170' first='Josie' last='Horner'] of Prior Lake.   [player_tooltip player_id='396431' first='Gabby' last='Fineday'] of Cass Lake-Bena, the 49th-rated prospect in the 2025 class, made her debut with the Fury's top UAA squad, knocking down eight triples over the three games. That particular skill is what got her a spot on a loaded roster that includes seven players in the Top 30, and she did not disappoint.   #61 [player_tooltip player_id='550025' first='Kendyl' last='Lodermeier'] of Goodhue moved to Metro Stars 2025 3SSB this spring and she was a difference-maker this weekend with her rebounding and inside presence. Kendyl had an outstanding state high school tournament and was named Prep Girls Hoops Breakout Player of the Year. She joins a Metro Stars roster that includes Top 25 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='337630' first='Brooklynn' last='Holmberg'] of Prior Lake, #46 [player_tooltip player_id='346180' first='Brandi' last='Washington'], #48 [player_tooltip player_id='396426' first='Vanessa' last='Jordan'] of Eden Prairie, #54 [player_tooltip player_id='339131' first='Kate' last='Kapsner'] of Benilde-St. Margaret's and 2027 standout [player_tooltip player_id='377584' first='Ava' last='Cupito'] of Minnehaha Academy.   Top 100 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='453753' first='Lauren' last='Hillesheim'] of Hopkins was on fire this weekend for Legacy Hoops 10th Elite. Lauren put up 58 points in three games to lead the 10th White Division in points production, including a 23-point, 5-triple performance against Minnesota Stars Peterson. Stock riser [player_tooltip player_id='453768' first='Celia' last='Lind'] of Holy Angels had 16 for the Stars.   Unranked Maya Meisinger of Legacy Hoops 10th Silver is a player who has impressed us a lot the last three times we have seen her. The Eagan sophomore lit it up this weekend with 47 points in three games to lead all scorers in the 10th Black Division.   Allie Zittel is a newcomer whose name surfaced for the second tournament in a row after a strong showing for Air Minnesota's 17U squad, which went undefeated in three games. Zittel made 6 three-pointers in a 53-51 win over High Impact. Allie's situation is a little unusual in that she lives in Altura, Minnesota but attends Luther High School in Onalaska, Wisconsin. We'll put her in the Minnesota rankings if and when she earns that distinction.   One other 2025 athlete we should mention is [player_tooltip player_id='520266' first='Desirai' last='Chappell'] of Richfield. The crafty guard, ranked #82 in the sophomore class, is now with Legacy Hoops 10th Gold playing for our colleague Tony Ragulen. Chappell recorded 36 points over the weekend to lead the 10th Blue Division in scoring, just ahead of Eden Prairie's [player_tooltip player_id='595568' first='Ella' last='Hardwick'] of FBC Real Lark.   COMING UP   Week #4 cranks it up yet another notch as the first NCAA Division 1 live viewing period takes place across the country. With no major viewing event in Minnesota this time around, the shoe-circuit teams will be on the road in pursuit of influential D1 eyeballs. Other squads will be in Ames, Iowa for the All-Iowa Attack Spring Showcase. We'll be hanging close to home where the 13th Annual Spring Showdown hosted by the Minnesota Fury is on tap with games at Bloomington Kennedy and Jefferson along with Eden Prairie. You'll find the tournament schedule at <a href="https://aauevents.com/spring-showdown">aauevents.com/spring-showdown</a>.

We're three weeks into the 2023 AAU season now. Week #1 with a warmup of sorts at the Suns Spring Showcase followed by the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit tournament in Milwaukee in Week #2. This past weekend, however, things got real at the Midwest Kickoff Classic in Bloomington where many of the most highly-rated prospects in Minnesota went at it tooth and nail. Some 21 of the Top 25 freshmen in the state played at Jefferson. There were 20 of the Top 25 sophomores there too, along with a plethora of state title contending teams. It was a veritable buffet of quality basketball.