Spring Showdown: 2028s who impressed, part 2

Last weekend's Spring Showdown offered us numerous opportunities to check out plenty of incoming 8th graders, including some of the best prospects in Minnesota's Class of 2028. Yesterday we brought you part 1 of our evaluations. Today we offer you part 2.   We began our weekend on Friday night at Bloomington Jefferson with a contest between Fury 2028 Yellow and a new team – the 2028 Minnesota Freeze group coached by former Legacy Christian Academy coach Kaia Hill. We didn't know much about this particular Fury squad. We knew even less about the Freeze. By the end of the contest, however, we came away feeling pretty good about the potential of several prospects from both groups. These were the standouts.   [player_tooltip player_id='815078' first='Zoey' last='Johnston'] & [player_tooltip player_id='918674' first='Alexa' last='Hanson'] – Fury 2028 Yellow   Johnston is a super crafty guard whose presence jumped right out at us immediately. From Orono, Zoey is truly explosive with quick feet, quick hands and great anticipation. I didn't count how many turnovers Johnston forced in this contest but it was one after another after another. She was a bundle of energy on defense, constantly putting pressure on opposing ball handlers, using her superior lateral movement and mobility to cut off angles and nullify opportunities to move the ball or get to the basket. It was impressive.   More often than not when the Fury came up the floor at fast tempo or slow, running a set or in freelance mode, the ball was in Zoey's hands. She got to the rim and she finished. She wasn't afraid to pull the trigger from distance, either. When the Freeze came back to put the outcome in doubt, pulling within two in the late stages, it was Johnston who made the big play. She went one-on-one with her defender and used a quick step to blow by and score on a scoop layup. That play turned the tide back in the Fury's favor and they were able to close the deal. Johnston, who is listed at 5'5, totalled a dozen points and demonstrated that she will be a factor in the Class of 2028.   Hanson was a lot more subtle but no less effective. The Eastview guard is listed at 5'0 but as you can see in the photo above the two 7th graders look to be about the same size. Regardless, Alexa showed us a terrific skillset with good ball handling ability and a variety of offensive options. Her shooting was particularly fun to watch as Hanson launched veritable moon balls from distance – think McDonald's Golden Arches x 2 – with a smooth delivery. The laws of physics tell us that high shots are good shots and Alexa appears to be a quality practitioner in that regard. She also showed a sweet baseline floater. Hanson is poised and confident, dribbles with her eyes up, and plays with patience and maturity.   Although it's probably unfair to make the comparison I have to say that Johnston and Hanson combined to remind us a lot of a highly-decorated duo from the Class of 2021. We're thinking of two former Minnesota Comets that formed a dynamic backcourt for years – the swashbuckling dynamo Paige Meyer, now of South Dakota State, and the cerebral shooter and floor general Julia Bengtson, now of Eastern Illinois. If Zoey and Alexa come anywhere remotely close to those two it will be fun to watch!   Juliana Bramwell – Minnesota Freeze 2028 Hill   The 5'8 guard from Centennial was the best of the Freeze players, which isn't a shock given the inherent physical advantages she currently holds over 90-some percent of 7th graders. She's huge, not so much in height (Juliana is 5'8) but in frame size and strength. Bramwell used that edge and a healthy dose of aggressiveness to great advantage throughout the contest. She physically overpowered opponents to corral rebounds and come up with loose balls. She also communicated well on defense and has a clear understanding of where she and her teammates need to be. Bramwell is a very nice all-around player. On offense she can shoot from the perimeter, attack the rim and be highly effective with her back-to-the basket post moves. She has a high-level basketball IQ and demonstrated solid leadership skills. Once her consistency and confidence from outside improves, Bramwell could be a force.   Two other Freeze prospects also caught our attention:   <ul> <li>Sarah Carlson of Legacy Christian Academy is a 5'3 guard with more-than-solid ball handling skills and good mobility. That combination enables her to alter directions with ease. She also understands the importance of changing speeds to unsettle her defender. Carlson is putting in the work to improve her shooting from distance.</li>   <li>Sydney Pierskalla of Spring Lake Park is a 5'9 guard who showed us she knows how to get to the basket, squeezing through narrow openings and multiple defenders to create scoring opportunities. Despite a tendency to fade away at the rim, her finishing is improving. On the defensive end of the equation, Pierskalla reads situations well, anticipate the pass, and forces turnovers.</li> </ul>

Last weekend's Spring Showdown offered us numerous opportunities to check out plenty of incoming 8th graders, including some of the best prospects in Minnesota's Class of 2028. Yesterday we brought you part 1 of our evaluations. Today we offer you part 2.