Making a lasting impression at the Meltdown

First impressions are always important, but lasting impressions often matter just as much. For prospective collegiate basketball players, July represents one last chance in the AAU campaign to convince a recruiter that you are the one they are looking for. Whether we're talking about incoming seniors finishing up their final season of summer basketball, or soon-to-be-sophomores wanting to move up in the consciousness of college coaches, numerous players made a lasting impression over the weekend at the [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Meltdown.   [player_tooltip player_id='212489' first='Sophie' last='Hawkinson'] – 2025 guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] EYBL   On a team like [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan']'s 16U EYBL squad, there are so many shiny objects that the other prospects can sometimes get lost in the glare. We often rave about the skills and competitiveness of players like 7th-ranked [player_tooltip player_id='296513' first='Bree' last='Bowman'], who just committed to Colorado State. We love the grittiness of #6 [player_tooltip player_id='262910' first='Tori' last='Schlagel']. And who isn't enamored with the length and potential of forward #8 [player_tooltip player_id='330743' first='Abby' last='Hoselton'] and #9 [player_tooltip player_id='346165' first='Hadley' last='Thul']. And then there is Hawkinson (pictured above) who rounds out our 2025 Top 10. People sometimes forget how incredibly talented the Wayzata guard is.   At a stocky 5'8, Hawkinson has the strength, speed and elite shooting ability to play at the highest levels. She's so gritty, plays as aggressive as you want, and has a knack for making the money shot in the biggest moments of all. Watch her this winter as Wayzata's starting point guard and you'll see clearly what we mean. ‘Warrior' is the word that comes to mind. This weekend at the Meltdown, and in the days that followed in Iowa, Hawkinson made a statement and was arguably the best player on her team. She has plenty of suitors at the D1 mid-major level, and whichever program lands her will be very happy, but sometimes people forget just how good Hawkinson really is.   [player_tooltip player_id='302296' first='Jessika' last='Lofstrom'] – 2024 forward, [program_tooltip program_id='713214' first='Starks' last='Elite']   We think Jessika is one of the most under-recruited players in her Class and we really don't know why. The 5'11 forward from Grand Rapids played her tail off this weekend for Starks as she has done all season, scoring 77 points in 5 games. That was top 5 in the 17U Gold Division and it was not an anomaly. Lofstrom has size and length, gets up and down the floor with pace, and has sufficient quickness and athleticism to compete successfully at the scholarship level. Every year Jessika has continued to improve at both ends of the court. Since we've been watching, Lofstrom has gained confidence, added to her box of tools and emerged as a real leader. She can knock down shots from the outside, bury mid-range jumpers all day long and beat defenders one-on-one in traffic. Currently ranked #60 in the Class, Jessika has all the tools needed to be an impact player at the Division 2 level. It's about time more college recruiters figured that out.   [player_tooltip player_id='302304' first='Mackenzi' last='Simmons'] – 2024 guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'] Szabla   Leah Szabla's 17U team has had an unbelievable year, having faced and beaten some of the very best teams in the country. Along the way, [player_tooltip player_id='461358' first='Mallory' last='Czinano'] has emerged as a star-in-the making, [player_tooltip player_id='296527' first='Aneisha' last='Scott'] has draw rave reviews and veterans like [player_tooltip player_id='215969' first='Nicole' last='Maenke'], [player_tooltip player_id='215983' first='Drew' last='Buslee'] and [player_tooltip player_id='304893' first='Lilly' last='Hahs'] have continued to shine. Somewhat overlooked in all of the success, however, has been the play of Simmons. The 6-foot guard from Winona looked really good when we watched at Shakopee, and a handful of coaches were impressed enough to ask questions about her game. Kenzi scored 14 in an impressive performance against Wisconsin Flight Elite, which is about what she averaged in the Big 9 Conference last winter along with nearly 6 rebounds per game. The All-Conference performer made 69 three-pointers for the Winhawks, second-best in school history, including 8 in her final game of the season. With a quick release, nice length and great athletic ability, Mackenzi has earned a solid #65 ranking in the Class of 2024. Did we mention how well she can defend? Although Simmons might not have as high a profile as some others, we think she's going to be very good at the next level.   [player_tooltip player_id='595564' first='Abby' last='John'] – 2025 guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Smart   When we think of [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] our thoughts almost always go directly to the EYBL squads – that's where the money players are – and sometimes to the Elite teams. It is the satellite units like [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Smart from the West Central part of the state that tend to get overlooked. We specifically ventured to the back gym at Shakopee to watch [player_tooltip player_id='459490' first='Isabel' last='Steer'] of Hawley, [player_tooltip player_id='660615' first='Cora' last='Grismer'] of Perham, and [player_tooltip player_id='461344' first='Elizabeth' last='Lukken'] and Kallyn Grove of Underwood, as well as John. It was the 2025 combo guard from Barnesville who really made a lasting impression. Abby scored 63 points in 5 games and demonstrated her ability to impact the action in many different ways. She is a great ball handler with speed, quickness and aggression and she has the motor and IQ to match. Currently ranked #112 in the state and rising, the 5'9 junior-to-be may or may not be a scholarship player – time will tell – but she is the go-to girl on this [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] team.   [player_tooltip player_id='502602' first='Morgan' last='Staloch'] – 2026 forward, [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] EYBL   As it turns out, the theme of this story is about players who bring a ton to the table but may not be appreciated as much as they should be for all that they do. In that regard, we feel there's one more athlete who needs to be included coming out of the Meltdown. Much like Hawkinson's situation on the 16U team, Staloch can get overshadowed on 15U where [player_tooltip player_id='478350' first='Kate' last='Amelotte'], [player_tooltip player_id='344333' first='Cail' last='Jahnke'], [player_tooltip player_id='471360' first='Mya' last='Moore'] and [player_tooltip player_id='377583' first='Mya' last='Wilson'] draw the lion's share of the conversation. Long-term, however, Morgan's potential is stellar. The 6-footer from Jordan is ranked #8 in the class. She has the kind of size and length that college coaches covet. She can get up in the air on the offensive end of the court to grab rebounds and score on put-backs. Defensively she's a monster, with a wingspan that doesn't quit and the timing you need to get boards and blocks. Once again this weekend Morgan played with a big motor and a ton of desire. Staloch is solid and a whole lot more. People would do well to watch her progress closely.

First impressions are always important, but lasting impressions often matter just as much. For prospective collegiate basketball players, July represents one last chance in the AAU campaign to convince a recruiter that you are the one they are looking for. Whether we're talking about incoming seniors finishing up their final season of summer basketball, or soon-to-be-sophomores wanting to move up in the consciousness of college coaches, numerous players made a lasting impression over the weekend at the North Tartan Meltdown.