AAU Newcomer of the Year: Amisha Ramlall

We had been hearing about the Ramlall sisters of Rosemount for some time, a trio of elite shooters from the Class of 2027 and 2028. Eighth grader [player_tooltip player_id='578467' first='Amisha' last='Ramlall'] was earning more varsity minutes as the high school campaign progressed, but when the 2023 AAU season opened, the [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] guard was hardly a household name. What a difference four months makes. After lighting it up all summer, and leading her team to an AAU state championship, we are pleased to name Amisha as our Prep Girls Hoops AAU Newcomer of the Year.   The award identifies players who have established themselves in high school-level AAU basketball for the first time in a big way. Players are not eligible until they are rising freshmen. Even if they excelled as 6th or 7th graders in their age group, these athletes aren't officially on our radar unless they are high-impact varsity players. Also in the running are athletes appearing in AAU for the first time, or having great success while advancing to a much higher level of competition. That was the case last summer when 2025 post [player_tooltip player_id='396422' first='Tory' last='Jennissen'] of [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] burst onto the scene in a big way. Ditto for the 2022 runner-up [player_tooltip player_id='478351' first='Dalia' last='Thornton-Fay'] of the Minnesota Stars. Both are now bonafide Division 1 college prospects with Top 20 rankings.   Here's the rundown on our top newcomers for the 2023 AAU season.   [player_tooltip player_id='578467' first='Amisha' last='Ramlall'] – 2027 guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury']   If observers weren't aware of Amisha prior to the AAU State Tournament they were well-acquainted by the time it was over. Ramlall scored 54 points in the event, none more important than the 23 she posted in the title game. With the outcome hanging in the balance with 11 minutes and 10 seconds remaining, Ramlall launched an aerial assault with a long bomb that hit the target. She nailed another one just 20 seconds later. Amisha then scored on an and-1 runner at the 8:30 mark and nailed one more at 7:48 from the same exact spot. Yes, she had four threes and 15 points in under four minutes!     Ramlall finished the championship game with 6 triples and the Fury took home the hardware. What's really amazing, though, is that's pretty much how Amisha shot it all summer. Her release, ability to get shots off quickly, and the consistency of the stroke is excellent. She showed a whole lot more, as well, with a well-rounded, versatile, highly-skilled game. Ramlall has a penchant for big buckets at big moments but is a consistent contributor, table setter and team leader from start to finish. Now she is also a highly-regarded Division 1 prospect. When the Prep Girls Hoops Freshmen 50 is published in September, her debut ranking will no doubt reflect that. In the meantime, Amisha is the PGH Newcomer of the Year.   RUNNER-UP   [player_tooltip player_id='637605' first='Kaelyn' last='Bjorklund'] – 2027 forward, Minnesota Stars Antl   Like Ramlall, Bjorklund earned varsity minutes last winter at Lakeville South as the season progressed and by playoff time she played a bigger role. In AAU we had not covered the Class of 2027 before and the 6'1 power forward entered the spring with plenty to prove. Let's just say she knocked it out of the park. Minnesota Stars Antl is a top-shelf squad, an uber-successful group with championship pedigree. Only Ramlall's excellence kept them from winning a state championship. They couldn't have done it without Kaelyn's contributions.   Bjorklund is tall, long and solidly built. She has a big frame and is very athletic. There isn't a lot of size in the 2027 class so Kaelyn already has a leg up on most of her peers. The thing that really sets her apart, however, is the ability to play like a guard. She can handle the basketball exceptionally well for her size and got better at it as the summer went on. She is a great passer. She knocks down shots from distance. And she moves very well. What makes the whole package special is her motor. Bjorklund is relentless at both ends of the court, plays with grit and physicality, and will not back down from anyone. The only thing that might hold Bjorklund back from reaching her full potential is the fact that she is just as good – perhaps better – at volleyball. Let's hope she doesn't defect to the dark side!   HONORABLE MENTION   [player_tooltip player_id='667540' first='Reece' last='Watson'] – 2026 guard, Crossfire Gee   It didn't take long in the spring for the 5'9 combo guard to make it obvious that the Hopkins High School program was going to bring us yet another quality prospect to ponder. Watson was everywhere for Carlos Gee's Crossfire squad and consistently made the top scorers list week after week. Reece put her athleticism, well-developed skills and shooting prowess on display and people took notice. She is terrific one-on-one, has quick feet, is really agile and finishes at the basket in multiple ways. All of that earned Watson a spot in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2026 rankings where she's currently sitting at #72.   [player_tooltip player_id='502591' first='Allie' last='Gillette'] – 2026 guard, Minnesota Stars Joerger   Confession: We didn't watch Randolph High School last winter, or at least I don't recall doing it. Had we done so it would have taken five minutes to figure out that Allie was going to be a player. We would have shone a bright light on her immediately. But because we didn't, Allie entered the AAU season with Blaine Joerger's Minnesota Stars squad as an unknown from our perspective. That's a bonus now given that she was clearly one of this season's top newcomers. This kid has speed, skill, athleticism and power. She's quick, she's fast and she is definitely fierce with a motor that runs all day long. Allie made her debut in the 2026 rankings at #78.   [player_tooltip player_id='502600' first='Jayda' last='Wilson'] – 2026 forward, [program_tooltip program_id='713420' first='Minnesota' last='Diamond Elite'] Walker   The Diamond Elite program had a number of talented prospects come to the fore this summer on the PGH Circuit, and the Richfield-based club directed by Omar McMillan and Desmond Walker has done a great job of building competitive teams. None of their players stepped out of the shadows more than Wilson, a 5'9 forward from Eastview. This year she grew bigger, got stronger, developed her skillset in a number of ways, and put all of that together to match up with the best players on the Circuit. She can fire the basketball and is constantly attacking. It is her motor, however, that really stands out.

We had been hearing about the Ramlall sisters of Rosemount for some time, a trio of elite shooters from the Class of 2027 and 2028. Eighth grader Amisha Ramlall Amisha Ramlall 5'11" | CG Rosemount | 2027 State MN was earning more varsity minutes as the high school campaign progressed, but when the 2023 AAU season opened, the Minnesota Fury guard was hardly a household name. What a difference four months makes. After lighting it up all summer, and leading her team to an AAU state championship, we are pleased to name Amisha as our Prep Girls Hoops AAU Newcomer of the Year.