Game Changers at the PGH Freshman Showcase

This content series is sponsored by GameChanger-The Official Scorekeeping, Stats, Team Management & Technology Partner of Prep Girls Hoops.    There are a whole lot of different ways for players to impact a basketball game. You might knock down a crucial shot, execute a difficult play or get a key defensive stop that makes all the difference in the outcome of a contest. Sometimes it's just about bringing the energy when your team needs it the most. On Sunday at the Prep Girls Hoops Freshman Showcase in Hopkins, we saw all of the above and more as some of Minnesota's best prospects in the Class of 2027 demonstrated their abilities for scouts and college coaches. Here are five examples of Game Changers we liked on Sunday.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/Morgan-Mathiowetz-crop-665x437-1694455141.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-760115" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='498658' first='Morgan' last='Mathiowetz']</figcaption></figure>   THE FLOOR GENERALS   The most obvious choice of consummate floor general on Sunday (or any other day really) is [player_tooltip player_id='630245' first='Gianna' last='Carpentier'] of Farmington, who did an outstanding job of leading Team #3. She just has such a great feel for the game, an innate sense of timing and pacing you just can't teach. Crafty [player_tooltip player_id='659130' first='Jaliyah' last='Diggs'] of Park Center ran the show for Team #2, infusing her dynamic attacking persona into the proceedings. We liked what we saw from [player_tooltip player_id='662003' first='Ava' last='Doherty'] of Wayzata, who is an emerging talent in the Class of 2027. Ditto for young [player_tooltip player_id='675971' first='Trinity' last='Baker'] of Underwood. In all honesty, though, there wasn't a better point guard in the gym Sunday than [player_tooltip player_id='498658' first='Morgan' last='Mathiowetz'] of Sleepy Eye St. Mary's, who can do it all.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/Savannah-Tepoorten-crop-3616x2375-1694644112.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-763039" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='615435' first='Savannah' last='Tepoorten']</figcaption></figure>   THE PAINT PRACTITIONERS   There isn't a ton of size in the Class of 2027, and some of the bigs aren't your traditional back-to-the-basket post players that used to be the norm. Among those who participated at the Freshman Showcase, there was no big forward with more top-end potential than [player_tooltip player_id='558627' first='Erma' last='Walker'] of Hopkins, who knows how to use her size, athleticism and ability to dominate down low. In that same mold, [player_tooltip player_id='665720' first='Jersey' last='Coleman'] of Owatonna offers power forward size and strength to go with the skills and speed of smaller players. We told you about the play of [player_tooltip player_id='659120' first='Alise' last='Schoenrock'] of Royalton in our evaluations of Team #9. Her game is definitely trending upwards. Perhaps the most intriguing prospect of the bunch, however, is [player_tooltip player_id='615435' first='Savannah' last='Tepoorten'] of Benilde-St. Margaret's, who was profiled in Tony Ragulen's review of Team #5. Savannah is a long way from being a finished product but her potential is really, really good. As basketball people like to say, you can't teach size!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/Grace-Prose-crop-3717x2440-1694643680.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-763019" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='667779' first='Grace' last='Prose']</figcaption></figure>   THE ENERGY GIVERS   Nobody played with more energy and passion on Sunday than [player_tooltip player_id='675954' first='Brooke' last='Mickolichek'] of Glencoe-Silver Lake and [player_tooltip player_id='644100' first='Annika' last='Kieser'] of Wayzata. That's true of their play every single time we've seen them compete this year in AAU. But they weren't the only Game Changers who made an impact by bringing the energy. [player_tooltip player_id='659121' first='Anna' last='Neyens'] of Mountain Iron-Buhl used her speed, quickness and motor to stir the pot for Team #6. Ditto for [player_tooltip player_id='675980' first='Jessa' last='Schultz'] of Holy Angels on Team #7. We lauded the play of Minnehaha Academy guard [player_tooltip player_id='529334' first='Isa' last='Griefenhagen'] in our recap of Team #3 for the same reason. The one player who deserves a big shout out for bringing the energy is guard [player_tooltip player_id='667779' first='Grace' last='Prose'] of Mahtomedi, a defensive demon who never ever backs down from anyone. When a spark is required, Grace is your girl.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/Maren-Day-crop-669x440-1694455087.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-760113" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='659119' first='Maren' last='Day']</figcaption></figure>   THE LIGHTS OUT SHOOTERS   We only started paying serious attention to the Class of 2027 in the spring as the AAU season got underway. It didn't take long for the word “shooter” and the name “Ramlall” to become synonymous. After the way the AAU season went (and this weekend's Showcase, too) I'm certain even her parents are tired of reading about [player_tooltip player_id='578467' first='Amisha' last='Ramlall'] of Rosemount. Her shot is an artform. And then there is her sister [player_tooltip player_id='630243' first='Arshia' last='Ramlall'], who can also fire the rock in pretty much the same way. Again on Sunday the Ramlall sisters were the class of the field among the lights out shooters. That doesn't mean there weren't others at the Freshmen Showcase who can bury the ball from distance. There were several, including star attractions like [player_tooltip player_id='377583' first='Mya' last='Wilson'] (Hill-Murray), [player_tooltip player_id='659118' first='Alivia' last='Bell'] (Winona) and [player_tooltip player_id='377584' first='Ava' last='Cupito'] (Hopkins). We would be remiss, though, if we omitted [player_tooltip player_id='659119' first='Maren' last='Day'] of Wayzata who is among the best and most consistent shooters in the Class of 2027. She had a really good outing at Hopkins.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/09/Lyla-Hentges-crop-3870x2541-1694643814.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-763031" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='763004' first='Lyla' last='Hentges']</figcaption></figure>   THE GAME BREAKERS   The aforementioned Wilson, Bell, Cupito and company have been known to turn a game on its ear with their speed, athleticism and skill. The same would apply to [player_tooltip player_id='529357' first='Emma' last='Millerbernd'] of Providence Academy, who showed once again on Sunday that she can turn defense into offense in a flash. Ditto for [player_tooltip player_id='630244' first='Jazmin' last='Daing'] of Rochester John Marshall, whose length and elevation seem to alter the course of everything. The one player who really deserves notice in this regard for her play on Sunday is [player_tooltip player_id='763004' first='Lyla' last='Hentges'] of Chanhassen. As Tony will say in his look at Team #11, Hentges is “a certified bucket!” The 5'10 guard can break a game open in so many different ways, scoring any which way you want, finishing off seemingly impossible chances, making huge defensive plays to tilt the court in her team's favor. That is, after all, what being a Game Changer is all about.

This content series is sponsored by GameChanger-The Official Scorekeeping, Stats, Team Management & Technology Partner of Prep Girls Hoops.