Introducing the Freshmen 50: Meet the Top 10
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Building consensus when putting together the first ranking of any particular class of prospects is normally a challenge but it’s not quite dental surgery. Sure there are always a few players that are the subject of debate between the evaluators…
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Continue ReadingBuilding consensus when putting together the first ranking of any particular class of prospects is normally a challenge but it’s not quite dental surgery. Sure there are always a few players that are the subject of debate between the evaluators who participate in the Prep Girls Hoops rankings process, but for the most part we are able to come to agreement in short order. At least that’s the way it has been before. When it comes to the Class of 2027, all bets are off. Evaluations of the Top 75 players are all over the map. As a result, today’s unveiling of Minnesota’s Freshmen 50 is full of surprises and omissions, many of which will no doubt be the subject of debate in local girls basketball circles in the months ahead.
We don’t think the differing opinions on 2027 prospects is a sign that our evaluation process is not working. Rather it’s an indicator of just how unusual this particular class seems to be. There are just a whole lot of players who are similar in size, skill and demeanor. Now, after plenty of discussion and debate, however, we bring you the best of the Class of 2027 – version 1.
Here are a few facts on the Freshmen 50 selections:
- All 20 players on our 2027 Watch List published in the spring made the Freshmen 50.
- About 30% of the ranked prospects are from outside of the Twin Cities region.
- Ten of the 50 prospects are from private schools, including two each from Benilde-St. Margaret’s and DeLaSalle and one apiece from Providence Academy, Minnehaha Academy, Southwest Christian, Hill-Murray, Central Minnesota Christian, and Sleepy Eye-St. Mary’s.
- About half of the players in the Top 50 are from large Class 4A schools and another dozen or so hail from Class 3A. Just three are from the tiny Class A schools.
Before we talk about the Top 10 prospects of 2027 here are a few reminders of how the Prep Girls Hoops rankings process works.
HOW THE RANKINGS WORK
Players are officially ranked by Prep Girls Hoops for the first time in the fall of their freshman year. The prior spring we publish a Watch List of 20 names listed in alphabetical order and then make it official in the fall. The rankings are updated three times a year, usually in October/November, February and June. Each time the lists get a little bit longer. The Class of 2027 ranking begins with 50 names now and will grow by 25 players this winter. Each time we update the rankings in a particular class we add between 10 and 20 new names.
Players are rarely removed from the list unless they no longer play basketball or move to a different state. Players who commit to a different sport in college are usually relocated well down the list since their chances of playing college basketball are greatly diminished at that point.
The single most important thing you need to know is this: The PGH Minnesota rankings are about COLLEGE POTENTIAL, NOT CURRENT PERFORMANCE.
Our goal isn’t to tell you who the best 9th graders are in Minnesota. Our goal is to predict who will be the best college freshmen four years from now. That’s why you’ll sometimes find kids who have yet to play a minute of varsity near the top of the list and players who are the undisputed leaders of their high school team left out of the rankings altogether. It’s not about today; it’s about four years from now. It’s not about what it takes to succeed in high school; it’s about what it takes to be a contributor in college.
Among the most important attributes we are looking for are height and length, natural athleticism, skill development, court vision, a strong understanding of the game, teamwork, body language, plus leadership and communication skills. We’re also watching the parents.
There are many people involved in the process, and we see a ton of basketball. We have a diverse group of evaluators, and we get new people to review the information every time we update the rankings. Among the participants are current and former AAU, high school and college coaches from all levels. Everyone involved is granted anonymity, which is what makes it work well.
We are always trying to improve how we evaluate and rank players, and we don’t always get it right. There are at least 10 more players who could have been included here but unfortunately there are only 50 spots. That’s the bad news. The good news is they stand a very good chance of being added in the winter update. Eventually, we’ll see the overwhelming majority of good college prospects make their way into the rankings. For now we bring you the Top 10 with 11-20 on Thursday and the rest of the 50 on Friday.
Given that 40 of the 50 players in the Top 50 participated in the PGH Freshman Showcase on Sept. 10, we have already written about these top performers a lot. Thus, we will keep the descriptions brief.
While there was plenty of discussion about where pretty much every other player belonged in the Class of 2027 rankings, there was zero discernable debate about who is number 1. From the first time we watched Mya as a 6th grader it was obvious that she is a special talent. The now 6-foot guard is blessed with so much natural athleticism and grace and has put the work in to hone everything else. The highly-skilled guard has a deep bag of tricks and all of the intangibles, too. Wilson is clearly #1.
There was plenty of debate over who deserved to be in the #2 spot, and you could make a valid case for any number of athletes in the Top 10. The edge that Watkins has is her substantial size and athleticism. With advanced physical development and a good-sized frame, it is already apparent that Pressley will have a college basketball body. That means a lot in the eyes of recruiters. She does so many things well on both sides of the ball and her enhanced confidence this summer was evident.
Highlights
Much has been expected from Ava for a long time now and the big guard continues to deliver. She had an excellent summer with the Metro Stars as well as with her new high school team at Hopkins. From 7th grade she has been a standout at the Class 2A level at Minnehaha Academy and this fall she’ll have the opportunity to show what she can do against the killer competition in the Class 4A Lake Conference. She certainly has all of the size, skill, savvy and smarts to be successful at Hopkins and beyond.
Emma has already made her mark in varsity basketball, particularly on the defensive side of the equation which earned her the Prep Girls Hoops Defender of the Year award for her play last winter. That’s unheard of for an 8th grader, but then Emma wasn’t your average 8th grader. This summer she showed she can be a dominant offensive player, as well. At the Freshmen Showcase 10 days ago, Millerbernd reinforced the notion that she is one of the premier two-way players in the Class.
Erma is one of the most entertaining players to watch in the Class of 2027, thanks in large part to a unique set of skills, plenty of size and strength, and the willingness to do battle inside with anyone and everyone who dares enter her space. Walker is a relentless rebounder who knows how to use her body to great advantage. She also has guard-like ball-handling ability, elevation that is off the charts, and touch around the rim, as well. Oh yeah, she can also shoot it!
Ramlall is the premier shooter in the Class of 2027. You’d have a hard time finding anyone to debate that claim, particularly among opposing coaches who have had to come up with ways of curtailing Amisha’s aerial assaults. This summer, however, Ramlall proved that there is so much more to her game than that. She can score off the bounce, finish through contact and get to the free throw line. She is also a very good team-first distributor and defends with passion.
Highlights
Alivia is just so crafty. From the point at which she first appeared in high school basketball as a 7th grader, Bell has been difficult to contain. Goodness knows countless defenders have tried across the Big 9 Conference. She’s also done it on the big stage among strong AAU competition. Now that Alivia has grown a fair bit, her stock as a college prospect has risen accordingly. Bell is so explosive, with elite speed and quickness and a very high level of skill plus the ability to knock down shots.
Highlights
It’s not easy to get out from the shadows of an uber-talented big sister who plays at the Division 1 level but that is exactly what Morgan has already done. She is her own player, a talented, shifty, uber-quick point guard with all of the tools to do what sister Madison has done and more. We love Morgan’s fighting spirit, never-say-die competitiveness, and truly elite skill set. In our evaluator’s discussions over the weekend, one contributor said Morgan “is the next Katie Borowicz.” We couldn’t agree more.
No player raised her stock more this summer than Kaelyn. We knew back in the spring that Bjorklund had Top 25 potential so it wasn’t a stretch including in our 20-player Watch List. What she showed over the summer was a whole lot better than that. Despite also playing club volleyball, Bjorklund put together an excellent AAU campaign. She’s got size, strength and length. Her ball handling has improved a lot. She is aggressive and physical on both sides of the ball. Most importantly, her upside is very high.
Highlights
Jazmin switched AAU clubs during the summer season, joining FBC North ‘s 2025 team that played on the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit. That provided her with plenty of exposure to a fresh audience of evaluators who weren’t familiar with her game. What they saw was one of the most athletic, most gifted players in the class, a fledgling racehorse with the potential to be a true thoroughbred. Like Wilson, Daing has an ease of movement that enables her to get up and down the floor at pace, elevate over opponents, and score in a variety of ways. With the right training and focus, the sky is the limit for Jazmin.