The Freshmen 50: Who else made the Top 20?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There was plenty of debate over which 10 players should lead the way at the top of the Prep Girls Hoops Freshmen 50, the 10 best prospects worthy of such elite status in the Class of 2027. In the end we reached a consensus. By comparison, choosing players #11 to #20 was a street fight as our evaluators debated (with civility I might add) the merits and demerits relative to each candidate. In the end we did choose 10, but there were many more players outside of the Top 20 who could easily have been included.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Among those who didn't make it, there was sentiment in favor of #21 [player_tooltip player_id='659130' first='Jaliyah' last='Diggs'] of Park Center, #25 [player_tooltip player_id='667778' first='Laila' last='Moses'] of DeLaSalle and #28 [player_tooltip player_id='643749' first='McKinley' last='Hoelscher'] of Alexandria , for example, and several others. All three are definitely knocking at the door. For now, we bring you the 10 additional players who did get selected for the Top 20.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just a reminder that Prep Girls Hoops ranks players on their merit as <strong>COLLEGE PROSPECTS</strong>, not their current level of performance as high school players. That's a big difference. You can learn more about the criteria in yesterday's article about the Class of 2027 Top 10. (<strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2023/09/introducing-the-freshmen-50-meet-the-top-10/">Click here</a></strong> to read it).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["665719"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Addi suffered a minor injury the day before the Freshmen Showcase so she wasn't able to participate. Had Bjorklund been there, those gathered would have seen one of the premier forwards in Minnesota's Class of 2027. Standing over 6 feet tall, Bjorklund is a skilled competitor with nice mobility, exceptional length and deceptive athleticism who uses her natural assets to defend players of all descriptions. She also benefits from great basketball genes as dad Chris was an elite Division 1 competitor. If she stays on her current path, there's little doubt that Addi will get to the D1 level, too.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["630241"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Kate has long been considered a premier prospect in this class, an expert opinion that predates our observations by a long while. Watch her play for even a short time and it becomes obvious why. Arnold has prodigious length. Combined with a high degree of athleticism, she can get up and down the floor at a rapid pace. Her skill set is well-advanced, with great ball handling, superior shooting ability and highly effective one-on-one skills. Arnold also defends with pride and passion. Kate needs to fill out and get stronger but when she does Arnold is going to be a handful at the next level.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["630245"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":760123,"_player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Every class has it's gunslingers and outlaws, the flash-and-dash stars who provide us with plenty of entertainment. [player_tooltip player_id='252381' first='Maddyn' last='Greenway'] and [player_tooltip player_id='178269' first='Liv' last='McGill'] come to mind. Each year, we also see the thinking man's point guards, those cerebral floor leaders who outsmart their opponents and get the job done with little fanfare. [player_tooltip player_id='252383' first='Lanelle' last='Wright'] is kind of like that. [player_tooltip player_id='215958' first='Tori' last='McKinney'], too. Well you can add Carpentier to the mix. The big guard is smart, savvy, and skilled. She plays with poise beyond her years and makes everyone around her better.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["600748"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":760497,"_player_evaluations_3_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Kaja isn't quite as big as Gianna but she is every bit as fundamentally sound, with a highly-honed skill set, the ability to make big shots at big moments and the heart of a lion. The difference is, you can't miss Nash on the court because she is here, there and everywhere seemingly all at once. Kaja has a motor, and she plays with a constant sense of urgency. With extremely quick feet, serious speed in the open court, and the handles to get by most defenders, Nash is a crowd pleaser who delivers real results at the same time.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["763004"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"We were impressed by Lyla from the first time we watched her up close in the spring and in every, single subsequent viewing she got better. To say Hentges had a great day at the PGH Freshmen Showcase would be an understatement. In his review of Lyla's performance, our colleague Tony Ragulen called her “a certified bucket” and described her scoring dominance on the day. We love the confidence, competitiveness, and will to win. Wrapped up in a long package with a shiny skill set to match, this gym rat has the potential to be one of the very best players in this class.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["659119"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Maren and Lyla were summer teammates this season with [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] and there is a fair bit of similarity in their games. At 5'11, Day is plenty long, an advantage she uses effectively on both sides of the ball. She seems to consistently put herself in good positions to corral rebounds and force turnovers. On offense, Day is a shooting machine who can make long threes with great regularity. She can also put the ball on the deck and attack the basket. Versatile, focused and competitive, Day will be a force in the Class of 2027.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["665720"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Jersey is one of the most intriguing prospects among Minnesota's best 9th graders. She has an enviable combination of speed, skill and power, a trifecta of talent that has made her the subject of much scrutiny and interest for the past couple of seasons. Coleman is listed a shade under 6 feet but plays bigger. She can use her size and elevation to dominate inside. She can handle the ball and make shots outside. She's got nice mobility and agility. Jersey is just scratching the surface of what's possible if she keeps up the grind to get better.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["595199"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_player_featured_image":764558,"_player_evaluations_7_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"We've liked Maya's athleticism and length for some time now, but this year she has sprouted up to the 6-foot mark and that has really grabbed everyone's attention. Kilian just looks like a basketball player. She uses her length well at both ends of the court and manages to get a tip or deflection or steal on just about everything. On the other end of the court she can definitely shoot it, and her inside game is growing fast. Once Kilian's confidence catches up to her talent level, there's no telling how high Maya will rise. She is a D1 prospect all day long.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["659117"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"Delaney is one of the more interesting prospects in the Class of 2027, and there was plenty of discussion over where she fits today and where she will ultimately end up in the future. She's not flashy – far from it – and her ball-handling ability and athleticism aren't going to knock your socks off. But the physical athlete is just so darn effective at her current level. She has a high basketball IQ, understands what needs to get done on the floor, and has the kind of toughness and intensity you just can't teach. Delaney has a ways to go, to be sure, but the groundwork has been laid for a bright future.","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["644100"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"Much like Dumermuth, Kieser isn't flashy. What she is, however, is fearless. Nobody in the Class of 2027 plays harder or with more of an edge than Annika. She is just so strong and so driven. When you combine that with a huge motor and a resolute approach to the game, Kieser can be difficult to contain. If she continues to grow, Annika is a power forward. If her shooting continues to blossom, she can be effective in the three spot. Regardless, Annika is the kind of athlete that coaches will find a place for because she is a difference-maker every time out.","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":10,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-650c68e0149c7"} /-->