2025 Rankings Update: Meet the newcomers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every time we update the Prep Girls Hoops rankings of a particular class of prospects, there is always that one player who makes us ask ourselves how we didn't have her ranked before. Today, as we refresh Minnesota's Class of 2025, that player is [player_tooltip player_id='778748' first='Ellie' last='Davis'] of Cambridge-Isanti. What a summer Ellie had on behalf of Barry Peterson's Minnesota Stars squad. Although it should have happened long before now, we are pleased to make Ellie the highest-rated newcomer among the 13 fresh faces added to the 2025 list. That brings the total number of ranked prospects in this year's junior class to 175.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THE TOP NEWCOMER</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#81</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='778748' first='Ellie' last='Davis'] <strong>– forward, Cambridge-Isanti</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the best assets a player can bring to the table is a big motor. That's something every kid is capable of delivering. The other is a big body, which is pretty much luck of the draw. Players that have both are going to get opportunities. Ellie is a 6-foot forward with a big frame and a ton of strength. When you combine that with a growing set of skills, terrific on-court communication and an energy-exuding personality, you've got a prospect to pay attention to. The Minnesota Stars athlete had a terrific summer. Although she is a little unorthodox, Davis uses her power and strength to get the rim frequently and finishes with either hand. She is an excellent rebounder, quality passer, and passionate defender. She also has a high basketball IQ, comprehending concepts quickly and executing them well. We love late bloomers and our highest ranked newcomer is going to be a good one. Ellie is now garnering interest at the Division 2 level with more to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THE NEXT FIVE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#103 </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='778750' first='Clarissa' last='Sauer'] <strong>– guard, Winona Cotter</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Apparently Clarissa has been hiding in plain sight and we just didn't pay close enough attention to her until now. Shame on us! The Cotter guard positively lit it up this past winter for the Ramblers. Sauer broke the school's single-game scoring record with 36 at Plainview-Elgin-Millville. She averaged approximately 18 points and nearly 9 rebounds per game for the always competitive private school in Winona. A ton of those points came from beyond the three-point line where her shooting percentage was in the 45% range. Not only can she shoot the ball but Sauer is very crafty at getting to the basket, often slipping by defenders by employing quality footwork and nice ball handling. Standing about 5'9, Clarissa has a solid build that is well-suited for college basketball. We're excited to see her more often this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#141 </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='339126' first='Maddie' last='Backer'] <strong>– guard, New Ulm</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Unlike Sauer, we've been watching Backer for a long time. What we've seen is steady incremental improvement. While her New Ulm teammates like [player_tooltip player_id='339175' first='Brooklyn' last='Lewis'] and [player_tooltip player_id='215987' first='Daviney' last='Dreckman'] have been drawing headlines, Maddie has been doing work in the background and it's paying off in a big way. Backer is a tremendous shooter with a quick release and a soft delivery. It's not at all unusual to watch the 5'7 guard stroke the pull-up jumper from behind the three-point line with substantial success, but she can score in plenty of other ways, too. Backer is opportunistic and she's elusive. If there's even a sliver of an opening, Maddie is probably going to find it, slip through the crack and get to the basket. She's more athletic than defenders expect and quick enough to get past the impediments. We like the simplicity of Maddie's game and her consistent level of play. Did we mention she is an oustanding on-ball defender?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#150</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='633295' first='Maryn' last='Pool'] <strong>– guard, Owatonna</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you've followed our coverage of the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit over the past couple of summers then you are no doubt well aware of what Maryn can do. At the Circuit events I covered, the [program_tooltip program_id='712352' first='Air' last='Minnesota'] veteran was one of our GameChangers selections. That's because the many so-called “little” things that Pool does often mean big things to the outcome of the game, particularly on the defensive end of the equation. When Maryn has her game face on and gets down in a defensive stance, the 5'8 guard always means business. She just has the kind of dogged determination that makes life difficult for opposing ball handlers. She's assertive, aggressive and composed, which often results in a ton of tips and steals. On the offensive end she can shoot the basketball and is often called upon when the game is hanging in the balance. More often than not she's going to execute the crucial play and/or score the big basket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#151 </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='778893' first='Alice' last='Ewert'] <strong>– forward, Minneapolis Southwest</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We think Alice might turn out to be one of the real sleepers of the Class of 2025. Coming off a productive summer with [program_tooltip program_id='712362' first='Legacy' last='Hoops'], Alice is going to play a crucial role this winter at Minneapolis Southwest. There, she'll be called upon to fill the big shoes left behind by <strong>Virginia Johnson</strong>, a five-year standout who's now at Smith College in New England. We think the highly-coachable, very committed team captain is ready for the assignment. Alice has a big body. At 5'10 she has length, too. She knows how to employ that asset well, especially on defense. Her rebounding has improved a lot and so has the lefty's outside shooting. Coach Dan Froehlich of the Lakers has given Ewert the green light now to fire at will when the opportunity presents itself. As we saw this summer, Alice can also get to the hoop and finish with either hand. Southwest has had some talented kids in recent years and Alice is carrying on the tradition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#152</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='632543' first='Jade' last='Severson'] <strong>– forward, Pine Island</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We first encountered Jade at the PGH Circuit event in Milwaukee in April where the 6-footer with the super-long wingspan made quite the impression on behalf of [program_tooltip program_id='714562' first='FBC' last='North']. With an awful lot of length and a big-time dose of natural ability, Severson is a hidden gem with the potential to bust loose in the not-too-distant future. Playing at Pine Island – a high school program that went winless last winter – hasn't helped Jade's profile, but playing on the Circuit most definitely has. We saw her run the floor well at pace and move well laterally. We watched her rebound hard and effectively protect the rim. She's not fancy but Jade finishes well inside and has improved both her shooting and ball handling over the course of the summer. As you know, we rank prospects based on long-term potential, and this is just the beginning of Jade's journey. Stay tuned for more.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>THE REST OF THE NEWBIES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#169 [player_tooltip player_id='734368' first='Lily' last='Smith'] – guard, Proctor</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#170 [player_tooltip player_id='778888' first='Bailey' last='Garrahy'] – forward, Farmington</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#171 [player_tooltip player_id='778887' first='Brooklyn' last='Garrahy'] – forward, Farmington</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#172 [player_tooltip player_id='734370' first='Paige' last='Evans'] – guard, Proctor</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#173 [player_tooltip player_id='778890' first='Elena' last='Kronschnabel'] – forward, Cretin-Derham Hall</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#174 [player_tooltip player_id='778895' first='Hailey' last='Walbon'] – guard, St. Michael-Albertville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#175 [player_tooltip player_id='778885' first='Emma' last='Dornan'] – forward, Cretin-Derham Hall</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->