A not-so-spooky Friday the 13th at the Fall Exclusive

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The weather has turned decidedly colder and high school sports like volleyball, soccer and football are into their playoff stretch. The “official” basketball season is just 30 days away and Breakdown’s four-week Fall League opens on Sunday. Friday night it was time to kick off the preseason as we have done since 2020 with the Fall Exclusive, where individual prospects sign up for three Friday nights of team play.

The Fall Exclusive was born out of necessity when high school sports was on a COVID-induced hiatus and nobody knew for sure when play was going to resume. At the time Minnesota’s two competing scouting/media enterprises – Prep Girls Hoops and Jr All-Star – combined to organize that first go-around and it was a huge success. Because there was no other basketball going on, and kids were desperate to get out and compete, the event drew a Who’s Who of Minnesota basketball.

Among the players who participated that first year were current elite college players such as Minnesota Gophers Mara Braun, Kennedy Klick and Brynn Senden; South Carolina freshman and Miss Basketball Tessa Johnson; Wisconsin guard Ronnie Porter plus the likes of Amber Scalia (St. Thomas), Shannon Fornshell (Drake), Lily Fandre (Lehigh) and last season’s NSIC Freshman of the Year Emma Miller (UM-Crookston). We had a blast and so did they.

By the fall of 2021 things were gradually returning to normal but Jr All-Star carried on with the Fall Exclusive. The event has trended somewhat younger since then but has still drawn a crowd. On Friday night, there were eight teams involved playing two games apiece, and we saw some nice basketball. About 75 players competed, including about 40 younger kids we hadn’t seen before. It was a ton of fun seeing familiar faces, meeting some new people and warming up for the regular season.

Here are a few highlights Ally McGinnis and I watched on Friday night at Jefferson High School in Bloomington.

Game of the night

One of the highlights for me that first year was arranging for Chloe Johnson Chloe Johnson 5'11" | PG Duluth Marshall | 2028 MN – at the time a precocious 5th grader from Duluth – to play a game with Braun, one of her idols who was entering her senior year at Wayzata. That turned out to be a ton of fun and a memorable occasion for both of them. This time around it was Johnson who was the star attraction. She did not disappoint.

In the evening’s final game Chloe’s Violet squad fell behind early as Team Black got a quick start. It was 8th grader Brooke Soash Brooke Soash 5'6" | CG Champlin Park | 2028 MN of Champlin Park getting downhill at maximum speed a couple of times that gave Black a spark and helped them build a nice margin. Shortly thereafter Violet coach Tony Ragulen – moonlighting from his Prep Girls Hoops scouting duties – assigned Johnson to guard Soash and the game took a sharp turn in the other direction. The contest got gritty as the two teams battled hard to the end. Let’s just say Johnson put on a show and the Violet team pulled away for a convincing win.

There was some sandpaper in this one. Guard Josie Francois of Richfield did battle with her high school teammate Aniiya Johnson, which was fun for all involved, and the game got physical in general. The likes of Maple Grove guard Jessa Schultz Jessa Schultz 5'8" | SG Academy Of Holy Angels | 2027 MN and Hopkins forward Le’Sedra Williams Le’Sedra Williams 6'0" | SF Hopkins | 2026 State MN gave the Black team some oomph. Johnson teamed up with Bethany Black Lance Bethany Black Lance 5'7" | CG Brainerd | 2028 MN of Brainerd, Riley Wilson Riley Wilson 5'8" | SG New Ulm Public | 2026 State MN of New Ulm and Hayley Quinn of River Falls, Wisconsin to carry Violet to victory. Williams was recently promoted into the Top 50 in the Prep Girls Hoops 2026 rankings. Johnson, of course, is one of the premier 2028s in the entire country.

INTRIGUING PROSPECT

Hayley Quinn – The Minnesota Stars Nilsen 2026 prospect is a 5’11 forward with a ton of length. Her on-court mobility/agility has taken a big jump since we last watched, which isn’t unusual for lanky prospects who are still adapting to their growth. We loved Hayley’s competitive fire and willingness to be physical down low. She was a huge difference maker in both games.

GRIZZLED VETERAN

Evyn Eppinga Evyn Eppinga 5'4" | CG Anoka | 2024 State MN – The Anoka guard, ranked in the Top 125 in the Class of 2024, was the lone senior in the gym. Competing for the Green team she used her speed, quickness and high-revving motor to make her presence felt as usual. Playing alongside big Madelyn Malmgren Madelyn Malmgren 6'0" | PF St. James | 2025 State MN (2025 Top 75) and her 2028 sister Reese Malmgren from St. James, along with Prior Lake’s 2027 Top 30 Fiona Anttila Fiona Anttila 5'8" | SG Prior Lake | 2027 State MN , Eppinga once again showed why she will do well in college.

FRESH FACE

Tate Addler Tate Addler 5'11" | CG Minnetonka | 2028 MN – This was our first look at the 2028 athlete from Minnetonka, who was playing for the Blue squad. She is super long and highly mobile with a wingspan from here to there and nice touch around the basket. Her skills are pretty well developed as she showed off a variety of tools. Tate has nice basketball pedigree. Once she fills out and gets stronger, Addler could be a force in the ’28 class.

STOCK RISERS

Josie Francois – The Richfield guard, who competed this summer for Minnesota Diamond Elite , delivered the grittiest performance we’ve seen from her yet. She has filled out and gotten a lot stronger in recent months and she put those assets to good use. We loved her fire and vocal approach on the night. She is from the Class of 2027.

Riley Wilson Riley Wilson 5'8" | SG New Ulm Public | 2026 State MN – The sophomore guard from New Ulm missed a good stretch this year with a knee injury that was originally diagnosed as a torn meniscus. Once she was in surgery, however, it was discovered that there was no tear meaning she’d be back in two months instead of eight. The Minnesota Rise athlete played soccer this fall and on Friday looked like the speedy Top 100 prospect we’ve enjoyed watching in the past.

FUTURE STARS

Ally Moore Ally Moore 5'6" | PG Orono | 2028 MN & company – The younger sister of 2026 Top 10 Mya Moore Mya Moore 5'8" | PG Orono | 2026 State MN of Orono appears to be trending in the same direction as her older sibling. Ally is a 2028 guard who stood out this summer for North Tartan when we watched. She did the same on Friday night for the Gray team playing with a couple other terrific 2028 prospects in Amelia Mills Amelia Mills 5'6" | PG Rochester Mayo | 2028 MN of Rochester Mayo and Lauren Robison of Lakeville North. Their summer teammate Tatum Morrison of Deer River was also very impressive for Team Berry (as in the fruit color LOL).

ANONYMOUS STANDOUT

Jaelynn Carter – Nobody in the gym seemed to know who Carter was as she turned in two outstanding performances in the younger group with Team Orange. Before the night was out we discovered that the big guard is from Kansas City and made the trek north because she just wanted to hoop. Carter was a strong performer who’ll probably be moved up to the older group at the next session. Perhaps we can talk her into relocating?

After a one-week hiatus for MEA weekend, the Fall Exclusive will return Oct. 27 and Nov. 3.