Players Who’ve Outperformed Expectations

Brady Peterson January 4, 2024 @ 10:27 AM

Throughout the season, some players have performed better than expected. Today, I want to go through and highlight some kids who've exceeded expectations and have changed my opinion about them.   [player_tooltip player_id='849578' first='Lauren' last='Stettbacher']   The North Fond du Lac wing has one of the best-looking jump shots in the state, and it made her pop up on my radar this season. She's a high-volume shooter at North Fondy, so the percentages aren't representative of how good a shooter she is, but Stettbacher does everything for the Orioles. She leads them in scoring and assists and is among the leaders in rebounding. I love that she's not solely a scorer for them and gets her teammates involved. She's an under-the-radar kid for small schools in the region.   Ava R Hanson   Hanson has been part of this Oshkosh North program rising from the ashes these past few seasons, and she's bridging the gap to some of the younger talent there now, and she's been excellent this season. Everything the Spartans have done on the offensive end goes through Hanson because she can do a little of everything. The senior has good vision and can get the ball where it needs to go, scores it at all three levels, and has a quick enough first step to get by defenders. I also love her footwork on drives because she can slip through gaps left by defenders at full speed or with a change of direction.    Aubryn Clark   Since I first saw Clark last season, I considered her a facilitator who could score but would prefer to pass. However, she changed that mindset in a game in Ashland, where she scored 41 points, made nine three-pointers, and recorded six assists. In that game, Ashland played a zone, and Clark hit most of her threes when defenses didn't come out to guard her at the top of the key, and once she got in a rhythm, it was over. She's got as much potential at the lead guard spot as anyone in her class.   [player_tooltip player_id='747942' first='Josie' last='Piurkowski']   Due to injuries around Brookfield Central, Piurkowski had to sink or swim heading into a competitive Greater Metro Conference. I don't think she'd have been the focal point of the Lancers this season if they had everyone healthy, but she's been significantly better than expected. Against Germantown, she dealt with their pressure better than some of the top teams in the conference did, which is impressive in its own right. There will be struggle all year, but Piurkowksi has shown she could be among the best in the conference for the next three-plus years. She's versatile and is comfortable playing multiple roles. She can rebound, push the tempo off rebounds, score from anywhere on the floor, and initiate offense. She has a bright future.   LaNasia Dubois   Dubois is a playmaker with significant potential. I'm not sure how much five-on-five experience she had coming into Beloit Memorial a few years ago, but she makes things happen. She's fast, gets hangtime around the basket, and she's been a pesky on-ball defender for a few years. The Purple Knights have improved year by year since their 2025 class got on campus, and Dubois has played a significant part in building that program.

Throughout the season, some players have performed better than expected. Today, I want to go through and highlight some kids who've exceeded expectations and have changed my opinion about them.