The Week That Was #8: Hot times in the deep freeze

[player_tooltip player_id='178277' first='Jordan' last='Zubich'] is one of the most dynamic, most entertaining players in Minnesota, an athlete whose high school years have been chock-full of dramatic moments. Funny then that her latest – and one of the largest – big moment should come on the most mundane of plays – a free throw. It was certainly one of the highlights of the past seven days, otherwise known as The Week That Was #8. Here's a little more on that and some other big moments that took place from Jan. 8-13, 2024.   A STORIED CAREER   It seems we write about Jordan in this space pretty much every week. How can we not? It has been a storied career, after all. From her three-point prowess as one of the best shooters in the country to her scoring feats and college commitment, not to mention Mountain Iron-Buhl's Class A State Championship in 2023, the North Carolina commit has made plenty of headlines. This week she passed 3,000 career points, just two weeks after [player_tooltip player_id='252379' first='Addison' last='Mack'] of Minnehaha Academy did the same thing. Zubich's milestone moment happened on Thursday against North Woods.   After going 5-for-5 from three-point range, Jordan knocked down the historic free throw. She finished the night a perfect 4-for-4 at the line and 7-for-8 from the field for 33 points. All of that happened in just 15 minutes of playing time as MIB rolled over its opponent 100-35 and coach Jeff Buffetta parked his star attraction for the remainder of the evening. Had she stayed in the game, Zubich would likely have reached another milestone as she is about to break Chelsea Mason's record as the all-time leading scorer in Rangers history. The weather may have been frigid outside but Jordan continues to be hot and hotter.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Anna-Stromberg-1000-RB.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-838747" /></figure>   MILESTONES   Of course Jordan wasn't the only Minnesota player to reach a milestone in Week #8. Here are some others:   [player_tooltip player_id='478913' first='Anna' last='Stromberg'] of Legacy Christian Academy recorded her 1,000th career rebound this week. The giant post player is the school's third athlete to reach 1,000 points and 1,000 boards for the Lions, even though she is routinely double- and triple-teamed. Stromberg is committed to Division 1 Radford University in Virginia.   [player_tooltip player_id='178271' first='Willow' last='Thiel'] of Perham also grabbed her 1,000th career rebound this week. She did it on Saturday night in a 30-point, 17-rebound performance against a ranked Holdingford squad. She is also the Yellowjackets all-time leading scorer with 1,850 points and counting. Thiel is averaging 28 points per game on just 18 shots, as well as 14 rebounds. A Top 50 prospect in the Class of 2024, Thiel has committed to D2 Minnesota-Crookston.   [player_tooltip player_id='461341' first='Maggie' last='Westling'] of Milaca missed a substantial period of time due to a knee injury just when her game was rising to new heights. Fortunately, Westling has returned to form this winter. This week the 6-foot senior forward set a school record for career points with 1,774. She has also bettered the 1,000 career rebounds mark.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Liz-Corley-1000.jpg?w=283" alt="" class="wp-image-838754" /></figure>   Senior [player_tooltip player_id='304928' first='Elizabeth' last='Corley'] of United Christian Academy tops this week's list of seven players who reached 1,000 career points. Corley, who has also overcome knee issues over the past couple of years, celebrated her achievement in a win over North Lakes on Tuesday. Corley also led her team into the Class A State Tournament and will play at the next level for Bethany Lutheran in Mankato.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Lauren-Arnold-1000.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-838761" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='215990' first='Lauren' last='Arnold'] of. Chanhassen has reached 1,000 career points this week. Like Zubich she accomplished the feat at the free throw line cashing in on an and-1. The point guard is a Top 50 prospect in the Class of 2024 who has committed to the College of St. Benedict.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Brooke-Christianson-1000.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-838777" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='392475' first='Brooke' last='Christianson'] of Glencoe-Silver Lake celebrated her 1,000th point on Tuesday night in a win over Sibley East. The feisty guard, known for her outstanding defensive abilities, is a Top 100 senior heading to Concordia-Moorhead in the fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='304892' first='Anna' last='Vaaler'] of Andover is the fourth senior this week to reach 1,000 points. The gifted guard did it in a win Friday night against Robbinsdale Armstrong. That victory was Andover's 8th in a row and pushed the Huskies to 10-2 on the season. Vaaler is a Top 30 prospect in the Class of 2024 who has committed to D2 Sioux Falls.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Annika-Southworth-1000.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-838778" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='208187' first='Annika' last='Southworth'] of St. Peter was one of two juniors to reach 1,000 this week. The crafty point guard did it on Tuesday in a win over Mankato West. She followed that up on Saturday by leading her team to a dramatic 81-80 overtime win against Mahtomedi in the Hall of Fame Classic at Anoka-Ramsey Community College. That win pushed the Saints' record to 11-1. Southworth is a Top 50 prospect in the Class of 2025.   Another 2025 standout also reached 1,000 when uber-skilled point guard [player_tooltip player_id='296527' first='Aneisha' last='Scott'] of DeLaSalle hit the mark on Saturday against Minnetonka. The 16th-ranked prospect in Minnesota's Class of 2025 has sparked the Islanders to a record of 11-3 with their only losses being to powerhouse programs Hopkins, Minnetonka and Minnehaha Academy. The Division 1 candidate is averaging 16 points, 5 assists and 3 steals per game.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Ella-Knutson-1000.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-838785" /></figure>   Despite the prodigious feats being accomplished by Minnesota youngsters it's still a rarity for a sophomore to reach 1,000 career points at any level, but that's what [player_tooltip player_id='653851' first='Ella' last='Knutson'] did during Week #8. The Hillcrest Academy standout from Fergus Falls did it on Friday against Park Christian, a typical game in which she had 21 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 steals. She's averaging nearly 24 and 10.   There's one more record we need to acknowledge this week as [player_tooltip player_id='515676' first='Samantha' last='Voll'] of Monticello tied a school record for most points in a single game. The Top 25 prospect in the Class of 2026 put up 42 to tie the all-time mark set by her Aunt Kristy. Voll etched her name in the record books on Friday in a win over Big Lake, the Magic's 10th victory in a row. Monticello is now 13-1 and Voll is averaging 23 points per game.   JUMPING IN THE LAKE   As is usually the case, we watched a variety of games this week including the University of Minnesota's historic win at Michigan and another victory on Sunday over Nebraska at Williams Arena. Wednesday we skipped basketball altogether to take in the new women's professional hockey team in St. Paul. On Saturday we braved the blowing snow in Southeastern Minnesota – yes, they had a legit blizzard in that part of the state – to attend the Kasson-Mantorville Showcase. There were five very good games on the schedule until Marshall and Albert Lea begged off due to the poor driving conditions. We still saw a lot of good stuff there which we'll recap in a separate article on Tuesday.   The other action we watched this week was all from the mighty Lake Conference where we saw two games apiece involving Minnetonka and St. Michael-Albertville. They are two of the five contenders fighting for bragging rights in MInnesota's toughest conference. Not only is the Lake the most competitive league in this state, it might be the most high-quality high school circuit in the country. At least that's what some college coaches who see the best of the best around the U.S. frequently tell us. The individual talent from year to year is exceptional.   For example, the three top prospects and four of the top six in the Class of 2023 all played in the Lake Conference. In the Class of 2022, four of the five highest-rated prospects were on the circuit. This year [player_tooltip player_id='178269' first='Liv' last='McGill'] of Hopkins and [player_tooltip player_id='215958' first='Tori' last='McKinney'] of Minnetonka are in the Top 5. In 2025 there are four in the Top 10. In 2026 it's three of the best five. It's an impressive array of talent to say the least and the teams tend to produce the results to match.   The five title contenders – Minnetonka, Hopkins, St. Michael-Albertville, Eden Prairie and Wayzata – are a cumulative 62-8 so far this season and are at the top of the Class 4A state rankings. It's always fun to watch these state championship contenders go head to head. During the first week of play, Hopkins prevailed over Eden Prairie and Minnetonka edged St. Michael-Albertville to get the early jump. This week's key matchups include Tuesday's game between Eden Prairie and Wayzata and a Friday encounter that will see STMA face EP.   Handicapping the Lake Conference is nearly impossible. Minnetonka would appear to have a slight edge. The Minnesota commit McKinney is having a banner year having returned from an ACL injury that caused her to miss all of last season. Point guard [player_tooltip player_id='252383' first='Lanelle' last='Wright'], the 3rd-rated prospect in the Class of 2026, is playing at a very high level. Ditto for Team USA standout [player_tooltip player_id='252387' first='Aaliyah' last='Crump'], the top prospect in the Class of 2025. The Skippers are undefeated at 13-0.   Hopkins (12-2) has been a perennial favorite and this year is no different. STMA (13-1) are the defending state champions. The loss of Seton Hall commit [player_tooltip player_id='339129' first='Ja'Kahla' last='Craft'] to a broken finger will definitely impact the Knights in the weeks ahead but certainly won't knock them out of the race. Led by South Dakota commit [player_tooltip player_id='262910' first='Tori' last='Schlagel'], 13-2 Eden Prairie is definitely in the mix as is 11-3 Wayzata, a young squad that is maturing rapidly. Only 2-12 Buffalo and 2-13 Edina have no shot.   The conference employs a double round-robin format so they each face each other in a home-and-home series. If you want to see the best of the best, you should definitely head out to the Lake from which the next Class 4A state champion is likely to emerge.   INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES   [player_tooltip player_id='252381' first='Maddyn' last='Greenway'] of Providence Academy made headlines again this week with a 49-point performance against Edina. The #1-ranked prospect in the Class of 2026 went 6-for-9 from three-point range, 11-of-16 from two, and 9-of-11 at the free throw line. She also had 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals. That's what you call a stat line! Averaging over 36 points per game, Greenway has scored in the 20s twice and the 30s six times. This was her fifth game of the year over 40 points. Meanwhile her 2026 compatriot [player_tooltip player_id='205310' first='Tori' last='Oehrlein'] put up 42 points against Cloquet and 43 versus New London-Spicer.   [player_tooltip player_id='252387' first='Aaliyah' last='Crump'] continues to impress in her junior season as the top-ranked prospect in Minnesota's Class of 2025 evolves into a truly elite all-around performer. Against DeLaSalle on Saturday the Minnetonka guard put up 38 points on 14-for-21 shooting with 14 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. Her list of offers reads like a who's who of college basketball.   Top 50 junior [player_tooltip player_id='396435' first='Addison' last='Hoof'] of Lester Prairie scored 31 points this week in a win over Maple Lake. Two days later she put up 32 against LeSueur-Handerson. Addi had a 41-point outburst against Sleepy Eye St Mary's just before Christmas. Hoof is averaging 27 points and 8 steals per game. It is her defense that gets college coaches the most excited.   Royalton sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='502574' first='Haylie' last='Wolbeck'] had a triple-double this week in a win over the St. Cloud Crush. Wolbeck put up 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. She's averaging a double-double on a nightly basis.   Last month freshman [player_tooltip player_id='764222' first='Olivia' last='Bungum'] of United South Central set a single-game record for most three-point buckets in a game. This week her 34-point performance against Maple River was a school record for most points in a single game. We're excited about what's to come from the talented 9th grader.

Jordan Zubich Jordan Zubich 5'11" | SG Mountain Iron-Buhl | 2024 State MN is one of the most dynamic, most entertaining players in Minnesota, an athlete whose high school years have been chock-full of dramatic moments. Funny then that her latest – and one of the largest – big moment should come on the most mundane of plays – a free throw. It was certainly one of the highlights of the past seven days, otherwise known as The Week That Was #8. Here's a little more on that and some other big moments that took place from Jan. 8-13, 2024.