Unsigned seniors making their case in January

The clock is ticking for Minnesota seniors who hope to play college basketball. By our count, 34 of the top 35 and 46 of the Top 50 prospects in the Class of 2024 have already secured a spot at the next level for this coming fall. There are about a dozen or so players still available in the 51-100 ranking range. With just two months remaining in their varsity careers, now is the time to crank up the heat. Here are a half dozen players who've done just that over the first two weeks of January.   [player_tooltip player_id='850574' first='Lauren' last='Schultz'] – forward, Pequot Lakes   The Patriots of Pequot Lakes are off to a hot start to the season with a current record of 10 wins and just 1 loss. We saw them at the Granite City Classic in their 2-point win over Southwest Christian. There are several seniors on the Patriots' roster including forward [player_tooltip player_id='850574' first='Lauren' last='Schultz']. She provided key minutes in the matchup with the Stars, particularly on the offensive end. Lauren had an incredibly efficient performance, shooting 5-for-5 from the field, including 2-of-2 from three. Her only missed shot came at the free throw line, where she went 80% on the game. Schultz finished the contest with 16 points and was Pequot's leading scorer. She showcased her sense of timing and ability to finish through contact, as well as her passing and court vision. Lauren did get in a bit of foul trouble, but managed to play the last several minutes of the game without fouling out of the contest. Schultz is a scrappy competitor whose game should translate well to the D3 level.   [player_tooltip player_id='461385' first='Hallie' last='Greer'] – forward, Southwest Christian   The Granite City Classic was our first opportunity this season to get a glimpse at the Stars of Southwest Christian. Despite the loss in a close matchup to Pequot Lakes, the Stars had a solid performance. We wrote about the play of 2025 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='453770' first='Maddy' last='Hamdorf'] and 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='600748' first='Kaja' last='Nash'] last week and now we turn the spotlight to unsigned senior [player_tooltip player_id='461385' first='Hallie' last='Greer']. A Prep Girls Hoops Top 150-ranked prospect, Hallie is a 6 foot forward with solid build and lots of athleticism. She's long and strong, a good defender in the post, and a great rebounder. She showcases her ability on the boards on a nightly basis, currently averaging 11.7 rebounds and 7.1 points per game. Greer isn't fancy, and most of what she does well will not get you into the limelight. It will, however, put you on the floor at the next level. Hallie finished up her AAU career this summer, playing for [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Elite where she has consistently proven herself against high-end competition.   [player_tooltip player_id='392472' first='Cece' last='Nesseth'] – forward, Minnetonka   As one of the top teams in Class 4A, with star players such as [player_tooltip player_id='252387' first='Aaliyah' last='Crump'], [player_tooltip player_id='215958' first='Tori' last='McKinney'], and [player_tooltip player_id='252383' first='Lanelle' last='Wright'], it's not much of a surprise that the Minnetonka Skippers are off to such a hot start this season as they contend for big-school supremacy. As they head into conference play, it will be extremely important for the Skippers to have players who can provide reliable bench minutes. One of those players is senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='392472' first='Cece' last='Nesseth']. Standing at 6 feet tall, Cece is long, quick, and incredibly athletic. She is a physical defender, and versatile, too. Nesseth can play just about any position. Currently knocking on the door of the Top 100, she certainly has the tools required to play at the collegiate level. Other players on the 11-0 Skippers might draw more notice but Minnetonka will need good minutes from Cece if they are going to get to the promised land in March.   [player_tooltip player_id='215944' first='Ava' last='Cossette'] – guard, Maple Grove   One senior who has impressed us all season long is [player_tooltip player_id='215944' first='Ava' last='Cossette'] of Maple Grove. We've been able to watch the Crimson several times this year, from fall league to most recently at the Granite City Classic and earlier in the week at St. Michael-Albertville. Maple Grove sports a record of 9 wins and 2 losses, and Cossette has been among the team's most important pieces all season. We've had Ava ranked the PGH Class of 2024 Top 20 forever, not surprising given her level of skill and athletic ability. An ACL injury cost her a year in the recruiting process, however, which is why Ava is still on the board as the only remaining unsigned prospect in the Top 35. She is a quick, athletic guard who uses her length to be a disruptive defender on the perimeter. She is a strong ball handler and is an effective scorer who can attack the rim or do you in from deep.   TWO MORE TO TAKE NOTE OF   Here are two more seniors who've stood out over the last couple of weeks, but there's a catch: both have already committed to play a different sport in college. Still, they are making a significant impact for their high school teams and kids can always change their minds, can't they? With a shortage of post players available there's no doubt opportunity exists for both to play at the collegiate level.   Hailey Petzel – forward, Mankato East   We saw a strong performance from Mankato East senior forward Hailey Petzel over the weekend at Breakdown's Southern MInnesota Hoops Fest. She showcased her strength, ability to catch passes in the post, and willingness to set solid screens in the win over Mahtomedi. As the clock was running out at the end of the first half, Hailey set a monster screen on a Zephyrs player allowing [player_tooltip player_id='304895' first='Macy' last='Birkholz'] to drain a last-second three-pointer. Petzel is committed to Gustavus for softball.   Lexi Nelson – forward, Byron   We told you earlier in the week about the elite performances we saw in Byron from 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='252380' first='Kendra' last='Harvey'], 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='498663' first='Madison' last='Ohm'] and 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='654990' first='Kayla' last='Stork']. It was the work of Lexi Nelson, however, that made it all come together for the Bears. Lexi has a big body with plenty of height and length and strength. She's quick and mobile with nice athleticism and very good instincts and she can rebound like nobody's business. If not for the fact that she has already signed to play D2 volleyball at Augustana, there is little doubt that Nelson is capable of success in college basketball.   PGH scout Ally McGinnis contributed to these evaluations.

The clock is ticking for Minnesota seniors who hope to play college basketball. By our count, 34 of the top 35 and 46 of the Top 50 prospects in the Class of 2024 have already secured a spot at the next level for this coming fall. There are about a dozen or so players still available in the 51-100 ranking range. With just two months remaining in their varsity careers, now is the time to crank up the heat. Here are a half dozen players who've done just that over the first two weeks of January.