Final 2024 rankings: Stock risers & newcomers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One last chance. That's what the final refresh of the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2024 rankings represents. For the graduating seniors, the season to date has provided a final opportunity to raise their stock. For those of us tasked with evaluating, comparing and ultimately ranking players based on their potential for success in college basketball, it is our last opportunity to atone for past mistakes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm proud of our track record at producing prospect rankings year after year. We put a ton of effort into the process, involve a lot of different people, and do our very best to be fair and equitable when sorting through data on more than 250 players in every class. I think we get it right probably 75% of the time. Sometimes we don't. The big stock risers profiled below are more about correction than improvement. Yes, they've all improved but we wanted to more accurately represent their potential at the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With that rather long-winded mea culpa out of the way, here are biggest stock risers in our final ranking of the 2024s, along with nine new names on the list.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5 BIGGEST STOCK RISERS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>+38</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='339168' first='Misti' last='Zempel'] <strong>– forward, Hancock (Mayville State)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Misti entered the Class of 2024 rankings during the summer of 2022 at #168. In the two years since then Zempel's game has continued to grow. She was always a very good rebounder. Now she is a complete player who can defend, disrupt and score. The 5'10 post first came to the spotlight when Hancock won the Class A state tournament, and Misti played a crucial role in that victory. We should have bumped her up much earlier than this but better late than never: The Mayville State commit moves up 38 places to #102.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>+25</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='392471' first='Brianna' last='Nusbaum'] <strong>– guard, Spring Lake Park (St. Mary's, MN)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bri has been a highly reliable competitor for the Panthers for a long time, but she has often been overshadowed by some of her more well-known teammates. This year Nusbaum made a big-time statement at the Breakdown Tipoff Classic in December with a complete performance that demonstrated her defensive talents, ball handling and distribution skills, and the ability to score the basketball. Nusbaum will play both softball and basketball at St. Mary's University in Winona. She moves up 25 spots to #113.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>+22</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='392472' first='Cece' last='Nesseth'] <strong>– forward, Minnetonka</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's not easy to crack the varsity lineup at a powerhouse Class 4A program like Minnetonka, but Cece earned the opportunity to play substantial minutes over the past couple of seasons under coach Brian Cosgriff. On the vast majority of high school teams, the 6'0 forward would be a starter putting up numbers and taking names. The only thing standing between Cece and success at the next level is a dose of confidence. Nesseth moves up 22 places to #82.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>+21</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='350108' first='Anna' last='Goodman'] <strong>– guard, Lakeville North (Gustavus Adolphus)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Small guards have to work extra hard to convince coaches at the next level that they can overcome a lack of size to ensure that their skills will translate to the college game. Anna has done all that and more. The 5'5 floor general is super quick, ultra-fast, and highly skilled, but it is her vast reserve of energy and willingness to do battle on the defensive end of the equation that really stands out. A perennial selection for the PGH Hard Hat All-Star teams, Anna is headed for Gustavus, currently a top 5 team nationally in Division 3. She rises 21 positions to #101.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>+19</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='392476' first='Natalie' last='Beaver'] <strong>– forward, Hayfield (Luther College)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's not easy for players in small, rural Class A programs to get recognized for what they bring to the table, with two exceptions: Their team makes it to the high school state tournament in Minneapolis where the lights shine brighter and/or they have spring and summer success in AAU. Beaver checked both of those boxes. The 5'11 forward is a strong rebounder who can score in bunches. In Class A, few post players have been able to match up and Natalie has earned an opportunity at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. She moves up 19 spots to #117.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MORE NOTABLE STOCK RISERS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#66 </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='302314' first='Taylor' last='Clarey'] – The 5'8 point guard from Rochester Century is a highly skilled floor general with quick feet and a scorer's touch. Committed to D2 Lake Superior State, Taylor rises 8 spots to #66.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#75</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='339117' first='Evyn' last='Eppinga'] – The uber-quick, ultra-energetic 5'4 guard from Anoka is having a stellar senior year. She's a ferocious defender with the ability to bomb threes in bunches. The unsigned senior is up 12 spots to #75.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#77 </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='344357' first='Evie' last='Schmitz'] – The crafty floor general from St. Louis Park is a magician with the basketball and one of the state's premier passers. Committed to Grand View University in Des Moines, Evie moves up 8 positions to #77.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#80</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='461383' first='Bella' last='DeHaan'] – The 6'0 power forward from Lakeville North is one of the most efficient bigs in Minnesota, a back-to-basics post player who earns minutes with her intelligence and work rate. The Gustavus commit rises 8 places to #80.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#100</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='304935' first='Berkley' last='Neubauer'] – The crafty 5'7 guard from Holy Family has quick feet, fast hands, and plays with a ton of vim and vigor. Recently committed to Mayville State in North Dakota, Berkley jumps up 13 places into the top 100.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#115</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='339204' first='Kate' last='Toewe'] – The 6'1 forward from Hibbing is on track to be a classic late bloomer, a highly effective high school player who goes on to success in college. Kate rises 9 positions to #115. She'll play at St. Scholastica in Duluth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MEET THE NEWCOMERS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eight players entered the Class of 2024 rankings for the first time. One more has reappeared after a lengthy absence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#125 </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='178259' first='Kaylie' last='Cox'] – The 5'7 guard from St. Michael-Albertville returned to action after a two-year hiatus from basketball. She made an immediate impact for the Knights and earned her way into the top 125.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#134 </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='851028' first='Jaida' last='Gaskins'] – The 5'11 guard from Coon Rapids had to play junior varsity ball last year after transferring, but she has made the most of her senior year. Gaskins, who is committed to Madison College, enters the top 150 at #134.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#200 </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='850582' first='Allana' last='Bates'] – The Champlin Park guard has been overshadowed at times throughout her high school career and we should have added her to the rankings ages ago. Better late than never, Bates is now in the top 200. She'll play at Rochester Community and Technical College.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are the rest of the newcomers:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#203</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='850566' first='Ellie' last='Welch'] – 5'10 power forward, Pelican Rapids</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#204</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='850567' first='Lexy' last='Foster'] – 5'11 power forward, Grand Meadow</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#205</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='850570' first='Lindsey' last='Penegor'] – 5'5 guard, Watertown-Mayer</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#206</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='850571' first='Kaia' last='Gack'] – 6'0 guard, Sartell</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#207</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='850572' first='Kelsi' last='Martini'] – 5'7 guard, Pequot Lakes</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#208</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='850574' first='Lauren' last='Schultz'] – 5'9 guard, Pequot Lakes</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->