Each Division’s Breakout Player of the State Tournament
In this article:
The offseason is here. Champions have a gold ball in their school’s hallway, and we’re preparing for another strenuous run in grassroots basketball. However, before we get to that point when it comes to the content, there are things I…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe offseason is here. Champions have a gold ball in their school’s hallway, and we’re preparing for another strenuous run in grassroots basketball. However, before we get to that point when it comes to the content, there are things I want to do first. Today, I’ll start with kids from the state tournament in each division who made a name for themself on the biggest stage in Wisconsin High School Girls Basketball.
D5: Eva Brooks Eva Brooks 6'0" | PF Lena | 2025 State WI
I don’t think anyone exploded on the Resch Center floor like Brooks. She had a combination of size at 6-1, and her ability to handle and create some things off the dribble was incredible. I thought she was among the top five performers at the state tournament regardless of division due to her ability to score at the rim and beyond the three-point line and her dominance around the basket on the defensive end of the floor. Brooks could be a kid who draws a fair amount of scholarship interest this summer.
D4: EllaMay Cooper EllaMay Cooper 5'5" | PG McDonell Central Catholic | 2027 State WI
From watching Cooper over the past two years since she was a seventh grader, I knew how she played would draw a reaction from the Resch Center crowd. Cooper’s quickness and ability to shake defenders off the dribble is incredible to watch, and she may be the quickest with the ball in the state. As she builds muscle over the next three years, her offense will get more consistent, and she could be one of the most entertaining players to watch in the state if she isn’t already.
D3: Anna Miller Anna Miller 5'8" | PG Edgewood | 2027 State WI
Miller and Cooper are each some of the top lead guard prospects in Wisconsin’s 2027 class, but their games couldn’t be more contrasting. Miller doesn’t have a style orchestrated around her ability to beat defenders with her quickness. She has a bit of an old-school style to what she does. Is Miller quick enough and shifty enough to do it? She is. However, what Miller does is equally as fun to watch. The Edgewood guard plays with different paces, but when she’s in her zone, she attacks spots and gets to them whenever she wants. For instance, she attacked the right elbow off ball screens a few times in the second half, and right when she pulled up, I could tell it was dropping every time. As time goes on, people will appreciate her game more and more.
D2: Mikaia Litza Mikaia Litza 5'8" | CG Wauwatosa East | 2026 State WI
Notre Dame played a very aggressive press designed to create turnovers in the backcourt. However, it was clear they wouldn’t have much success with Litza. Mikaia was excellent in that game and showed her creative qualities as a lead guard. The sophomore guard played angles and found ways to get to the rim and finish in traffic. Uber-talented kids made to look average the past four years against Notre Dame’s senior class and subsequent defensive units the past four years. However, Litza rose to the occasion and solidified herself as one of the top guards in her class.
D1: Rita Kuepper Rita Kuepper 5'6" | PG Hartford Union | 2027 WI
Ever since I first watched Kuepper play at an AAU practice last August, the first thing that stood out was her poise, which was evident in Hartford’s semifinal matchup with Neenah. There is no moment that’s too big for that kid, and she almost seemed to thrive off the environment she was in, and as a freshman, that was incredible to see. Her ability to make things happen when the game was tight and the crowd was into the contest was something to behold. Kuepper’s ability to score from anywhere on the floor is uncanny, and she’ll only improve this summer.