Hunting (and finding) some real hidden gems

We spend a ton of timing looking for hidden gems, those off-the-radar prospects who compete mostly away from the girls basketball mainstream but have the potential to do really well at the next level. If I'm being honest, it is the fuel that feeds the fire and leads us to spend hours and hours in the gym every week. On Saturday in Bloomington and Sunday at Hopkins, we hit pay dirt. Welcome to the party [player_tooltip player_id='889762' first='Savannah' last='Sullivan'] and [player_tooltip player_id='894002' first='Jayden' last='Sonnenberg'], two names college scouts need to remember in the months ahead.   [player_tooltip player_id='889762' first='Savannah' last='Sullivan'] – 2026, Minnesota Venom   Sullivan hails from Rothsay, population 494. Located 45 miles southeast of Fargo-Moorhead on Interstate 94, the town is best known as the home of the world's largest prairie chicken, a 13-foot, 9,000-pound behemoth located near the Interstate. Someday Sullivan's notoriety may eclipse that of the ginormous bird statue. About 5'9, with a notable wingspan herself, Sullivan went head to head at the Suns Spring Showcase with one of Minnesota's top prospects in [player_tooltip player_id='600748' first='Kaja' last='Nash'] of [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] Antl. The combo guard more than held her own against the certified D1 prospect and her much-heralded teammates.   With super-quick feet, a silky-smooth shooting motion, and a terrific set of ball skills, Sullivan looked every bit the 1,000-point scorer that she is. She gave the Venom a quick lead with a long, high three-ball that immediately caught our attention. Throughout the contest, Savannah showed off a high basketball IQ, nice court vision, a great sense of timing and pacing, plus the poise and composure to play through the Stars' high-pressure defensive efforts. Her ability to elevate over defenders is impressive. On the other side of the ball, Savannah has endless energy and is a vocal defender who is constantly directing traffic and leading her team.   Sullivan made all-conference in the Little 8 this winter, joining such Prep Girls Hoops prospects as [player_tooltip player_id='453727' first='Kaitlyn' last='Rohloff'], [player_tooltip player_id='339168' first='Misti' last='Zempel'] and [player_tooltip player_id='461344' first='Elizabeth' last='Lukken']. She averaged 19 points per game while shooting over 46% from the field, and recorded 4 rebounds, 3.7 steals and 2.5 assists. After playing for [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] way back in 5th grade, the only AAU uniform she's worn since then is that of the Venom, a regional squad made up primarily of small-school kids from Western Minnesota. How good can Sullivan be? Based on what we've seen on video, information from coaches in the region, and what we watched on Sunday, we see Sullivan as a top 30-40 prospect. That's what we call a hidden gem!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/04/Jayden-Sonnenberg_Frazee-crop-3903x2563-1713297321.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-894025" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='894002' first='Jayden' last='Sonnenberg'] – 2026, Inspired Athletics   When teams from neighboring states compete in Twin Cities' AAU events we make a point to determine prior to tipoff whether or not there are any Minnesota players on their roster. On Saturday at the Midwest Kickoff, that research included the 16U Inspired Athletics squad from Fargo. In addition to ranked prospects [player_tooltip player_id='482833' first='Johnica' last='Bernotas'], [player_tooltip player_id='589274' first='Parker' last='Yaggie'] and [player_tooltip player_id='502589' first='Hattie' last='Fullhart'], the roster includes Sonnenberg, a 5'11 combo guard with length, athleticism and skill. Jayden is from Frazee, population 1,316, about an hour east of Fargo-Moorhead on U.S. Highway 10. It's not exactly a basketball hotbed and, despite having scored over 1,000 career points as a sophomore, Jayden is not exactly a household name. Yet.   We watched Sonnenberg face the loaded [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] 2027 UAA squad. The end result wasn't close, but there were moments in the game where Jayden served up plays and actions that caught and held our attention on her as an individual. On a couple of occasions she was able to get past standout prospects with an explosive burst of speed, elite-level elevation and a soft touch to score at the rim in fine Jumpman fashion. And she did it from both sides of the floor to finish with either hand. The Fury proved too much on this day, however, as [player_tooltip player_id='578467' first='Amisha' last='Ramlall'] buried five triples to lead her team to a convincing win. When watching prospects play, however, the score is pretty much meaningless. It's the potential that matters, and Jayden has tons. Her team may have been overmatched but on a personal level Jayden was most definitely not.   Sonnenberg runs really well and can play with pace. She showed the ability to get downhill fast, shoot it from distance, and make plays against elite competition. She is assertive and confident and looks every bit the part of a potential collegian. Defensively she is a vocal leader who delivers maximum effort. Last season Sonnenerg made a few appearances in AAU with ND Pro out of North Dakota. Moving over to Monty Gordon's Inspired Athletics program is a huge step up. She's now surrounded by more talent and will face plenty of high-level competition on the EYCL Circuit. Now that she's on the recruiting radar, there's no telling how high Jayden can go. Based on what we've seen so far, we think there could be a scholarship in her future.   [player_tooltip player_id='764205' first='Kendall' last='Krause'] & [player_tooltip player_id='675886' first='Ava' last='Klein'] – 2027s, [program_tooltip program_id='718403' first='Minnesota' last='Freeze']   On Saturday we found a couple more young prospects from the 2027 [program_tooltip program_id='718403' first='Minnesota' last='Freeze'] group to check out. They may not quite be hidden gems given that we've seen both before, but they are definitely rising players worth keeping an eye on.   Spring Lake Park guard [player_tooltip player_id='764205' first='Kendall' last='Krause'] made an impact last fall at the PGH Freshmen Showcase and then found significant varsity minutes this winter as a freshman. On Saturday we liked her high motor and consistently solid decision making. She passes well, finding seams in the defense to deliver the ball to her teammates. Kendall was aggressive on the floor and fought desperately for every single loose ball. Krause plays with IQ, her shot has a smooth release and she has a strong sense of when to shoot the ball.   Another prospect with an incredibly high motor is [player_tooltip player_id='675886' first='Ava' last='Klein'] of Elk River. We saw her last summer with Crossfire and now she's doing good work for the Freeze. Any time Ava is on the floor she is constantly on the go, whether she's making cuts off the ball to search for her shot, or hunting for boards on the defensive end. Klein is assertive on both ends of the floor, but particularly on offense. She is not afraid to call for the ball and attack the basket through traffic.   PGH scout Ally McGinnis contributed to this report.

We spend a ton of timing looking for hidden gems, those off-the-radar prospects who compete mostly away from the girls basketball mainstream but have the potential to do really well at the next level. If I'm being honest, it is the fuel that feeds the fire and leads us to spend hours and hours in the gym every week. On Saturday in Bloomington and Sunday at Hopkins, we hit pay dirt. Welcome to the party Savannah Sullivan Savannah Sullivan 5'9" | CG Rothsay | 2026 State MN and Jayden Sonnenberg Jayden Sonnenberg 5'11" | CG Frazee | 2026 State MN , two names college scouts need to remember in the months ahead.