PGH Minnesota Expo: Team 7 Standouts (Part 2)

After back-to-back weekends of watching some of the best freshmen and sophomores in Minnesota strut their stuff at two Prep Girls Hoops showcase events, it was the juniors and seniors who had their turn in the spotlight this past Sunday. More than 75 prospects took to the floor at Jefferson High school in Bloomington. Grant McGinnis, Ally McGinnis and I are doing individual evaluations of the top performers on each of the eight teams this week. Here are the best of Team 7, part 2.      Lauryn is known for her defensive exploits as is evident when she tallied 12 steals in a game last season and led her team in steals as a freshman. Her attention to detail on defense was on full display at Jefferson as she just keyed in on her matchup and didn't give anyone any room to breathe. Along with her smothering defense, the Minnewaska Area product rebounded the ball well and made good decisions when the ball was in her hands. What she brings to the table is underappreciated, but very important for any team's success. She'll be looking to increase her role and production this upcoming high school season and I don't think anything is going to get in her way.     I don't think I'm breaking any headline news by saying Carter may be one of the most gifted guards in her class. The way she controls the basketball when it's in her possession is masterful. She can adapt to any style. You want to run, she can run. You want to run a half-court set, she's got it. She consistently broke the defense down to get the bucket for a pretty finish or a dish to teammate. Defensively she has great anticipation and instincts. Alaya is a next-level prospect with scholarship-worthy talent. She plays with a chip on her shoulder and I'm sure she's going into her senior year at Prior Lake with something to prove. I can tell you that I'm rooting hard for her to put it together so she can have the impact we've all been waiting for.     What stuck out to me about Harrison right away before she took a shot or even handled the ball was how intense she was on defense. Ashley picked up full court every time she had the opportunity. She didn't just do it for a dribble or two, she stayed glued to the ball handler the entire way up the court. That's impressive in a showcase environment where most of the players are conserving energy for the offensive end. Now outside of her great on-ball defense, Harrison also handled the ball with grace and knocked down open shots when she got looks. With another year of varsity under her belt at Farmington, she's coming back a year wiser and more skilled.       Maehl traveled up from Fort Dodge, IA to participate in the Expo because she had a scheduling conflict with the comparable PGH event in her home state. That's some real love for the game and a nice opportunity to gain exposure in front of a fresh audience. The top 50 prospect in the 2026 Iowa rankings has both D1 and D2 programs in pursuit and we can certainly see why. The 6-footer has a nice balance in her game, ranging from knocking down jumpers from the perimeter, to taking opponents down into the paint where her knack to draw and finish through contact is next-level. Defensively, her ability to guard 1 through 5 is a coach's dream at her size. Coming off an excellent summer with All Iowa Attack's 16U EYCL squad, LJ has clearly put in the work to develop an advanced skillset that will serve her well in the college game.     The 5'8 prospect out of Como Park in St. Paul got off to a relatively slow start offensively at the Expo, but she eventually found her groove and had a nice stretch in the second game where she knocked down two rainbow 3-point bombs and had a nice aggressive drive to the basket with the finish. Denman was aggressive on defense, too, and made her opponents work for everything. She rebounded well and moved the ball around getting it into the hands of the playmakers. Denman will be suiting up for Diamond Elite next AAU season.

After back-to-back weekends of watching some of the best freshmen and sophomores in Minnesota strut their stuff at two Prep Girls Hoops showcase events, it was the juniors and seniors who had their turn in the spotlight this past Sunday. More than 75 prospects took to the floor at Jefferson High school in Bloomington. Grant McGinnis, Ally McGinnis and I are doing individual evaluations of the top performers on each of the eight teams this week. Here are the best of Team 7, part 2.