PGH Sophomore ID Camp: Team 4 standouts

Nearly 100 players competed on Sunday at the first Prep Girls Hoops Minnesota Sophomore ID Camp, a showcase for the Class of 2027 at Hopkins High School. Throughout the week, PGH scouts Tony Ragulen, Ally McGinnis and I will bring you team-by-team evaluations of the standout performers on each squad. Here are the top performers on Team 4.    The [program_tooltip program_id='712352' first='Air' last='Minnesota'] guard showed out on Sunday in a solid all-around performance. Livingston defended well, using her length to create stops and force turnovers She also showed her ability to score in a variety of ways. While the 5'7 point guard's offense is best in transition, she can also score off the catch-and-shoot. We liked Sydney's willingness to crash the glass and fight for rebounds as well as to share the basketball. She often utilizes a drive-and-kick to draw defenders towards her and get the ball to an open teammate. Most of all we were impressed with the Northfield guard's response to mistakes – she let them roll right off her back, a highly important skill for anyone who aims to play at the next level.     We received an introduction to the Prior Lake sophomore last fall at the PGH Freshman Showcase. We were impressed with her game at the time and in the past 12 months she has made some big leaps in her strength, skill, and assertiveness. Brynteson excelled in both the 3 x 3 and 5 x 5 games on Sunday, taking ownership of the court right from the tip. Throughout the day Ava showed off the variety of ways she can attack the basket, utilizing her footwork, ball handling, and ability to absorb contact to finish around the rim. Brynteson has also physically matured quite a bit and looks a whole lot stronger. All this considered, Ava will look to crack the strong varsity rotation at Prior Lake this winter.      Juntunen did all sorts of things right on Sunday. The Rogers sophomore made big defensive plays, using her quick hands to pick off passes and run the fast break. Alexa also showed her ability to thread the needle and find the open teammate in the paint, on a cut, or out on the perimeter. As the day went, on the 5'8 guard became more assertive. She focused more creating her own offense, attacking the basket from the perimeter and easily getting through contact in the paint. Juntunen played a major role for Rogers in her 9th grade season and hopes to lead the team to more success this winter.     As a freshman, Gianna was the star of the Tigers offense at Farmington, averaging a team-high 10.1 points per game for coach Liz Carpentier, otherwise known as ‘mom.' The story was similar at Sunday's Sophomore ID Camp. The 5'10 guard was all over the place, creating offense for both herself and her teammates. On one fast break play she fired a perfectly placed full-court bullet to a streaking Juntunen. The top-20 prospect in the Class of 2027 scored the ball at every level, as we've seen her do many times before. She was particularly effective when attacking the perimeter. Gianna has a high understanding of the spacing and angles required to get downhill, as well as the ball-handling ability and athleticism to match.     Sunday was a great day for Burnsville sophomore who immediately made her presence known in the morning's 3 x 3 competition. Upon first glance, Safa's ability to use her height and length on both ends of the floor stood out. At 5'11, with long arms and legs, Ismail has the right build for a big guard or small forward at the next level. Her versatility also stood out. Whether shooting from the perimeter or dominating the box-out to grab boards, the [program_tooltip program_id='713348' first='E1T1' last=''] Queens guard had impact all over the floor. After a strong summer with the Queens, Safa is poised to make a big splash for Burnsville this winter following the graduation of half the varsity roster.     As a top-10 prospect in the sophomore class, it's no surprise that the John Marshall guard from Rochester put on a show at the ID Camp. That's just what she does. Standing 6-foot-1, with tremendous length and athleticism, Jazmin will often execute a show-stopping move and somehow make it look completely effortless. In addition to her physical prowess, Daing is incredibly skilled and has a strong understanding of the game. She has a tight handle on the ball, can score at multiple levels, and is an outstanding shot blocker. Jazmin kept things pretty simple on Sunday, sticking to the stuff she does best, which resulted in a well-rounded and extremely effective performance. Given that she's already garnering plenty of attention from Division 1 college coaches, don't be surprised if Jazmin's is a name you hear a lot in the coming years.    These evaluations were written by PGH scout Ally McGinnis.

Nearly 100 players competed on Sunday at the first Prep Girls Hoops Minnesota Sophomore ID Camp, a showcase for the Class of 2027 at Hopkins High School. Throughout the week, PGH scouts Tony Ragulen, Ally McGinnis and I will bring you team-by-team evaluations of the standout performers on each squad. Here are the top performers on Team 4.