Fall Exclusive: Tony's week 2 takeaways

There were plenty of prospects who impressed during week 2 at the Fall Exclusive presented by Jr All-Star. Grant McGinnis has already covered the younger kids (<a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/11/fall-exclusive-week-2-high-motor-newcomers/">Fall Exclusive week 2: High-motor newcomers</a>) competing in the College Division. Here are my takeaways on some veterans who did good work in the WNBA Division.   Farrah Thomas - 2029 guard, Mountain Iron-Buhl   Farrah is the younger sister of 2026 guard [player_tooltip player_id='560398' first='Aniyah' last='Thomas'], who in her own right has been lighting things up this fall gearing up for the high school season. Like her sister, Farrah is a lefty and just as tough. She was in her element at the Fall Exclusive getting up and down the court using her big strong build to bully opponents on her way to the bucket for tough finishes through contact. Thomas more than held her own on the boards and displayed an elite ability to make tough catches in traffic and find open teammates for quality looks. Thomas will be a household name sooner than later if she continues at this pace, which there is no doubt in my mind she will.   Drew Pederson - 2026 guard, Anoka   The Fall Exclusive has been sort of a coming out party for Pederson as she has put everyone on notice. I don't know how many times there was a scrum of players chasing down a loose ball, and out of nowhere comes Pederson streaking up the court like she was shot out of a cannon getting to the basket for the finish. She's relentless going to basket to the point defenders just give up and get out of her way. Defensively, she has great instincts and plays the passing lanes with the best of them. With the graduation of Evyn Eppinga, her role with the Tornadoes will more than likely increase tenfold. Pederson is a fierce competitor who takes her craft so seriously that when she missed a layup that would have sealed the victory for her Indiana Fever team, she stayed after the event was over to shoot at minimum 10 layups. I'll go to battle with Pederson 10 out of 10 times.   [player_tooltip player_id='990284' first='Dreah' last='Christiansen'] - 2028 guard, Menahga   Christiansen plays with the poise and patience not seen a lot in young players. Her New York Liberty squad is stacked with talent with fellow freshman [player_tooltip player_id='644878' first='Sahara' last='Wilson'], [player_tooltip player_id='834489' first='Paige' last='Determan'], [player_tooltip player_id='786203' first='Bethany' last='Black Lance'] and others looking to make a name for themselves. With that being said, she doesn't force the issue and finds other ways to make an impact when someone else is rolling offensively, but as soon as you relax, she smacks a 3-ball right in your face, or blows by you for a finish at the rim as she has done plenty of times over the last two Fridays. Christiansen moves well without the ball and is always looking to make the right play whether it's for herself or a teammate. You know the commitment is there when you have someone traveling three hours one way on a Friday after a long day of school. Keep an eye on this Top 50 freshman because this is just the tip of the iceberg.   [player_tooltip player_id='834489' first='Paige' last='Determan']- 2028 guard, Sauk Centre   I had the pleasure of coaching Determan in this event last year and she was one of my favorite players as she is as coachable as they come. She has grown a lot physically and mentally over the last year and plays with a level of confidence that wasn't there a year ago. She's much more aggressive and assertive with the ball in her hands and doesn't shy away from pressure. A year ago she would hang her head after a missed shot or a turnover, but fast forward to now and she shakes off a miss and looks forward to the next opportunity. That was on full display on Friday as she her Liberty squad was locked in a nip-and-tuck battle with [player_tooltip player_id='520266' first='Desirai' last='Chappell'] and her Minnesota Lynx squad. Determan was in the right place at the right time and was the recipient of a nice pass, but nerves set in and she overshot the layup which would have given her squad the lead with under a minute to play. As I mentioned, this version of Paige was ready for the moment. The basketball gods found a way to put the ball in Determan's hands as time was running out and this time she delivered. Nothing but net as time expired. Game, set, match!   [player_tooltip player_id='644878' first='Sahara' last='Wilson'] - 2028 post, Lakeville North   Wilson, the 3rd-rated player in the 2028 class, is having a ball playing in the Fall Exclusive and we love to see it. The 6'3 post (pictured above right) is using the opportunity to hone her skills on the perimeter on both sides of the ball. She's grabbing boards and pushing pace, dropping dimes and even showing off some nifty footwork in transition. All with a smile on her face. Defensively, she was getting down in a stance, moving well laterally making an effort to be as versatile a player as possible. We had a great time watching her and fellow Lakeville South rival and friend [player_tooltip player_id='927228' first='Amaya' last='Pahl'] do battle, talk smack and go at each other in a spirited but healthy competition. You can just see how much Wilson enjoys the game. The sky is the limit for this freshman phenom.   Here are a few more players who impressed on Friday night:   [player_tooltip player_id='992427' first='Samira' last='Peters'] - 2028 guard, Columbia Heights   Every time we see Peters her game seems to grow. She is playing with a lot of confidence and is a force on both sides on the ball. She's long, athletic and plays with the right amount of swagger.   [player_tooltip player_id='786203' first='Bethany' last='Black Lance'] - 2028 guard, Brainerd   Black Lance is known for being a long-range sniper, but she's put her full game on display at the Fall Exclusive showing her playmaking ability and that she's not just a jump shooter, She is getting downhill and getting to the rim drawing contact to earn trips to the charity stripe.   [player_tooltip player_id='927228' first='Amaya' last='Pahl'] - 2026 wing, Lakeville South   The 2026 wing (pictured above left) has a nice inside/outside game and doesn't shy away from physical play; she seems to actually enjoy mixing it up and plays with a chip on her shoulder. Pahl has played really well during the Fall Exclusive taking on the veteran leadership role helping guide her team to some very competitive games.

There were plenty of prospects who impressed during week 2 at the Fall Exclusive presented by Jr All-Star. Grant McGinnis has already covered the younger kids (Fall Exclusive week 2: High-motor newcomers) competing in the College Division. Here are my takeaways on some veterans who did good work in the WNBA Division.