These talented youngsters are crushing it already

Some young players take a good while to get comfortable with varsity basketball. They have to get used to the speed of the game, the size and strength of the opponents, and the overall stresses that come from moving up the food chain into a more prominent role. Don't tell that to 7th grader [player_tooltip player_id='1105991' first='Jaycie' last='Helmer'] of Mounds View, 8th grader [player_tooltip player_id='1106575' first='Zadi' last='Farmer'] of Jackson County Central or freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1106580' first='Reese' last='Majerus'] of Waconia. All three have been really good in the early stages of the 2024-25 high school season. Here's our take on the gifted threesome that is crushing it already.   [player_tooltip player_id='1105991' first='Jaycie' last='Helmer'] – 2030 guard, Mounds View   If you read our story Wednesday on Mounds View's 6-0 start to the high school season (<a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2024/12/which-teams-are-off-to-a-suprisingly-fast-start/">Which high school teams are off to a surprisingly fast start</a>) then you already know how Mustangs coach Dave Bratland feels about his young point guard. Bratland called Jaycie the most talented player he has had in 40 years of coaching. After watching Helmer play live for the first time on Tuesday, we're not at all surprised by the coach's assessment. Jaycie (pictured above) is going to be special.   “Her basketball IQ is really high and she loves to learn. The questions that she asks us coaches are really high-level questions,” Bratland said of his young prodigy, who was playing 8th grade travel ball last winter as a 6th grader. “Her court vision is incredible. She sees things on the floor before they happen. She does the right thing with the ball every time. She makes unbelievable passes. She makes everybody better, and she loves doing that. She is not about herself whatsoever.”   Just 13, Helmer is obviously going to get bigger, but she already has good size and strength. Her athleticism is unquestionable. With fairly light feet, tremendous lateral movement and a knack for being in the right place at the right time, Jaycie has no trouble competing with the older girls. Coming off a summer with [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'], she is accustomed to playing with and against great players. Playing up a year, Helmer was part of the 2029 squad that included such elite talent as [player_tooltip player_id='872714' first='Beckett' last='Greenway'] of Providence Academy, [player_tooltip player_id='925046' first='Jordan' last='Staloch'] of Jordan, [player_tooltip player_id='884449' first='Andie' last='Changamire'] of Becker and [player_tooltip player_id='1090092' first='Demi' last='Holman'] of Park Center, all accomplished varsity players.   Her court vision and passing ability is reminiscent of [player_tooltip player_id='433933' first='Chloe' last='Johnson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='205310' first='Tori' last='Oehrlein'], as is her understanding of the game. Helmer's athleticism enables her to be an excellent defender, both one-on-one and as part of a defensive system. She seems to have an innate understanding of angles and how to put opponents into difficult situations without fouling. It's an ability that turns defense into offense in a hurry.   It has been an adjustment for the older players at Mounds View to be constantly aware of Helmer when she has the ball because the passes can come at any time and they are coming in hard. “Nobody has been hit on the side of the head yet,” Bratland said with a laugh. “They understand her. They know what she does. They know when she has the ball that they have to be ready for it.”   Jaycie has that air about her that great players have. She looks confident, poised and relaxed. When a teammate air-balled a shot attempt down the stretch on Tuesday, Jaycie immediately ran over to lift her teammate's spirits, saying something that made them both laugh. That's not the type of leadership you normally see from a 7th grader!   If Helmer has a drawback at the moment, it is the fact that she is unselfish to a fault. Bratland wants her to take more shots, take advantage of more scoring opportunities, defer less and score more. In a tight game against Stillwater on Tuesday, Jaycie could have attacked more herself and perhaps altered the outcome of the contest. “She does need to be more selfish and we're working on that,” Bratland said. “We've talked to her about that several times. She has always had the mentality that if there's an open player, she's going to throw it to her.”   [player_tooltip player_id='1106575' first='Zadi' last='Farmer'] – 2029 guard, Jackson County Central   The Farmer name is well-known in Jackson – not the folks who grow the crops and raise the livestock but the basketball Farmers. We certainly saw some great stuff from 2023 graduate Maci Farmer, Zadi's older sister who lit it up for the Huskies from a young age. Now we have Zadi, an athletic 8th grader who has emerged as a force early in the high school season. The 5'6 guard from Lakefield has speed in the open court, quickness in tight spaces, and a work ethic that's in the upper echelon. JCC coach Rafe York compares Farmer to Tiffany Hayes, the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year who comes off the bench to deliver big-time energy for her team.   Given that she is a previous national runner-up in the Elks Hoop Shoot contest, it should come as no surprise that Zadi has great mechanics, a smooth release and the ability to bomb it from distance. She can also get out ahead of the pack to score in transition, using her pace to get past defenders and score at the basket. She's currently averaging 12.6 points per game. Farmer is also an excellent passer with the ability to launch long bombs into the hands of a streaking teammate up the court.   Defensively, Farmer hustles hard and plays with energy and aggressiveness. She is instinctual and seems to get tips and force turnovers with regularity. Her understanding is improving on defensive positioning, and how to bottle up opposing ball handlers one-on-one. She's working on her own to improve her ball handling as well as her ability to shoot off the dribble. Farmer also runs cross country and plays volleyball. After leading the [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'] fall league in scoring, Zadi, will play for the club's top 2029 team next summer.   [player_tooltip player_id='1106580' first='Reese' last='Majerus'] – 2028 forward, Waconia   After earning rotation time later in the season as an 8th grader, Reese served notice on opening night of the 2024-25 season that she was ready to contribute more as a freshman. A whole lot more. Facing Lakeville South at the Pat Patterson Invitational, Majerus was on a mission on the big court at Hamline University. She put up 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting and had four steals. The 5'11 forward has the ability to impact the game in a big way. She's strong, athletic and really raw, but Majerus' potential is up there.   Majerus has a fiery personality on the floor. She can be a force inside, with nice touch around the rim, and is a physical finisher who shrugs off contact and often initiates. She just seems to find a way to score. Majerus hasn't shot the three much in the early part of the season, but she has nice form and is certainly capable. Defensively she employs her speed, power and athleticism, with the ability to get up in the air to grab rebounds and block shots. Given that she is also an elite volleyball player, that's not surprising.   Long-time basketball observers in Waconia say she reminds them of how 2022 graduate Audrey Swanson (now at Southwest Minnesota State) was as a freshman – raw but overflowing with potential. With no AAU experience, and splitting her time even during basketball season with elite JO volleyball, Reese has plenty of room for skill development and growth. Her ball handling is improving as is her decision making on the floor. Reese may not be a highly trained thoroughbred, but if she puts in the work and decides to go the basketball route, we think she can be very, very good.

Some young players take a good while to get comfortable with varsity basketball. They have to get used to the speed of the game, the size and strength of the opponents, and the overall stresses that come from moving up the food chain into a more prominent role. Don't tell that to 7th grader Jaycie Helmer of Mounds View, 8th grader Zadi Farmer Zadi Farmer 5'5" Jackson County Central | 2029 MN of Jackson County Central or freshman Reese Majerus Reese Majerus 5'11" | SF Waconia | 2028 State MN of Waconia. All three have been really good in the early stages of the 2024-25 high school season. Here's our take on the gifted threesome that is crushing it already.