2028 rankings update: Meet the biggest stock risers

Young prospects have a four-month AAU season to make the right impression before the freshman class is ranked for the first time just prior to their 9th grade season. For those who earn varsity playing time, the winter schedule is another opportunity to impress. For others who haven't made their way into the mainstream yet, it can be challenging just keeping their name and likeness on the front burner.   As we update the Class of 2028 rankings for the first time, that scenario has certainly played out once again as every player who has raised their stock since the fall is a factor for their high school varsity team. Some, like Rochester Mayo guard [player_tooltip player_id='908260' first='Maggie' last='Dyer'], are big-time leaders. Ditto for [player_tooltip player_id='897052' first='Tatum' last='Morrison'] of Deer River. Others have played important roles in big-school basketball programs, such as [player_tooltip player_id='908286' first='Lauren' last='Robison'] at Lakeville North and [player_tooltip player_id='948888' first='Mallory' last='McBeth'] at Wayzata. Whatever their personal circumstances, all nine of our 2028 stock risers have earned their bump in the prospect rankings. Here they are:    +3 Rochester Mayo will play for a trip to the Class 4A State Tournament on Friday night thanks in no small part to what Maggie has done this winter. Yes, she was an impressive performer in AAU – enough to earn a spot in the Freshmen 50 top 10 – but she took it to a whole other level during the high school season. Maggie topped the 20-point mark 11 times to average 17.3 ppg, but so much of what she does simply can't be measured. Dyer rises three places to #4.     +8 With veteran point guard Gabby Betton graduated and gone to Loyola-Maryland this season, the floor general spot at Lakeville North was up for grabs. Enter a savvy 9th grader who grabbed hold of the reins and hung on for the ride. It wasn't all roses, of course, but Robison's true value became more obvious when she missed eight games due to injury. In 20 appearances, Lauren averaged 8 points per game, made 46 three-pointers with 37 assists and 31 steals. She is a skilled performer who moves up to #15.     +4 You never know when opportunity is going to land in a player's lap, especially when a core teammate is knocked out of the lineup with a long-term injury. Those who are ready have a chance to cash in on the available minutes and that's exactly what McBeth has done at Wayzata. The 5'10 guard was more than ready to play with calm confidence, make plays on both sides of the ball, and perform at a level beyond her years. That's earned Mallory a move of six positions to #18.     +4 Deer River doesn't make the basketball headlines all that often, but this season news of Tatum's accomplishments spread far and fast. No wonder given the numbers the big guard posted. She had a freshman season to remember, scoring over 25 points per game, nearly 700 in total. The highlight was a 50-point performance against Blackduck. She had 42 in a 4-point win over Northwoods and topped the 30-point mark a dozen times. Tatum belongs in the top 25 and she's earned a 4-spot bump.     +12 We liked what we saw from Zaida last summer. She wasn't necessarily consistent, but when Jenkins was "on" she was very, very good. Turns out she was dealing with some health issues at the time. Once that was sorted out and the high school season began, Zaida blew up. She played a key role off the bench for the defending Class 3A state champions on both sides of the ball. Jenkins was often a big spark for the 22-4 Red Knights and the growth in her game was obvious. Zaida moves up to #33.     +8 We assembled the Freshmen 50 in September. Then came October and the Fall Exclusive. Christianson took those Friday night sessions by storm, playing with enough energy to light up the gym. Dreah was not to be denied. That momentum carried over into the regular season where she put together a series of strong performances – 19 points vs East Grand Forks and Roseau; 22 & 5 against a tough Rock Ridge squad; 20 & 9 against New York Mills… You get the picture. She moves up to #29    THE REST OF THE STOCK RISERS   Here are three more players who raised their stock in the Class of 2028:   #26 [player_tooltip player_id='897050' first='Annabelle' last='Gothmann'] – Milaca upset undefeated Royalton earlier in the week to earn a shot at a section championship. As she has been all season, Anabelle was crucial to the outcome with 11 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. That's not unusual for this physical, athletic guard whose style of play is relentless. After 12 months to remember, Gothmann continues to grow her game. She rises two places to #26.   #35 [player_tooltip player_id='918649' first='Reese' last='Keating'] – The crafty guard from Chanhassen played a huge role this season in the Storm's rebuilding campaign that yielded 17 wins. She was 4th in points at nearly 9 ppg, was 2nd in steals, led the team in assists and is a strong rebounder for her size. We're excited about what lies ahead for the freshman who raised her stock from #38 to #35.   #41 [player_tooltip player_id='834489' first='Paige' last='Determan'] – When the season began it wasn't clear whether Paige would have a varsity role at Sauk Centre this season or not, but when the opportunities came she took advantage. Playing behind Concordia-St. Paul commit [player_tooltip player_id='396423' first='Cierra' last='Kortan'], Paige carved out enough minutes to average 6 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists per game while demonstrating she's ready for more. She moves from #44 to #41.   HOW DO THE RANKINGS WORK?   Given that this prospect rankings update involves freshmen, many of you may not be familiar with how the Prep Girls Hoops rankings process works. The most important thing to remember is that we are ranking athletes based on their potential as college players, NOT on their current play in high school. The two criteria are certainly related, but you'll find a number of highly-rated prospects who aren't really a factor for their high school teams yet. There are also high school stars who are not ranked as of now. For more details on how the rankings process works, please visit the <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/how-we-rank/">How We Rank</a> page. We're not perfect, but our track record of identifying and stratifying talent in Minnesota over the past decade speaks for itself. Thanks for your support!

Young prospects have a four-month AAU season to make the right impression before the freshman class is ranked for the first time just prior to their 9^th grade season. For those who earn varsity playing time, the winter schedule is another opportunity to impress. For others who haven't made their way into the mainstream yet, it can be challenging just keeping their name and likeness on the front burner.