PGH Breakout Player of the Year: Jaliyah Diggs

When the high school season began back in November, it wasn't clear if [player_tooltip player_id='659130' first='Jaliyah' last='Diggs'] would even be eligible to play varsity basketball at Hopkins High School. The sophomore transfer from Park Center was left in limbo for some time, missing the Royals first nine games of the campaign while her fate was determined by the Minnesota State High School League. Once the red tape was resolved, Jaliyah wasted no time getting down to business.   The sophomore point guard came off the bench Dec. 21 in Johnston, Iowa where Hopkins faced Dowling Catholic of West Des Moines, alma mater of Caitlin Clark. As the season progressed, Diggs was transformed from a solo attacker known for her ability to get to the basket and score into a quality distributor who could run an offense at a very high level. That transition was vital as Hopkins cast aside the doubters and setbacks and the impact of injuries to finish 27-5 and capture another Class 4A state title. It was never going to be easy filling the shoes of the great Liv McGill, now at the University of Florida. But Diggs did the job as well as anyone could be expected to do.   “She was our secret weapon,” said sophomore power forward [player_tooltip player_id='558627' first='Erma' last='Walker'], who was among those who benefited greatly from Diggs' distribution. “I think she played her role really well as the point guard. I think it took a minute for her to get the hang of it. She had been used to scoring it a lot in AAU and at Park Center. But she definitely figured out what the point guard has got to do.”   “I wouldn't say it was hard but it definitely wasn't easy,” Diggs said of her personal transformation into a legitimate floor general. “Obviously, I wasn't on real great teams in the past so I had to do a lot of the work myself. Now I have teammates who can shoot the ball, and I have Erma as a post.”   Hopkins coach Tara Starks – recently named Prep Girls Hoops High School Coach of the Year – was the architect of Jaliyah's transformation. “She just told me to be a point guard, to make the right choices, to make the right reads,” said Diggs. “In the state championship game nobody could hold Erma so my job was just to feed her the ball. When we get Erma touches, we see the results.”   Diggs, who is listed at 5'5, played in 19 games for the Royals, averaging 11.1 points per game. That was third-best on the team behind [player_tooltip player_id='453753' first='Lauren' last='Hillesheim'] and Walker. Her season high of 20 points was reached against Minnetonka and then in a win over Wayzata in the Section 6AAAA final. At the State Tournament, Diggs put up 18 points in the quarterfinals and followed that up with an 8-point, 12-assist, 6-rebound, 8-steal performance against Eastview. She scored 15 in the championship game against Maple Grove.   This winter Diggs rose from #20 in the Class of 2027 rankings to #15. Based on her performance in the stretch run and at State, we wouldn't be surprised if Jaliyah moved up even more. This summer she'll play for the [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'].   HONORABLE MENTIONS   [player_tooltip player_id='1194474' first='Reese' last='Drake'] – 2026 guard, Marshall   To say Reese had a breakout campaign for the Tigers would be an understatement. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the state had no idea what she was up to. Marshall doesn't post profiles in the pre-season Breakdown guide book. They don't post box scores or individual statistics at mngirlsbasketballhub.com. All they do is win. Reese played a huge role in the team's 29-2 season that led to a runner-up finish at the Class 3A State Tournament. If onlookers hadn't heard of Drake prior to State, they quickly became aware of the 5'8 guard who dominated the Tigers' quarterfinal victory over Rock Ridge with a 26-point, 6-rebound, 6 assist performance. She had 17 points in the semifinal, too, along with 5 blocks, 5 assists and a half dozen steals. Those well-rounded performances on the big stage were indicative of what type of year this 1,000-point scorer had.   [player_tooltip player_id='717668' first='Evelyn' last='Miller'] – 2026 forward, Orono   Unlike Marshall, the Spartans of Orono found the spotlight from start to finish this season, a year in which they went 25-4. Orono opened the year with an impressive win over Minnehaha Academy and made it all the way to the Section 6AAA final against the eventual state champions from Benilde-St. Margaret's. In between they rolled off one impressive win after another. In addition to the leadership of point guard [player_tooltip player_id='471360' first='Mya' last='Moore']. and productivity of her younger sister [player_tooltip player_id='644898' first='Ally' last='Moore'], it was the growth of Miller's inside game that paid dividends for coach Chris Bjorgaard's group. As Evelyn's skillset grew, so did her confidence and consistency. The old-school post player delivered night after night. Along the way she soared in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2026 rankings, rising from #94 last summer to #58 in the fall to #42 this winter. The 6'1 forward averaged 9.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while posting 52 blocked shots for the season.   [player_tooltip player_id='862790' first='Natalie' last='Thomforde'] – 2026 guard, Goodhue   The 5'11 junior played a huge role in Goodhue's 2024 Class A state championship run, albeit in the shadows of the great Elisabeth Gadient. This year, with Liz having moved on to MSU-Mankato, Natalie needed to step up and deliver more and do it more often. That's exactly what she did. On offense, Thomforde was a key piece of the Goodhue attack, averaging 9.2 points per game. On the other side of the ball, her defensive prowess was vital for the Wildcats. Employing her exceptional length, agility and tenacious approach to the game, Thomforde shut down a wide variety of opponents throughout the season. Her improvement was reflected in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2026 rankings where Thomforde shot up 42 positions to #52 this winter. The crafty guard is a great decision maker who knows how to execute plays and make the most of her opportunities. She's poised for a big summer.

When the high school season began back in November, it wasn't clear if Jaliyah Diggs Jaliyah Diggs 5'5" | PG Hopkins | 2027 State MN would even be eligible to play varsity basketball at Hopkins High School. The sophomore transfer from Park Center was left in limbo for some time, missing the Royals first nine games of the campaign while her fate was determined by the Minnesota State High School League. Once the red tape was resolved, Jaliyah wasted no time getting down to business.