Spring Showdown: A sneak peak at some nice 2030s

We've barely begun sorting through all of the talented prospects in Minnesota's Class of 2029 never mind what comes next in 2030. The way the schedule worked out this weekend at the Spring Showdown, however, we had a couple of opportunities to watch some 2030 squads in action. Even though we won't rank the 2030s for another 18 months, it's fun to take a sneak peak at the future every once in a while. Here are a handful of current 7th graders who caught our attention at Chanhassen and Southwest Christian.   [player_tooltip player_id='1110548' first='Elin' last='Retzlaff'] – 2030 guard, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy   Elin (above photo, right) is no stranger at this point given what kind of a 7th grade season she had at Hillcrest Lutheran, a rising Class A program located in Fergus Falls. The big guard averaged 14.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3 steals per game for the Comets this winter. Saturday was our first time to see the [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] star live and we were suitably impressed. The younger sister of 2028 top-20 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='565313' first='Elsa' last='Retzlaff'] did not disappoint.   First up let's just say it's really hard to believe this kid is only in the 7th grade. At 5'8 with a substantial frame, Elin already has size and strength. Like her older sister, she plays the game with maturity and poise and a level of intensity that's difficult for opponents to match. She's not going to dominate the highlight reels but she is going to get downhill and burn you time and again. With power and excellent body control, Retzlaff is a workhorse who can bury defenders on the way to the rim. She can also post up or knock down shots from distance. Her ball skills are advanced as is her understanding of the game. Elin is a future standout in the making.   [player_tooltip player_id='1239229' first='Ehlin' last='Youngberg'] – 2030 guard, Little Falls   Retzlaff isn't the only younger sister of note on the [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] 2030 Blue squad. Ehlin (above photo, left) is the younger sister of 2028 top-10 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='904190' first='Malin' last='Youngberg']. Just 12 years old, Ehlin (pronounced like Ellen) has a ways to go to catch up to her older sibling, but she has already come so far. Coach Brett Smith says the younger Youngberg has probably improved more over the past year than any other player in the WCU stable. She's grown taller and will continue to gain strength as she matures, but Youngberg already played starter varsity minutes in Little Falls.   Like Malin, Ehlin is a natural athlete who moves with fluidity. She is so smooth and efficient, with terrific elevation, long strides and the ability to really go in the open court. After being a little reluctant last summer, Ehlin is aggressive now and attacks the basket frequently and with gusto. She can knock down shots from distance with great regularity. She is also her team's top defender, with the type of length, mobility and tenacity to be a great on-ball guard. It's not fair to compare younger sisters to their highly accomplished older siblings, but the similarities in this case are too striking to ignore. This one is going to be fun to watch for years to come.   This West Central team, much like their impressive 2028s, has a roster full of players oozing with college potential. Playing one year up in the top 2029 division, the group went 3-1 at the tournament. We really liked big forward [player_tooltip player_id='1243300' first='Aliyah' last='Okeson'] of Detroit Lakes, who comes from quality basketball pedigree and looks like she's going to have some serious size. Aliyah runs the floor at pace, moves well laterally, and is not afraid to get physical down low. There's little doubt that she'll be a ranked prospect in the Class of 2030 at some point.   One player who didn't compete was Londyn Dahl of Minnewaska, a 6'1 talent with plenty of upside. Londyn is the younger sister of MSU-Moorhead commit [player_tooltip player_id='453736' first='Sydney' last='Dahl'], who had an outstanding AAU and high school career. Unfortunately, Londyn tore her ACL during the high school season and will not likely return until 2026.   MORE 2030 PROSPECTS   Here are three more 2030s we liked over the weekend, all from [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan']'s 7th grade Elite team. We only watched them once but with some assistance from coach Eric Thalmann, this is what we saw:   Bentley Miller – 2030 forward, Mounds View   The 5'9 forward is NT's dominant scorer. Although the Tournament Depot app didn't quite get the details right, Miller had 51 points for the weekend to lead her team. She can dominate inside, using her body well to protect the ball and create high-quality opportunities. Bentley is crafty around the rim with spin moves and step-throughs. She has nice court vision and knows when to kick the ball back out for an open teammate. Miller is a physical defender and strong rebounder. She is a good outside shooter and getting better. One area Miller is working on is her quickness so she can defend the perimeter more effectively.   Ellie Antony – 2030 forward, Spring Lake Park   The [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Elite forward is 5'11. Although her physicality hasn't caught up to her height just yet – not unusual for a 7th grader still growing into her body – Antony is a willing rebounder and defender. In fact, her length is a weapon on defense, an attribute she uses well to get deflections and alter shots. Ellie is excellent at getting downhill to score at the rim as well as create nice opportunities for her teammates. Antony's quickness has improved; she just needs to get stronger.   Reese Wrbanek – 2030 forward, Maple Grove   Physicality is the 5'9 forward's calling card and she's not going to get pushed around inside. Reese attacks the rim with gusto and isn't afraid to leave a trail of bodies in her wake to reach the destination. She can also make outside shots. Where Wrbanek really shines, however, is defensively. She can guard any position, understands help defense well, and closes out quickly. Reese's ball handling and decision making has improved as has her ability to finish consistently at the basket. It might take some time but this is a long-term prospect who will be well worth watching.   2030 TEAM TO WATCH   It's impossible to talk about the 2030s in Minnesota without talking about the top [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'] 2030 Gold team coached by Tara Starks of Hopkins, our Prep Girls Hoops High School Coach of the Year. Tara was on the road with the older [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'] teams this weekend but that didn't stop the 2030s from doing business as usual. They are the defending AAU state champs and in the two games we've seen them play this season, this collection of athletes looks really, really good.   The squad is led by Fargo Shanley point guard Jaya Taylor, an elite talent who has the ball on a string. Her physical tools, athletic ability and basketball IQ are special. Coming off an outstanding first varsity season in North Dakota, Taylor has all of the tools to be an elite player. She scored 50 points in four games this weekend. The other non-Minnesotans are power forward Marley Seumantutafa of Rapid City, SD, and guard Ella Fronning of West Fargo Sheyenne. We really liked power forward Malaya Freeman of East Ridge and uber-lengthy forward Marianna Davis of Hopkins, as well, but the entire roster has next-level potential.   Playing one year up this weekend, the 2030s went undefeated with an average margin of victory of 27.5 points while capturing the hardware in the top 2029 division. Look for this group over the next two weekends at the AAU State Prelims and State Tournament. They'll make it worth your time.

We've barely begun sorting through all of the talented prospects in Minnesota's Class of 2029 never mind what comes next in 2030. The way the schedule worked out this weekend at the Spring Showdown, however, we had a couple of opportunities to watch some 2030 squads in action. Even though we won't rank the 2030s for another 18 months, it's fun to take a sneak peak at the future every once in a while. Here are a handful of current 7th graders who caught our attention at Chanhassen and Southwest Christian.