Top Performers at the Midwest Kickoff Classic

With the AAU season officially in full swing, the Midwest Kickoff Classic gave us the opportunity to see a wide range of teams from across Minnesota and the surrounding states at Jefferson High School in Bloomington. When watching so many players in a day, things can begin to run together. But when all is said and done there usually are a few standout performances. With that said, here are some players whose game left a distinct impression on our scouts this past weekend.    [player_tooltip player_id='932145' first='Brielle' last='Denkmann'] – 2029 Guard, Wayzata   At this point it comes as no surprise that the [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] guard was a top performer at the Kickoff. With a 6-foot stature, plenty of length and athleticism, and an elite level of skill, Denkmann (pictured above) is a Division 1 prospect any day of the week. On Saturday we got to witness all of those attributes and more. Against Sanford Sports, Brielle showed off her superb body control when attacking the basket and her ability to see the floor and get the ball to the right player in transition. The Wayzata 8th grader scored the ball at every level, finishing three of her team's four games in double figures. We expect that Brielle will earn one of the top spots when we publish our Class of 2029 prospect rankings in the fall. She's that good.   [player_tooltip player_id='866655' first='Maggie' last='Joyce'] – 2028 Guard/Forward, New Ulm   The [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] 2028 UAA roster is largely the same as last year, but with a couple of important new additions. Joyce, the first of the two, has a bit of a new look to her game this spring. Around this time last year Maggie's game relied heavily on her grit, tenacity, and a high-revving motor. She was primarily a rim runner who would muscle her way to the basket. This year Maggie has begun expanding upon some of the overflowing potential that we saw last summer. Joyce has significantly improved her ball handling, added range to her shot, and is overall playing more like a guard. At 5'11, these skills are more than essential for the next level. After the first weekend of AAU, the New Ulm freshman's high-energy style looks to be a good fit for the run-and-gun Fury squad.    [player_tooltip player_id='918684' first='Quinn' last='Kemper'] – 2028 Guard, Edina   Kemper is the Fury's other new addition to the 2028s and she had an outstanding weekend at the Midwest Kickoff. In one game we watched, the 5'10 guard was offensively dominant. Quinn showed off her ability to get downhill and score at the rim, as well as hit shots from beyond the arc. She led all scorers in the matchup against Impact 16U, finishing with 13 points. The Edina freshman's game is a joy to watch; she's long, moves fluidly, has a balance of both speed and quickness, and has an ever-lasting motor. Not to mention, she has a tremendous, even-keeled demeanor on the court. Kemper has been a cornerstone piece for the Hornets the past two seasons, and it's likely that she could be the same for the Fury this summer.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/04/JaydenSonnenberg-crop-3014x1979-1744744822.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1233722" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='894002' first='Jayden' last='Sonnenberg'] – 2026 Guard, Frazee   The [program_tooltip program_id='715344' first='Inspired' last='Athletics'] guard had an outstanding weekend on both ends of the floor. On the defensive end the top 50 prospect's physicality and grit proved to be a major challenge for opponents. So was her knack for hunting steals and forcing turnovers. On the offensive side, Jayden (pictured above) put up some serious numbers, scoring 51 points across four games and finishing third in scoring in the tournament's top division. Jayden uses her powerful first step to get to the rim where she finishes at a high rate of efficiency and scores the majority of her points. Her athletic, muscular build gives her a distinct advantage, particularly when it comes to absorbing contact in the paint. After watching her this weekend, we feel that the Frazee junior has the makings of a Division 1 player.    [player_tooltip player_id='773408' first='Lily' last='Hubin'] – 2026 Guard, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart (SW Minnesota State)   The [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'] guard has been on an upward trajectory for some time. Now in her final season of AAU, the pieces are all falling into place. Hubin brought her A-game on Saturday, particularly in the matchup we watched against [program_tooltip program_id='715344' first='Inspired' last='Athletics'] 17U. Lily showed off her pesky on-ball defense, willingness to get on the floor and fight for loose balls, and a silky smooth pullup jumper in the midrange. The shots fell all game long for both Hubin, who finished with 12 points, and her teammate [player_tooltip player_id='339179' first='Brylee' last='Miller'], who finished with 24. The 5'9 guard put up numbers for BLHS this winter, averaging over 20 points a game for the Mustangs. Lily announced her college commitment last October, verballing to D2 SW Minnesota State in Marshall where she will join Rise teammate [player_tooltip player_id='589276' first='Taleigha' last='Bigler'] in just over a year's time.   [player_tooltip player_id='969855' first='AnnaClaire' last='Bugbee'] – 2028 Post, [program_tooltip program_id='712656' first='Mandan' last='']   One of our bigger surprises of the day on Saturday was the new look of the [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] 2028 3SSB team. There are plenty of familiar faces on the roster, including [player_tooltip player_id='786398' first='Zaida' last='Jenkins'] of Benilde-St. Margaret's and [player_tooltip player_id='914941' first='Briana' last='Foster'] of Minnehaha Academy. But what has put coach Nia Hollie's team over the edge is the 6'2 Bugbee from [program_tooltip program_id='712656' first='Mandan' last=''], North Dakota. It didn't take long at all for us to see why she is a top 15 prospect in North Dakota's freshman class. AnnaClaire plays a highly physical, take-no-prisoners style of basketball. She's a vocal defender, a strong rebounder, and a demonstrative shot blocker. We were amazed by the post player's level of mobility, which was on par with several of the guards she was defending, as well as her ability to consistently finish at the rim. Factor in her skillful footwork and unselfish passing, and Bugbee starts to look like the total package.

With the AAU season officially in full swing, the Midwest Kickoff Classic gave us the opportunity to see a wide range of teams from across Minnesota and the surrounding states at Jefferson High School in Bloomington. When watching so many players in a day, things can begin to run together. But when all is said and done there usually are a few standout performances. With that said, here are some players whose game left a distinct impression on our scouts this past weekend.