Live at the Lakes: Who delivered in the D1 spotlight?

We have the privilege of watching Minnesota's best basketball prospects pretty much whenever we want, free from NCAA restrictions with unlimited access. It's awesome! Division 1 college coaches aren't so fortunate. Their highly-regulated viewing opportunities during the AAU season are restricted to the so-called “live periods” when major events are held around the country. This weekend, the Jr. All-Star Live at the Lakes tournament in Bloomington drew a healthy crowd of D1 viewers, from strong regional programs like Creighton, Drake and South Dakota State to high-majors such as Florida, Miami, Nebraska, Stanford and Utah.   While Ally McGinnis was locked in on evaluating emerging talent and players on the rise, I spent most of my time talking with college coaches. We shared opinions on players, validated our prospect rankings, and nudged them gently to watch some Minnesota talent that might not have made it onto their radar before now. Mission accomplished.   Youngberg generated some buzz   Our quest began Friday night. The final contest of the evening featured [player_tooltip player_id='904190' first='Malin' last='Youngberg'] of [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] 2028 Blue. We loved what we saw last summer from the Little Falls guard/wing, who earned a #10 ranking when we released the Freshmen 50 in October. Youngberg has been impressing us ever since. Because West Central does not compete nationally, most of the D1 coaches at the tournament had not seen Youngberg live. Our goal was to change that.   Friday's win over Nebraska Attack was hardly a work of art, but Youngberg and company gutted it out from start to finish and emerged with a 52-37 victory. Most importantly there were a couple of mid-major coaches in attendance. Malin finished with 21 points, including three baskets from beyond the arc, and was a defensive difference-maker, as per usual.   When the team returned to the court on Saturday, the number of coaches in attendance had risen. By the time Youngberg took to the floor Sunday morning, the end wall of court 8 was lined from one side to the other with Division 1 representatives. After leading all 15U scorers at the AAU State Championships the week prior, the 6-footer finished the tournament with 69 points in four games, all of them victories. The verdict was unanimous: Malin is a legit D1 prospect who will begin receiving offers soon. She isn't the only one.   Ditto for Eggers   The same phenomenon that led to much wider recognition for Youngberg played out for Buffalo post [player_tooltip player_id='911664' first='Brianna' last='Eggers'] of [program_tooltip program_id='767539' first='Minnesota' last='Comets'] 2028 Elite. Ranked #9 in the freshman class, the 6'2 post (pictured above) was under the microscope all weekend. Her crowd of onlookers started small and the buzz continued to grow over the course of the tournament. By late Sunday afternoon the D1s were still watching her intently.  Eggers had 72 points in four games, with 30 of those coming at the free throw line.   I recall vividly the day Ally discovered Eggers more than a year ago on a back court at Jefferson High School in Bloomington. I was on the other side of the facility when I received the text: “You need to come to court 7 right now.” Bri's potential was palpable. One year later, the vibe we got from the D1 coaches was identical to what Ally felt that first day: Eggers is the real deal.   Two more who got noticed   [player_tooltip player_id='595199' first='Maya' last='Kilian'] of [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'] 2027 Purfeerst played through injuries for most of last year and wasn't able to show just how much she is capable of. With the coaches courtside this weekend, it became clear that the 6'1 guard/wing is deserving of her #21 ranking in the sophomore class. With length, athleticism and an excellent skillset, the New Prague guard/wing backed up her outstanding high school season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1233136' first='Korbin' last='Tanner'] of [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] 2029 Blue made a nice first impression on the big-time coaches who watched. The 6'2 8th grader from New London-Spicer offers a unique combination of size and mobility with the potential to be a great mid-major rim runner. Tanner has filled out a ton this year and continues to get stronger. She works hard, delivering maximum effort and showing flashes of brilliance.   The star attraction   There are plenty of stars in the Class of 2026 who have already made their college decisions – [player_tooltip player_id='252381' first='Maddyn' last='Greenway'] to Kentucky, [player_tooltip player_id='205310' first='Tori' last='Oehrlein'] to Minnesota, [player_tooltip player_id='471360' first='Mya' last='Moore'] to Creighton included. Among those who have yet to announce their plans, nobody has been more highly-recruited than [player_tooltip player_id='351665' first='Vienna' last='Murray'] of [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] 2026 UAA. The East Ridge guard – a master of the mid-range game – has nearly 30 D1 offers. At least a half-dozen of the highest-level programs on hand at Live at the Lakes were there specifically to see Murray. Vienna's remarkable run of consistent productivity continued. Murray is averaging nearly 15 ppg this spring. She is an all-around competitor with a very high ceiling.   Right place, right time   Having an elite prospect or two on your AAU team can deliver some substantial spinoff benefits for others involved. Coaches who came to see the star attraction are often duly impressed by others in the game. There's something to be said for being in the right place at the right time. There were three players in particular who benefited in this way over the weekend.   [player_tooltip player_id='565313' first='Elsa' last='Retzlaff'] – The big guard from Hillcrest Lutheran Academy in Fergus Falls is hardly an unknown in these parts. With a top 20 ranking in the Class of 2028, Youngberg's teammate impressed multiple first-time viewers with her unique brand of relentless intensity. She had 17 points against Sanford Sports, 15 versus Nebraska Attack. Most of what she does can't be measured.   [player_tooltip player_id='897050' first='Annabelle' last='Gothmann'] – The feisty guard from Milaca is Eggers' partner in crime on the [program_tooltip program_id='767539' first='Minnesota' last='Comets']. In the game last year when Ally found Eggers, Gothmann took over the proceedings to score over 20 points in the second half of a comeback win. She's ranked #26 in the freshman class. More than one D1 coach suggested she might be able to play at their level. Time will tell.   [player_tooltip player_id='1246847' first='Greta' last='Layton'] – The 2029 guard from Big Lake is Tanner's teammate on the [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] 8th grade squad. She is one of the bounciest guards in the class, an uber-athletic competitor who moves incredibly well and plays the game with focus and intensity. Greta is making her case for a spot in the Freshmen 50 this fall. Ally will have more on Layton in her coverage from the tournament over the next couple of days.

We have the privilege of watching Minnesota's best basketball prospects pretty much whenever we want, free from NCAA restrictions with unlimited access. It's awesome! Division 1 college coaches aren't so fortunate. Their highly-regulated viewing opportunities during the AAU season are restricted to the so-called “live periods” when major events are held around the country. This weekend, the Jr. All-Star Live at the Lakes tournament in Bloomington drew a healthy crowd of D1 viewers, from strong regional programs like Creighton, Drake and South Dakota State to high-majors such as Florida, Miami, Nebraska, Stanford and Utah.