New prospects we liked at the AAU State Prelims

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We spent quite a bit of time in the gym at Bloomington Kennedy High School this weekend, trying to soak up all of the action that the Minnesota AAU State Championship Prelims had to offer. We had no issue finding plenty of talented young players to spotlight for the first time. Here are some of the highlights of the new prospects we liked.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='963569' first='Kaylee' last='Dilger'] <strong>– 2028 Guard, Rosemount</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'] guard made a strong impression on our scouts on Friday evening, showing off her shifty handles and immense work ethic. She used her quick hands to pick off passes, leading to several buckets in transition. Dilger is a 5-foot-5 freshman who earned significant varsity minutes for Rosemount this winter. At the State Tournament Prelims we also appreciated her quickness and her ability to stop on a dime for a smooth pull-up shot. Kaylee, along with her teammates [player_tooltip player_id='786314' first='Tate' last='Addler'] and [player_tooltip player_id='630242' first='Caelyn' last='Foster'], will be a key component for the 2028 3SSB squad this weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1090111' first='Riley' last='Beyer'] –<strong> 2029 Guard, Alexandria</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A member of the loaded 2029 Blue team, this [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] guard gave us much to take notice of at the State Prelims. The younger sister of Alexandria junior [player_tooltip player_id='502543' first='Lauren' last='Beyer'], Riley is a prospect we've kept our eye on for some time now. She's lightning quick, a talented ball handler, and an unselfish passer. Another highlight of Riley's game is her ability to create her own shot off the bounce; she's particularly fond of using her side-step to make space from beyond the three-point line. With so much talent among the group, Beyer's team will present a major challenge for any opponent that crosses their path this weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='939720' first='Hailey' last='Eggers'] <strong>– 2029 Guard, Waconia</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hamline women's basketball coach Josh Hersch's [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] team is full of young talent. Among the group is Eggers, an 8th grader from Waconia. Right off the bat we noticed the 5'8 guard's size and physical style of play. Hailey has a strong frame and uses it to her advantage, whether setting solid screens or wrestling boards away from her opponents. In Sunday's matchup against the Fury, Hailey showed off her fundamentals, keen passing ability, and footwork in the lane. We also liked how she is able to stay calm under pressure, remaining patient with the ball and avoiding turnovers.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1314500' first='Wynne' last='Birk'] – 2029 Guard, Eagan</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A teammate of Eggers, Birk is another member of the [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] 8th grade 3SSB squad with collegiate potential. The 5'9 guard is super lengthy and moves with quickness and bounce. In Sunday's matchup against the Fury, Birk excelled on the defensive end. Using her length, she disrupted passes, blocked shots, and protected the perimeter with ease. On offense, Wynne was a major threat from the three-point line all weekend long. With a smooth, high-arcing shot, she's able to easily propel the ball over her defenders, knocking down shots at a high percentage.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1243841' first='Sawyer' last='Backer'] –<strong> 2029 Guard, Wayzata</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] guard gave a very strong performance on Sunday morning, showing off her abilities on the offensive end of the floor. Backer was a threat from three, knocking down several shots from beyond the arc. The lengthy guard's other buckets came from using her keen court awareness to convert broken plays into easy points for her team. She finished with a game-high 14 points. On the defensive end Sawyer brought the pressure on the perimeter, forcing plenty of turnovers. The Wayzata 8th grader will be a key component this weekend at the State Tournament as the 2029s look to defend last year's title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1243302' first='Lily' last='Wesen'] <strong>– 2030 Guard, Albany</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A member of [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] 13U Blue squad, Wesen was one of the most exciting young players of the entire weekend. Lily is a natural born athlete. She's quick, bouncy, and light on her feet. What we really loved about her game was the fire and tenacity she plays with; on every possession the 5'6 guard gave nothing less than her full effort. The Albany 7th grader was a menace on the defensive end, forcing turnovers on possession after possession. There is a lot of room for growth in Lily's finesse and skill development, but the raw materials of a college basketball player are certainly there.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1243842' first='Mara' last='Segerstrom'] <strong>– 2030 Forward, Prior Lake</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] 7th grade Nike squad is a force to be reckoned with in the age group. There are some more well-known names such as [player_tooltip player_id='1090085' first='Georgia' last='Watkins'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1090086' first='Shea' last='Watkins'] of Minnehaha Academy and [player_tooltip player_id='1124545' first='Amelia' last='Truty'] of Rochester Lourdes, but the talent runs through the whole roster. At the State Prelims we liked Segerstrom, a forward from Prior Lake. She's athletic, moves very well, and towers over most opponents. While we're unsure of her exact height, we'd guess she's pushing 6 feet or more. With great natural instincts, particularly for rebounding and scoring in the paint, Mara is well on her way to being a scholarship-level prospect.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->