Fresh-faced 2030s who stepped up at the Meltdown

We love it when folks we trust tip us off to players with potential who we may not yet be aware of. It happened not once but twice this weekend at the [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Meltdown, and both leads turned out to be spot-on. First it was 2029 [player_tooltip player_id='1268792' first='Ruby' last='Zubich'] from Duluth East and [program_tooltip program_id='779294' first='Northern' last='Lights'] AAU on Friday night – more on her in our look at incoming freshmen later – and then it was an incoming 8th grader from Stewartville we watched on Sunday morning. With impeccable basketball bloodlines, and a whole lot of game already, this is a name you'll want to remember as we look at fresh-faced 2030s who stepped up at the Meltdown.   [player_tooltip player_id='1268758' first='Gigi' last='Simmons'] – 2030 guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] SE 15U   Simmons made a lasting impression over the past few days, stepping in as a last-minute replacement player for a shorthanded 15U [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] SE squad out of the Rochester area. She wasted no time making her presence felt playing two years up. Despite the team playing with just five players on Sunday, Gigi showed zero fatigue and played with impressive consistency from start to finish. She is bouncy, crafty, and calm – and can get downhill with a quick first step that sends defenders scrambling. She also drains threes with a smooth, confident stroke. Gigi can definitely score the basketball from all three levels and she showed high-level instincts well beyond her years.   That's all wonderful, of course, but here's the kicker: the DNA. Gigi's dad is 6'9 Oliver Simmons, a two-time Mr. Basketball in Tennessee and member of Kentucky's 1995 NCAA championship team. After finishing his career with two standout seasons at Florida State, Simmons got into teaching and coaching which eventually brought the family to Stewartville. We've seen some terrific talent out of the Tigers' den in recent years – [player_tooltip player_id='458305' first='Audrey' last='Shindelar'], [player_tooltip player_id='339214' first='Jayci' last='Rath'], [player_tooltip player_id='991231' first='Danika' last='Shindelar'], Keeley Steele, Haylie Strum and more – and the pipeline is still flowing. We're willing to predict that Simmons is going to be among the elite prospects in the Class of 2030.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/07/Lauren-Gess_2030-crop-1958x1286-1752543099-crop-574x377-1752543122.jpg?w=573" alt="" class="wp-image-1268788" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1268760' first='Lauren' last='Gess'] – 2030 guard,[program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] 13U Blue   One glance across the court and it's obvious that Gess just looks the part of a future collegian. The long, lean 5'10 guard from Moorhead combines nice athleticism with a growing skill set. She covers ground in a flash, has quick feet, and plays with the type of effort that separates high-level prospects from the rest. In one dazzling sequence we saw, she stripped an opponent of the ball at midcourt, flew down the playing surface at high speed, executing a slick Euro-step in the lane before finishing with a textbook reverse layup. Easy. Not! Later she executed a slick baseline shimmy past a bewildered defender into a fundamental two-footed bank finish. Gess shoots with a nice high release, reads rebounds well, and positions herself with purpose. She's fluid and fast and already fundamentally sound.   [player_tooltip player_id='1256277' first='Tenlee' last='Egan'] – 2030 guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Nike   Currently one of the most polished guards in the 2030 class, Egan is also fundamentally sound and very poised, a solid competitor who does everything at a high level. She plays with grace and control, and possesses really good court vision. Whether weaving through defenders or launching a mid-range pull-up, Egan makes tough plays look routine. The 5'6 point guard from St. Michael-Albertville, who played travel basketball in Rogers, handles pressure calmly, moves beautifully laterally, and is a scoring threat from all over the court. She also excels defensively, sliding her feet, anticipating plays, and forcing low-risk turnovers. Egan is bouncy, smooth, and athletic. Simply put, she's the kind of guard who makes everyone better. What coach doesn't want one more of those on their roster?   [player_tooltip player_id='1243842' first='Mara' last='Segerstrom'] – 2030 forward, [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Nike   Given all of the gifted athletes on the loaded Tartan 2030 roster – the towering Watson twins, for example, and a plethora of talented guards – you might not notice Segerstrom right away. Give her a closer look and she's pretty much guaranteed to win you over in short order. She has to be 6 feet tall already with tremendous length and advanced body control.  Mara is consistently effective and quietly impactful.  Her natural rebounding instincts and ability to finish around the rim make her a steady force. She plays a no-nonsense game with focus and impact, rarely making mistakes and always seems to be in the right spot when we've watched. Segerstrom runs well, too. Every time we see her play, we are more impressed by the Prior Lake forward's understated excellence.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/07/West-Central-United-2030-Blue.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1268783" /></figure>   A COUPLE MORE SHOUT-OUTS   One of the most entertaining teams we watched this summer was [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] 13U Blue, a collection of gifted 7th graders from Central Minnesota. Week in and week out, this group impressed with their togetherness, ability to execute effectively in the heat of battle,  as well as their long-term potential. That's our bread-and-butter, of course, and this team delivered.   At the Meltdown, [player_tooltip player_id='1110548' first='Elin' last='Retzlaff'] of Hillcrest Lutheran Academy in Fergus Falls once again led the way offensively, topping all scorers in 13U Division 1 with 66 points in five games. Her sidekick [player_tooltip player_id='1239229' first='Ehlin' last='Youngberg'] of Little Falls, along with Moorhead's [player_tooltip player_id='1268760' first='Lauren' last='Gess'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1243300' first='Aliyah' last='Okeson'] of Detroit Lakes, were also outstanding again as the team captured its 5th tournament title of the year. Their AAU season record is 32-5.   One more player we have to mention is incoming 8th grader [player_tooltip player_id='1268778' first='Madison' last='Waldo'] of the [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'] 2030 Black, daughter of the great Jamie Waldo (Broback), who was a big-time performer at the University of Minnesota. Madison is incredibly strong for her age and gets to the rim with a potent combination of power and skill that is very difficult to defend. The 5'8 guard from Rogers can certainly put the ball in the cylinder as her 62 points in four games this weekend will attest. It's pretty clear that the younger Waldo is going to be a factor in the Class of 2030.

We love it when folks we trust tip us off to players with potential who we may not yet be aware of. It happened not once but twice this weekend at the North Tartan Meltdown, and both leads turned out to be spot-on. First it was 2029 Ruby Zubich Ruby Zubich 6'3" | PF Duluth East | 2029 MN from Duluth East and Northern Lights AAU on Friday night – more on her in our look at incoming freshmen later – and then it was an incoming 8th grader from Stewartville we watched on Sunday morning. With impeccable basketball bloodlines, and a whole lot of game already, this is a name you'll want to remember as we look at fresh-faced 2030s who stepped up at the Meltdown.