Under-the-radar 2027s from North Tartan Meltdown

Everyone enjoys watching the players everybody already knows. There is something even better about watching the players who are flying under the radar, if you ask me. There is something pure about knowing none of the kids on the floor have already “made it,” and I enjoy seeing the players who have strong tools but haven't quite figured out how to put them all together — yet. That was my assignment while watching the 2027 class at the 2025 [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Meltdown last weekend. Here are five currently unranked players who stood out.    Wagner had one of the quickest first steps of any player we saw all weekend, consistently slicing through tight spaces to get to the basket across her team's five games. She's strong with the ball, rarely gives it away, and finds space to create for others. The Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg prep was first to the floor after nearly every 50/50 ball and defends with her feet rather than her hands. After averaging 13.2 points per game as a sophomore, Wagner is definitely one to watch ahead of our next rankings update.     Clarey does a nice job of taking advantage of opportunities when they come her way and scored in double figures twice over the weekend. She's got a smooth 3-point shooting stroke and is a willing passer with the ability to make plays for others. Clarey seems to be trending upward heading into her junior season at Rochester John Marshall, where she averaged 5.9 points per game last season.     Ibberson's willingness to do the hard things was the first thing that jumped out. The 5-foot-8, Sleepy Eye St. Mary's guard isn't afraid to get on the floor after a loose ball and consistently makes plays defensively to create opportunities for her team. Offensively, she has the ability to slash and finish through contact at the rim. Ibberson, who averaged 8.7 points per game as a sophomore, should be a key piece again for last year's Class A fourth-place finishers.     It was a breakout weekend for Jahnke, who scored 62 points in her team's five games, including a 22-point performance Friday night. Jahnke can score in multiple ways, with the ability to play through contact in the paint and knock down shots from the outside. She runs the floor well in transition, does a nice job making plays for others when she puts the ball on the floor and her length allows her to play over other players. The Watertown-Mayer wing averaged double figures as a sophomore and will be one to watch moving forward.     Panka is a smooth operator with the ball in her hands and is the type of player we'd describe as a playmaking wing. At 5-foot-10, she's long and has the ability to play above other players, which allows her to find openings others might not. She does a nice job of finding openings for easy looks. Her development will be an interesting one to track as we head toward her junior season for Marshall.

Everyone enjoys watching the players everybody already knows. There is something even better about watching the players who are flying under the radar, if you ask me. There is something pure about knowing none of the kids on the floor have already “made it,” and I enjoy seeing the players who have strong tools but haven't quite figured out how to put them all together — yet. That was my assignment while watching the 2027 class at the 2025 North Tartan Meltdown last weekend. Here are five currently unranked players who stood out.