Rising Juniors To Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This point in the year is usually the slow part of the calendar. Kids are resting their bodies after a grueling AAU season, having played countless games in July, and everyone is enjoying the last bit of summer before the school year begins. Today, we'll examine a few players poised for a massive season in 2025-26.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='749048' first='Ella' last='Sweeney']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Appleton East guard was a significant reason the Patriots earned a trip to the state tournament last season as a No. 6 seed. Sweeney had explosive offensive performances and some heroics down the stretch against Stevens Point at D.C. Everest. Sweeney is a player who can score in bunches at any time, and Sweeney will be the offensive leader for a team that lost two of their most reliable offensive threats last season to graduation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='843757' first='Karina' last='Klemz']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Arrowhead wing moved to Wisconsin from California last fall. Klemz had her moments for a program looking to repeat as state champions. The Warhawk had some standout performances and helped a program missing its top defender make a run back to the state tournament. Now that they are healthy heading into this new season, and hopefully stay that way, Klemz could excel as a floor spacer and use her length to make plays as an off-ball defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1039264' first='Taylor' last='Klingbeil']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Medford guard impressed me when I saw her play over the summer. Klingbeil is a lengthy player who can use her size to exploit mismatches. Her ability to put pressure on the basket and get downhill forces defenses to react to what she's doing with the ball in her hands. The Medford native has also shown signs of improving her perimeter jumper, which means that defenses can't cheat and try to cut off driving lanes. There is plenty of room for her to grow as a player, but she has done an excellent job improving in her first two seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1039225' first='Angelina' last='Reyes']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Dominican guard is a player who any program could find minutes for at a regional program. Reyes has an excellent motor and may be the best rebounding guard in the state. Her relentlessness jumps out whenever I watch her play, and what she does will translate anywhere. Her willingness to fly around the floor after loose balls and earn her team extra possessions is something that will impress anyone watching her and will have long-term impacts on winning games everywhere she plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->