Freshman 50: Meet Minnesota's top prospects of 2029

It's finally time. The Prep Girls Hoops Freshman 50 is here – our annual unveiling of the top 50 college basketball prospects among Minnesota's 9th graders. For the players involved, this is a milestone moment. For our scouts, it's the culmination of months of evaluation, conversation, and comparison – the process we've been building toward since AAU play began back in the spring.   Behind the ranking of the state's best freshmen is a wide network of contributors, including AAU and high school coaches and longtime evaluators across the state. All participate anonymously to ensure honest, unbiased assessments. The result is a collaborative snapshot of where Minnesota's next wave of talent stands today – and where it may go in the years ahead.   Facts about the Freshman 50   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>All 20 players from our Watch List made the final Freshman 50.</li>   <li>Nine of the top 20 (and 20 of 50 overall) come from outside the Twin Cities metro.</li>   <li>Seven of the top 20 attend private schools. A dozen stand 6 feet or taller.</li>   <li>Among the full group of 50, 21 play for large Class 4A programs and 12 more for Class 3A schools. More than 10 have a sibling who has been ranked by PGH.</li> </ul>   How the rankings work   Players receive their first official Prep Girls Hoops ranking in the fall of their freshman year. Each spring, we publish a Watch List of 20 players in alphabetical order, and the fall release makes it official. Rankings are updated three times a year – typically in October, February, and June – and expand with each update.   The most important thing to remember is this:  Prep Girls Hoops rankings measure college potential, not current high school performance.   Our goal isn't to identify the best 9th graders right now; it's to project who will be the best college freshmen four years from now. That's why some players who haven't yet played varsity appear near the top, and others leading their high school teams may not appear at all.   What we look for   The evaluation process considers traits that translate to the next level:   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Height, length, and athleticism</li>   <li>Skill development and shooting ability</li>   <li>Court vision and basketball IQ</li>   <li>Leadership, body language, and coachability</li> </ul>   The process and the purpose   College coaches – especially at the Division I level – and many AAU coaches provide valuable input, all shared confidentially to protect fairness and honesty. Our rankings team includes current and former AAU, high school, and college coaches. Everyone contributes under anonymity to keep the process objective. We know we won't get every ranking right, but the vast majority of legitimate college prospects eventually find their place on the list.   We'll start the rollout with the Top 5 today, followed by 6–10 on Tuesday, 11–15 on Wednesday, and 16–20 on Thursday. The remaining players will be highlighted next week. The future of Minnesota girls basketball is bright – and the Class of 2029 proves it once again.    #1: It's no secret by now that there's more than one Greenway sister who is a premier prospect in Minnesota girls basketball. Playing with confidence and poise, Beckett is a cerebral point guard who impacts the game in a variety of ways. She's an outstanding playmaker who can also create her own scoring opportunities off the dribble, she brings intensity and energy to the defensive end, particularly on the perimeter, and she is one of the elite outside shooters of the class. Greenway had an excellent summer in terms of recruiting, collecting Division 1 offers from Creighton, Arkansas, South Dakota State and more. She was a consensus #1 among our evaluators.     #2: A highly touted prospect for a number of years now, Denkmann has taken her game up several notches recently. Standing north of 6-foot with a lengthy frame and smooth, fluid athleticism, the Wayzata point guard makes a major impact every time she steps on the floor. With the ability to get downhill, pull up in the midrange, or shoot the lights out from the three-point line, Brielle is a true three-level scorer. Her offensive skillset is remarkably polished for her age, with plenty of tricks up her sleeve. To top it off, Denkmann's work ethic is through the roof.     #3: After moving to the Twin Cities just a year ago, Hamiel has ascended quickly into the upper echelon of 2029 prospects. Of course, the Cretin-Derham Hall freshman is a naturally gifted athlete, but it is her consistently solid decision making and endless motor that make her stand out. With the ability to go off for 25 points or shut you down on the defensive end, Madeleine is a true two-way player. With maturity and poise beyond her years, as well as significant growth in a very short amount of time, Hamiel's trajectory is only up from here.     #4: Austin has all the tools required of a point guard in this day and age; she's quick, sees the floor well and has a keen ability for playmaking and distributing the ball, and she is a natural leader on the court. On top of all of that, Izze's basketball IQ and decision making on the court are top tier. The Minnetonka freshman plays with a tremendous level of polish and brings her innate toughness and intense competitive spirit every time she steps on the court. There's no doubt that Izze will be an elite level prospect when all is said and done.     #5: Despite only being a freshman, Changamire has been making a major impact at the varsity level for several years now. With an endless motor and tremendous athleticism, the Becker guard is one of the state's fastest players end-to-end. She uses her speed to explode downhill and score at the rim. With a season high of 43 points last year, Andie is capable of putting up major numbers on the offensive end and does so often. The 5'11 freshman is just as effective on the other end, where her high-octane defense gives opponents nightmares on the perimeter. The sky is the limit for this talented performer.    PGH scout Ally McGinnis contributed to these evaluations.

It's finally time. The Prep Girls Hoops Freshman 50 is here – our annual unveiling of the top 50 college basketball prospects among Minnesota's 9th graders. For the players involved, this is a milestone moment. For our scouts, it's the culmination of months of evaluation, conversation, and comparison – the process we've been building toward since AAU play began back in the spring.