Breakdown West Metro Classic: Saturday’s standout performances

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've watched quite a bit of basketball over the past few days, so it has taken time to sort through the highlights of the weekend. That being said, we spent Saturday afternoon at the Breakdown West Metro Classic. With Prep Girls Hoops scout Grant McGinnis covering the competition at Waconia, I headed over to Southwest Christian in Chaska to catch the two girls games on the slate; Minnehaha Academy versus Jordan and Southwest Christian against Spectrum. With a healthy mix of both top performers and new faces, I've opted to cover them both in one go.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Performers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='918682' first='Danasia' last='Anderson'] – 2028 Guard, Minnehaha Academy</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bringing poise and composure in the point guard position, Anderson was instrumental for the Redhawks on Saturday. The 5'6 guard showed off her basketball IQ, making key passes and crucial buckets down the stretch in the close contest against Jordan. With a smooth, effortless release on her shot, the Minnehaha sophomore was efficient from the three-point line. She finished the contest with 14 points, doubling her season average. Danasia made plenty of&nbsp; hustle plays as well, fearlessly diving into the Jaguars bench to save a loose ball late in the second half. A top 50 prospect in the 2028 class, Anderson has been a key component for the Redhawks all winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='734360' first='Gigi' last='Coleman'] – 2027 Guard, Minnehaha Academy</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now in her junior season, Coleman has stepped up in a big way for Minnehaha this winter. At the West Metro Classic on Saturday, the 5'8 guard was a tour de force on the defensive end. Whether face guarding the ball for 94 feet, picking off passes on the perimeter, or getting on the ground and fighting for loose balls, Gigi's defense was crucial in the win over Jordan. On the other end of the floor, the Redhawks guard showed her versatility, hitting shots from the outside and finishing through contact on her way to the rim. She finished with 16 points against the Jaguars.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sarah Young – 2026 Guard, Southwest Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Southwest Christian senior led the way for the Stars on Saturday afternoon, dropping a game-high 20 points against Spectrum. It took some time to get going, but as soon as the first shot fell, Young couldn't miss. A pure outside shooter with a silky smooth release, Sarah finished the contest with six made shots from beyond the arc. On the defensive end, the 5'8 guard brought the energy for Southwest Christian. Using her quick, active hands to convert steals into transition scoring opportunities, the Stars senior delivered numerous perfectly timed, full-court passes to her teammates. She is averaging just over 10 points a game so far this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1051012' first='Maggie' last='Novotny'] – 2026 Guard, Spectrum</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Though it wasn't her team's strongest performance of the season, Novotny's performance at the West Metro Classic gave us plenty to take note of. The 5'7 guard is bouncy with an explosive stride. On offense Maggie uses this, plus crafty ball handling, to streak past defenders and get to the rim. We saw her use a variety of creative footwork against Southwest Christian, including a smooth turn-around fadeaway in the midrange. On the other end of the floor, the Sting senior was scrappy, using her tenacity and speed to create deflections and force turnovers. Following their loss on Saturday, Novotny and the rest of the Spectrum squad bounced back for a win over Hope Academy on Tuesday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Intriguing young prospects</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Elin Peters – 2029 Guard, Jordan</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Jordan freshman saw plenty of floor time at the West Metro Classic on Saturday, providing key minutes off the bench for the Jaguars. Peters, a 5'7 guard, impressed us with her composure and ability to handle the ball under pressure. Even in a close game, the 9th grader was trusted to handle the ball down the stretch against a formidable opponent. Elin's game is fundamentally sound. The lefty guard has a smooth, textbook release on her shot. On the defensive end, Peters played with high intensity, using her quick lateral movement and light feet to help maintain pressure on the perimeter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1362347' first='Nora' last='Boll'] – 2028 Forward, Southwest Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Boll showed plenty of promise in Saturday's matchup against Spectrum. A 5'11 forward, Nora has a long, lanky frame. She runs well, is light on her feet, and easily elevates over defenders to grab rebounds. While her game is still raw, the Southwest Christian sophomore has made big improvements from the summer. Most notably, she has become more assertive on the offensive end. At the West Metro Classic, we saw Nora look to score in the paint. And when the ball wasn't in her hands, Boll stayed aggressive on the offensive glass, allowing her to get several buckets off put-backs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brynn Munson – 2029 Guard, Southwest Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Munson put the pedal to the metal on Saturday afternoon. Relentless on the defensive end, the Southwest Christian freshman created havoc on the perimeter, forced turnovers, and fought for loose balls. Each time she got a steal, Brynn either looked to score at the other end, or made well-timed transition passes to a teammate sprinting down the court. In the half court, the 5'7 guard attacked the paint with little hesitation, finishing through heavy contact on more than one occasion. A key member of the Stars rotation this season, Brynn was the team's second leading scorer in the win over Spectrum; she finished the contest with 11 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->