Checking In On The 2029 Class: Post Edition

It has now been a few weeks since we have ranked the 2029 Class for our first time in Iowa. Whenever you have a first draft of rankings for any Class, there is going to be some debate. The sample sizes are so small for prospects competing at the Varsity level and playing JV doesn't really give you a feel for who a player actually is so things can get tricky. With that being said, this 2029 Class in Iowa is loaded with talent and truthfully, there will constant movement with players moving spots throughout their next four years as individuals grow as hoopers.   In this article we check in on some of our 2029's and how they are looking moving into the tail end of their Freshman season.   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!    [player_tooltip player_id='1224381' first='Elyse' last='Bartels'] of SE Polk has stepped up big time this Winter in the middle for the Rams. Bartels, the 6'2 C/PF, was thrown into this starting role this season with the injury to their usual post presence. She has demonstrated over the past few months that she is someone who should consistently see minutes moving forward. She has natural height, she has physicality to pair with that height, she has good hand-eye coordination, and she is fairly adaptable for her size/position. She is still pretty raw in other facets of the game but from what we have seen so far, she has a solid base to build on. She is a force opposing teams need to worry about on a scouting report or else it might be a long night.     [player_tooltip player_id='1170537' first='Blake' last='Goldsmith'] might not be the player you see in all the headlines for Ottumwa High School but she makes an impact whenever she is on the hardwood. Goldsmith is a solid player at 5'11. She does really well moving into open space so other teammates can hit her with an assist under the bucket or she can also step out to the 12FT mark to screen towards the hoop. She does a good job with her back to the basket with adequate spacing and she isn't bad on the defensive end either. She sticks with her matchups and understands when to move into help-side. Goldsmith is talented but she still has some work to do, just like everyone else at this age in their career. If she stays dedicated, she should be someone we mention several more times before the end of her high school career.     [player_tooltip player_id='1198780' first='Ella' last='Jameson'] has been a bright light for CR - Kennedy High School this season for her Freshman campaign. She has been a prospect that has taken up space in the middle of the paint, controlling everything that passes by her. She has been a constant on the defensive side of the ball, altering shots at Will with her length and fast acting reflexes. Not to mention, she can cover so much space with her size that she is notable on the help-side as well. This group should be able to continue producing with Jameson in the middle. She does a lot of good things that everyone could build off of moving forward.     [player_tooltip player_id='1217346' first='Gwen' last='Grimm'] isn't starting for Clear Lake at this point but she is seeing adequate playing time for being someone new within their system. When Grimm is competing, she is mainly by the bucket. She doesn't veer off from that path too often, showing up near the hoop whenever she can. She is shooting near 50% from the floor with over 75 attempts, while also being a top rebounding and blocking force for her squad. A squad that happens to sit with a 10-3 record at this point in the Winter. Grimm will see the floor more and more over her years. She has an overall game to note and she should continue to get better as she plays more.     [player_tooltip player_id='1583049' first='Blair' last='Winter'] is the second leading scorer for her MFL MarMac team and their leading rebounder at this point in the season. She isn't the tallest player for her position but she holds her own. She makes great choices with the basketball whenever she has those opportunities and she thrives off of the ball as someone who can produce while screening for others. Over the next 3.5 years, this MFL MarMac team is going to surprise some of their opponents. Their best 2/3 players are all 2029's so they are going to be able to keep this momentum rolling, even after this Winter comes to a close.

It has now been a few weeks since we have ranked the 2029 Class for our first time in Iowa. Whenever you have a first draft of rankings for any Class, there is going to be some debate. The sample sizes are so small for prospects competing at the Varsity level and playing JV doesn't really give you a feel for who a player actually is so things can get tricky. With that being said, this 2029 Class in Iowa is loaded with talent and truthfully, there will constant movement with players moving spots throughout their next four years as individuals grow as hoopers.