Saturday scouting at the West Metro Classic

There are a lot of ways to win a basketball game. While the contemporary version of the game trends toward the three-point barrage, Waconia has taken a different route to their 14-3 record so far – preferring to muscle their way to the rim and rack up points at the free throw line. Not on Saturday. In a surprising twist, at the Breakdown West Metro Classic, the Wildcats lit it up from deep on their home floor, burying 12 threes on their way to an 83-57 win over The Academy of Holy Angels.   Nobody was more surprised at the shift than Waconia coach Dustin Neibauer. “I can't remember the last time we took and made that many threes,” Neibauer said postgame. “That's just not how we typically play.”   He's right. Waconia usually attempts about 17 threes per game and converts at a modest 22%. On Saturday, the Wildcats launched 30 and hit 40% of them. It was a sharp-shooting performance from a team more known for playing the game with grit and grind.   Waconia's strength lies in its aggressiveness. [player_tooltip player_id='773415' first='Emma' last='Hanson'], a UW-Stout commit, is a staple on our Prep Girls Hoops Hard Hat All-Star team. She attacks the paint with purpose and power. [player_tooltip player_id='717676' first='Addison' last='Bryfczynski'] plays with similar intensity. And senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1194442' first='Audrey' last='Brown'], who's having a breakout season, never stops attacking. As a group, they average 22 free throw attempts per game. “I've been telling our girls that if we can improve our three-point shooting, we're going to be really tough to beat,” Neibauer said.   Improving their range has become a priority, and a unique arrangement with the state's premier three-point shooting squad from Perham is helping the cause. For several seasons the Wildcats and Yellowjackets have engaged in a virtual shooting competition cooked up by Niebauer and Perham coach T.J. Super. The two coaches are former roommates who played college basketball together and served as best man in each other's wedding. The weekly four-minute full-court shooting drill includes fast-break layups, pull-up jumpers, and threes. Perham, on pace to set a state record for most threes in a season, is the current gold standard when it comes to shooting from distance. “We killed them this week, which is shocking,” Neibauer said. “Perham is so good, but our younger girls are starting to pick up the slack.”   (You can read more about the Yellowjackets in our Dec. 26 story: <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2025/12/bombs-away-its-raining-threes-in-perham/">Bombs Away: It's raining threes in Perham</a>)   ONE-SIDED SUCCESS   One trend that's becoming evident at this season's at Breakdown-sponsored events is the sheer number of blowouts. That's really unusual given the history of classic contests at the Tip-Off Classic , Granite City Classic, Southern Minnesota Hoops Fest and the like. But lately, the margin of victory has been wide – and Saturday's three West Metro Classic games at Waconia definitely followed that pattern.   Orono 87 Farmington 34   Farmington hung with top-ranked Orono early thanks to aggressive defensive pressure that briefly knocked the Spartans out of rhythm. A three-point make from [player_tooltip player_id='782561' first='Lauren' last='Jackson'] pulled the Tigers within three at the nine-minute mark of the first half. Then Orono coach Chris Bjorgaard called what turned out to be a well-orchestrated timeout. Orono roared out of the huddle on a 12-0 run that ballooned to 35-8 by halftime, building a 52-22 cushion. The second half opened with another 10-0 Spartans surge and the rest was just details.   Creighton commit [player_tooltip player_id='471360' first='Mya' last='Moore'] was brilliant again, scoring 20 points in the first half. [player_tooltip player_id='764216' first='Maryn' last='Prenevost'] knocked down four threes and finished with 18 points. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='717668' first='Evelyn' last='Miller'] and [player_tooltip player_id='782553' first='Amelia' last='Schwendimann'] added 11 apiece. Orono closed the week on a nine-game win streak.   Only three Farmington players scored: Jackson (16), [player_tooltip player_id='736173' first='Carly' last='Olson'] (15), and Sophia Krchnavy (3).   Delano 73, Mahtomedi 27   While Waconia won by 26 and Orono by 53, Delano delivered a 46-point statement of their own. The Tigers exploded for a 51–17 halftime lead and never looked back.   It was rough for Mahtomedi as the Zephyrs were missing two of their top three players. Without [player_tooltip player_id='659117' first='Delaney' last='Dumermuth'] (concussion) and [player_tooltip player_id='764183' first='Berkley' last='Blaisdell'] (illness), star performer [player_tooltip player_id='667779' first='Grace' last='Prose'] appeared to be stranded on a desert island without a lifeline. The Zephyrs looked hesitant from the jump and it was painful to watch. Delano pounced early, creating turnovers, forcing rushed passes, and quickly building a 17-point lead before Mahtomedi finally called a timeout. The run continued with a 16-2 burst and it was all ceremonial after that. Ten players scored for Delano, with four in double figures: [player_tooltip player_id='458302' first='Abbie' last='Pietila'] and [player_tooltip player_id='866100' first='Addie' last='Iversen'] led with 14 points each, Katelyn Nielsen added 12, and [player_tooltip player_id='927238' first='Lexi' last='Champeau'] finished with 11.   Delano is now 13-6, with losses to some of the best Class 3A teams in the state – #1 Orono, #2 Benilde-St. Margaret's, #3 Hill-Murray, and #4 Stewartville – plus strong 4A squads Chanhassen and Monticello. The combined record of those opponents is 72-16 (.818). Translation: Delano's resume is really, really good. All of this has come despite losing Jamestown commit [player_tooltip player_id='589282' first='Cassie' last='Wegman'] to a season-ending knee injury. Even without her, Delano looks dangerous.   NEWCOMERS OF NOTE   While all six teams we watched at the West Metro Classic feature veteran-heavy lineups, there were also several up-and-coming prospects who found their way into the conversation. Some we have already profiled over the past few weeks, but there were additional newcomers we saw for the first time.   [player_tooltip player_id='1559037' first='Kali' last='Schultz'] – 2030 guard, Delano   Lightning quick and fearless, Schultz is one of the most dynamic 8th graders we've seen. She attacks defenders with pace, shifts direction effortlessly, and plays with swagger well beyond her years. Already logging big varsity minutes for Delano, Schultz competes so hard on both ends and shrugs off mistakes with maturity. Schultz has quickly become a key piece for the Tigers.   [player_tooltip player_id='939720' first='Hailey' last='Eggers'] – 2029 guard, Waconia   Eggers is already making a name for herself having earned the #42 prospect ranking in the Prep Girls Hoops Freshmen 50. Hailey plays key minutes already, With significant graduations coming this spring in Waconia, Eggers is poised for a breakout campaign in 2026-27. Eggers impacts every play with energy, toughness, and IQ. She's vocal, intense, and makes smart decisions under pressure.   [player_tooltip player_id='1379757' first='Claire' last='Fredrickson'] – 2029 guard, Waconia   With a solid, compact build, Fredrickson has the strength and power already to impose her will even through she's not super tall. Claire is a relentless, high-motor guard who pressures the ball, attacks the basket, and hits shots from deep. Physically strong and confident, she's a versatile weapon on both ends. Her energy, toughness, and vision project long-term upside.   [player_tooltip player_id='1623342' first='Hayden' last='Tyler'] – 2030 guard, Orono   Tyler is a long, smooth lefty who rebounds, defends, and stretches the floor with her jumper. With [player_tooltip player_id='815078' first='Zoey' last='Johnston'] having been sidelined for the rest of the season after a second hip surgery, the door was opened for Tyler to step inside the rotation and she is quickly adapting to the bigger role. On Saturday Hayden gave Orono some solid minutes while showing off her length, athleticism and IQ.   We were introduced to two more newcomers on Saturday, young prospects we'll circle back on in the coming weeks.   Lucy Peer – The 2030 guard from Mahtomedi has been working her way into solid rotational minutes. On Saturday the 8th grader found herself in the starting lineup. Lucy has good length, moves pretty well, and demonstrated some nice ball handling ability. She has appeared in 14 of the 16 games for the Zephyrs averaging a respectable 3 points and 3 rebounds per game.   Nora Froehle – The 2030 guard from Holy Angels didn't make an appearance until after the game had been decided, but she certainly made an impression in her cameo. Nora has some real hop in her step, with light feet and impressive elevation she used to force a turnover at mid-court. She's got a nice burst of speed and seems crafty with the ball. Nora played AAU last summer for Diamond Elite.

There are a lot of ways to win a basketball game. While the contemporary version of the game trends toward the three-point barrage, Waconia has taken a different route to their 14-3 record so far – preferring to muscle their way to the rim and rack up points at the free throw line. Not on Saturday. In a surprising twist, at the Breakdown West Metro Classic, the Wildcats lit it up from deep on their home floor, burying 12 threes on their way to an 83-57 win over The Academy of Holy Angels.