St. Kate's MLK Day Classic: Top Performers, Pt. 1

This tournament at St. Kate's gives us a chance to honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. while celebrating the game we all care about. Dr. King stood for excellence, accountability, and lifting others up, values that still matter every time the ball is tipped. The focus of this article is to recognize the top performers who rose to the moment on this floor. These players didn't just fill the stat sheet; they competed the right way, led their teammates, and played with purpose. Strong decision-making, effort on both ends, and staying composed under pressure separated them from the rest. As we highlight those performances, it's important to remember that moments like this are earned through preparation and commitment. Today was a reminder of how powerful the game can be when it's played with intention and respect.   Rochester Lourdes   Pictured above, the trio of [player_tooltip player_id='502563' first='Lauren' last='Hust'], [player_tooltip player_id='764292' first='Aaliyah' last='Williams'], and 8th grader [player_tooltip player_id='1124545' first='Amelia' last='Truty'] got the MLK Day Classic started with real energy. They set the tone on both ends, especially on defense, where their pressure forced more turnovers than shot attempts for long stretches of the first half. Against St. Croix Lutheran, Hust took on the tough task of guarding Northern Iowa commit [player_tooltip player_id='362575' first='Callie' last='Oakland'] and made her earn everything. Hust didn't stop there, knocking down three first-half threes and finishing with 15 points. Truty played downhill from the opening tip, using her speed and touch to attack the rim, then sealed the game with run-out layups early in the second half on her way to 19 points. Williams was the closer, staying patient, hitting timely threes, and finishing with a team-high 20 points while fully in control.   Nattie Butler - 2026 forward - Cloquet (Dordt)   In a game that never really found a rhythm, Butler was the steady option the Lumberjacks leaned on whenever the offense bogged down against the Packers of Austin. She used her strong frame to carve out space inside and create chances when nothing easy was there. What continues to stand out is that her game doesn't stop on the block. She stepped out with confidence, knocking down perimeter shots and keeping the defense honest. On the glass, she was a problem all night. No rebound was safe, as she ripped boards away with strong hands or tied opponents up when she couldn't secure it cleanly. Every possession felt earned in this one, and Butler embraced that style of play. She finished with 16 points and set the tone physically in a wire-to-wire 51=40 win, the kind of performance that doesn't always show up loud but matters every minute it's happening.   Gracie Arndt - 2026 forward - Austin   As has been the case for a stretch this season, the Packers have been without one of their leaders in [player_tooltip player_id='887115' first='Atee' last='Obang'], who remains out with an injury. When someone goes down, someone else has to answer the call, and that's exactly what Arndt has done. The senior post turned in a big-time showing at the MLK Day Classic against Cloquet, posting a 19-point, 16-rebound double-double. She earned every bit of it while dealing with constant double teams and battling Nattie Butler on the other block, who brought her own brand of physical resistance. Even while trailing most of the game, Arndt kept competing, making tough catches in traffic, taking contact, and finishing through it. Once Obang returns and Austin is fully healthy, Arndt becomes even tougher to key in on.   [player_tooltip player_id='761285' first='Sami' last='Warwas'] - 2027 guard - Mountain Iron-Buhl   Warwas wasted no time making her presence felt, opening the game with a three, then jumping the next inbound pass for a steal and layup to score the first five points for the Rangers. From there, Warwas kept her foot on the gas. She played with nonstop energy, using her length and quickness to slip around defenders and get to the rim. Her full game was on display, especially as she benefited from [player_tooltip player_id='560398' first='Aniyah' last='Thomas'] breaking the defense down and finding her for clean looks from deep. On the other end, Warwas' effort caused real problems, turning defense into offense as the Rangers clamped down on Winona Cotter in the second half. She led all scorers with 22 points and once again showed why her impact goes well beyond the box score.

This tournament at St. Kate's gives us a chance to honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. while celebrating the game we all care about. Dr. King stood for excellence, accountability, and lifting others up, values that still matter every time the ball is tipped. The focus of this article is to recognize the top performers who rose to the moment on this floor. These players didn't just fill the stat sheet; they competed the right way, led their teammates, and played with purpose. Strong decision-making, effort on both ends, and staying composed under pressure separated them from the rest. As we highlight those performances, it's important to remember that moments like this are earned through preparation and commitment. Today was a reminder of how powerful the game can be when it's played with intention and respect.