Tony's Takes: Experience on display in Week 8

Another strong week of hoops is in the books, and there was no shortage of talent on display across the state. We made our rounds to catch players who have already locked in their next stop, along with others still grinding for that chance. That mix is what makes this stretch of the season so fun to cover. You see kids stepping into bigger roles, confidence growing, and games slowing down for those who put the work in. Some are filling up the stat sheet, others are impacting winning in ways that don't always show up in the box score. From guards setting the tone to forwards owning the paint, this group brought it every night. Take a look at this mixed bag of talent that stood out and continues to make this season worth watching.   [player_tooltip player_id='1655259' first='Grace' last='Mostad'] – 2026 guard - Northfield   Mostad has one of the quickest triggers you'll see, and she doesn't need much space to get a clean look. That showed up in a tightly contested game against Byron last week, where the senior guard came out firing. She knocked down three first-half threes to help the Raiders take a slim lead into the break. As the defense started to key in on her, she adjusted well, working without the ball and keeping it moving to bring others along. She finished with a team-high 16 points in a hard-fought loss to the Bears after Northfield led for much of the night. She followed that up by burying another three in a lopsided win over Austin, helping the Raiders go 2-1 on the week and move to 12-3 on the season.   [player_tooltip player_id='498663' first='Madison' last='Ohm'] – 2026 guard - Byron (Marist)   Ohm came out aggressive, scoring nine of the Bears' first 14 points to keep them right there in a back-and-forth battle with Northfield. She put steady pressure on the defense, getting downhill into the lane, finding cutters, or stopping on a dime to knock down midrange pull-ups. She was so effective early that Northfield switched to face guarding her, making catches hard to come by. That limited her looks for much of the second half, but she still found ways to impact winning. Late in the game, Madison delivered a big assist to a cutting teammate to give the Bears the lead for good, then calmly hit four free throws in the final minute to close it out. She finished with a game-high 19 points and followed it up with 27 in a win over Goodhue to cap a 3-0 week.   [player_tooltip player_id='764210' first='Livia' last='Tennessen'] – 2027 guard - Randolph   You may be familiar with Tennessen (pictured above) from Cannon Falls, but with numbers being an issue, she made the move to Randolph, and the Rockets are glad she did. The 5'9 guard put together an impressive week, posting two double-doubles. That run was highlighted by a 22-point, 17-rebound night in a hard-fought loss to Triton. In a double-overtime battle with Zumbrota-Mazeppa, Tennessen showed her full game. She knocked down shots from deep, tracked down rebounds, and pushed tempo whenever she had the chance. Off the bounce, her footwork stood out as she got to her spots and finished with either hand. Tennessen accounted for 24 of her team's 49 points and competed until the final horn. Her ability to impact the game in multiple ways makes her someone college coaches should be paying attention to.   [player_tooltip player_id='1655247' first='Joanna' last='Talso'] – 2026 forward - Elk River   Talso can hurt you in a lot of different ways, and she proved that last week with a season-high 27-point outing in a blowout win over Coon Rapids. The versatile forward helped Elk River go 2–1 on the week by doing a little bit of everything. She used her size to clean the glass and kickstart the break, pushing the ball ahead for easy transition buckets. When defenses backed off, she made them pay by stepping into jumpers from deep. In the half court, her footwork stood out as she took advantage of smaller defenders and finished strong around the rim. Elk River is off to an impressive 12–2 start, and Talso's fingerprints are all over it. She leads the team in scoring at just under 18 points per game and provides steady veteran leadership every night.   [player_tooltip player_id='639702' first='Ellie' last='Drange'] – 2027 guard - Hill-Murray   Drange sent a clear message last week with a season-high 22-point performance in a win over Holy Angels. Coming into the game averaging 7 points per night, she found a rhythm early and never let it go. Credit her teammates for continuing to feed the hot hand, but Drange did the rest. She scored it in every way you can ask for – strong takes to the rim, confident pull-ups in the mid-range, and timely makes from beyond the arc. What stands out is her patience. Playing alongside high-level talent, it can be easy to fade into the background, but Drange stays ready and delivers when her number is called. She understands her role, plays within herself, and makes defenses pay when they lose track of her. Performances like this add another problem opponents must solve.

Another strong week of hoops is in the books, and there was no shortage of talent on display across the state. We made our rounds to catch players who have already locked in their next stop, along with others still grinding for that chance. That mix is what makes this stretch of the season so fun to cover. You see kids stepping into bigger roles, confidence growing, and games slowing down for those who put the work in. Some are filling up the stat sheet, others are impacting winning in ways that don't always show up in the box score. From guards setting the tone to forwards owning the paint, this group brought it every night. Take a look at this mixed bag of talent that stood out and continues to make this season worth watching.