2027 Rankings Update: Moving up in the Top 25

Small points guards are somewhat of an acquired taste. Some scouts and coaches like them; many do not. Most, however, are willing to give individual athletes a chance over time to prove themselves. Count us in that camp. There's no better example of that process than [player_tooltip player_id='659130' first='Jaliyah' last='Diggs'] of Hopkins. After watching with skepticism, then observing growth and seeing her answer one challenge after another after another, let's just say we are now all-in. That's why we are pleased to see her move into the Top 10 as we revamp the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2027 prospect rankings.   There has been some substantial movement in our list which is not unusual for players ending their junior year. We've watched them a lot, over an extended period of time. We've seen some early standouts plateau. We've seen players hit a growth spurt and raise their level accordingly. And we've watched newcomers enter the conversation.   As we do our winter update for this group, two players were removed from the rankings – one left the state, the other stopped playing basketball – and 17 newcomers were added for a new total of 165 players. Today we'll bring you the athletes who made their move up in the Top 25. On Thursday we'll look at the biggest overall stock risers. On Friday we'll introduce you to the newcomers.   Here's how we see the 2027 Top 25.   #10 [player_tooltip player_id='659130' first='Jaliyah' last='Diggs'] – point guard, Hopkins   Jaliyah stood out immediately as a younger player – her sports goggles, superior athleticism and never-ending energy made Diggs impossible to miss. She had tons of swagger – perhaps a little too much, at times – and the ability to take over a basketball game at will. Over time, however, many smaller guards struggle to adapt as the players around them get bigger and stronger. Not Jaliyah. Her game has improved every single year as she has added all of the elements that small guards need to succeed   Diggs earned her way into the upper half of the rankings when we selected the Freshmen 50 for the Class of 2027 back in the fall of 2023. Over time, as her game grew and she passed every obstacle in her path, Jaliyah steadily ascended the rankings, moving into the Top 20 in the fall of 2024. A year later she was at #13. Today, she joins the refreshed Top 10:   1 [player_tooltip player_id='377583' first='Mya' last='Wilson'] – guard, Hill-Murray   2 [player_tooltip player_id='498661' first='Pressley' last='Watkins'] – guard, Benilde-St. Margaret's   3 [player_tooltip player_id='578467' first='Amisha' last='Ramlall'] – guard, Rosemount (Minnesota)   4 [player_tooltip player_id='558627' first='Erma' last='Walker'] – forward, Hopkins   5 [player_tooltip player_id='529357' first='Emma' last='Millerbernd'] – guard, Providence Academy   6 [player_tooltip player_id='630244' first='Jazmin' last='Daing'] – guard, Minnetonka   7 [player_tooltip player_id='665719' first='Addison' last='Bjorklund'] – forward, Brainerd (North Dakota)   8 [player_tooltip player_id='377584' first='Ava' last='Cupito'] – guard, Hopkins   9 [player_tooltip player_id='498658' first='Morgan' last='Mathiowetz'] – guard, Sleepy Eye St. Mary's (North Dakota State)   10 [player_tooltip player_id='659130' first='Jaliyah' last='Diggs'] – guard, Hopkins   There's a lot of Liv McGill in Diggs' game. That's not surprising given that the former Hopkins star – now playing the lead role at the University of Florida – served as a mentor of sorts for Jaliyah. She shares Liv's athleticism and quickness, as well as her competitive fire. As anyone who has seen Diggs go head-to-head with [player_tooltip player_id='252381' first='Maddyn' last='Greenway'] can attest, there's no fear in Jaliyah's game. She's going to be in your kitchen throwing gas on the stove from start to finish, come what may. You have to admire that kind of bravery.   When PGH scout Tony Ragulan reviewed Diggs' play earlier this season he wrote this:   “I didn't think Diggs had another level to reach, but she showed again why you should never doubt her. What Jaliyah does on both ends of the floor at her size is special, and it comes from the kind of heart you can't coach. The outside shot she's added has changed everything – defenders can't sag off her anymore, and once she gets downhill, it's a wrap. But what really stood out this weekend was how tough she was defensively. Teams tried to bully her in the post, and she wasn't having it. Her strength, timing, and understanding of how to guard bigger players made life tough for anyone who tried.”   We could not have said it better.   Over the past decade we've seen some really good small guards in Minnesota, with two players in particular coming to mind: Ronnie Porter of St. Paul Como Park, who is a senior standout at the University of Wisconsin,  and Prior Lake grad McKenna Hofschild, who had a Hall-of-Fame level career at Colorado State is is now a graduate assistant at UConn. There were plenty of doubters about those two back in the day but the proof is in the performance. We think Jaliyah has the potential to be that good.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/user-uploads/Addison-Bjorklund-PGH-993-1-crop-2723x1788-1772060809.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1781444" /></figure>   TWO MORE TOP-10 MOVERS   #4 [player_tooltip player_id='558627' first='Erma' last='Walker'] – forward, Hopkins   Those playing close attention will note that Diggs isn't the only Hopkins Royal moving up in the Top 10. Walker and Diggs are one of the best one-two combinations in the state. Their excellence was on full display at last year's Class 4A State Tournament. Don't be surprised if it happens again. Erma just keeps getting better, with a growing box of tools both inside and outside, and the willingness to battle for every inch. She rises one position in the rankings to #4.   #7 [player_tooltip player_id='665719' first='Addison' last='Bjorklund'] – forward, Brainerd (North Dakota)   Bjorklund (pictured above) just quietly goes about the business of continuous improvement, day-to-day excellence and a simple commitment to be the best that she can be. That's an approach many others would do well to emulate. With size, strength and skill, Bjorklund is able  to dominate down low and overwhelm opposing defenders in the paint. She's also quick and mobile, with a deep bag of tricks in the post and beyond. Addy has steadily moved up in the rankings from #11 to #10 to #8 and now #7.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/02/Addie-Iversen-crop-1000x657-1770244237-crop-774x508-1772060748.jpg?w=773" alt="" class="wp-image-1781439" /></figure>   BIGGEST MOVER IN THE TOP 25   #21 [player_tooltip player_id='866100' first='Addie' last='Iversen'] – guard, Delano   Like Bjorklund, Iversen (pictured above) just shows up to the gym every day and puts in the work to be just a little bit better than she was the day before. Like Bjorklund, she comes from a family that is no stranger to athletic and basketball success. Like Addy, this Addie goes about her business with no fuss, no muss, all-in committed to obtaining the win. She's long and fluid and athletic, and her impact on every game has grown. Iversen's ranking has improved from #38 to #35 to #29 to #27 and now #21.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/02/KateArnold-crop-3476x2283-1770234939-crop-602x395-1772060716.jpg?w=601" alt="" class="wp-image-1781437" /></figure>   OTHERS MOVING UP IN THE TOP 25   #14 [player_tooltip player_id='630241' first='Kate' last='Arnold'] – guard, Chanhassen (South Dakota)   Much has been expected of Arnold (pictured above) for a very long time. It was obvious before she was a teenager that Kate had the potential for success at the Division 1 level. We were just waiting for a growth spurt, some physical development and added experience. This year Kate has done it all. Averaging 21 points and 7 rebounds per game, she leads the most successful Chanhassen team we've seen in a long time. With a game that is aging like fine wine, Arnold recently committed to the University of South Dakota. She moves up one spot to #14.   #15 [player_tooltip player_id='764229' first='Toni' last='Fisher'] – guard, Prior Lake   The rebuilding Lakers squad has surprised a lot of teams this year with a number of underclassmen stepping up and standing out. Nobody has done that better than Fisher, who has been Prior Lake's undisputed leader night in and night out. The pace, athleticism and bounce we've watched for years seems to have escalated to a whole new realm now. Every time we've watched, Toni has been a force all over the floor. She scores, defends and leads at a very high level. Fisher rises one position to #15.   #19 [player_tooltip player_id='595199' first='Maya' last='Kilian'] – guard, New Prague.   The Trojans have struggled this season but Kilian has been a continuous beacon of light for a team desperately trying to find its way. Facing enormous physical and tactical pressure on a regular basis, Kilian has put up impressive numbers on both sides of the ball while always playing the game the right way. She is a walking double-double, who recently passed the 1,000 career rebounds as a junior. Maya can shoot it from distance, drive to the hoop and finish, protect the rim, defend all five positions and set the tone that will help New Prague right the ship in due course. She moves up one place to #19.   PLEASE NOTE:   If you are not familiar with the Prep Girls Hoops prospect rankings, you need to know that they are based on a player's potential as college basketball player and are NOT about high school. It's an important distinction that explains how many decorated varsity performers find themselves well down the list and less well-known players are closer to the top. The game is very different at the next level, and it's our job to identify those athletes who will transition to the different demands. To learn more about our process,  please visit the <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wisconsin/rankings/how-we-rank/">How We Rank</a> section under the rankings tab.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/minnesota/rankings/2027-rankings/">Click here</a> to see the revised Class of 2027 rankings.

Small points guards are somewhat of an acquired taste. Some scouts and coaches like them; many do not. Most, however, are willing to give individual athletes a chance over time to prove themselves. Count us in that camp. There's no better example of that process than Jaliyah Diggs Jaliyah Diggs 5'5" | PG Hopkins | 2027 State MN of Hopkins. After watching with skepticism, then observing growth and seeing her answer one challenge after another after another, let's just say we are now all-in. That's why we are pleased to see her move into the Top 10 as we revamp the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2027 prospect rankings.