Freshmen who raised their game at the PGH Minnesota Shootout

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From brand new names to well-known top performers, the PGH Minnesota Shootout at Shakopee High School on Saturday gave us plenty to talk about. Grant McGinnis, Tony Ragulen, and I have been covering the event all week, and with week 2 of the AAU season around the corner, there's one more item on the docket: the stock risers. These players left it all out on the floor over the weekend, showing off the strides they've made in their game since we last watched. Here are four freshmen who started the AAU season off on a high note.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1233100"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69d81a606fdab"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bergan's performance was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the PGH Minnesota Shootout. Since we last saw her play in person, the Lewiston-Altura freshman (pictured above) has grown taller, gotten significantly stronger, and has taken her skill level to new heights. On Saturday, Rinlee made the right decisions time after time. She took smart shots, fed the ball to her teammates in the right places, and used her effortless athleticism to her advantage. With a substantially higher understanding of the game compared to this time last summer, the [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] <strong>SE</strong> guard is really starting to look at home on the basketball court. Combining Saturday's performance with her 21 points per game in the high school season, Bergan has become a serious contender in the Class of 2029.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1275272"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69d81a606fe83"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Last week we highlighted Berken in our coverage of the newest additions to the PGH Class of 2029 rankings, with the Faribault freshman coming in at #64. Over the weekend, she made her season debut with [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] <strong>SE</strong>. Playing through an injury that occurred in the first game, Kyleigh showed a great deal of toughness on the court. Scrappy and lightning quick, the 5'8 guard showed off her abilities as a playmaker, making perfectly timed backdoor and transition passes to her teammates. In the half-court, Berken ripped past her defenders, using skilled ball handling and crafty footwork to get to the rim with ease. She'll be a big piece for coach Russ Speer's 15U team this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1616472"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69d81a606ff16"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Coming from Class 2A's Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, we weren't exactly sure how Wolff would adjust to the pace of play required by [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] 15U EYCL. But, after watching her at the PGH Minnesota Shootout, we are happy to say that Ashlynn passed the test with flying colors. The 6-foot wing stepped up on the defensive end, drawing the challenging assignment of guarding [player_tooltip player_id='1233100' first='Rinlee' last='Bergan']. The Bulldogs freshman played high-intensity, physical defense, taking the fast paced AAU matchup in stride. While we didn't see much offense from Wolff on Saturday, we know she's more than capable of putting up solid numbers. She averaged just over 12 points per game for JWP in the high school season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1256220"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69d81a606ff97"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">We were impressed with Clemens when we watched her at the PGH Freshman Showcase back in the fall. She did all the little things well, brought a positive attitude to the game, and showed the signs of a high basketball IQ. At Saturday's PGH Minnesota Shootout we saw all of that and more. The [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] EYCL forward was aggressive on the offensive glass, spaced the floor in transition, set effective ball screens, and played hard on every single possession. Standing at 6 feet tall with a high degree of athleticism, strong work ethic, and Swiss Army Knife approach to the game, Sydney already has all the makings of a successful college player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->