Midwest Kickoff: Tony's Takes on the Class of 2028

The Midwest Kickoff Classic continues to set the tone for the spring, and once again it brought together a deep pool of talent from across the region over the weekend. Early in the season, you're looking for players who aren't just producing, but playing with purpose and that showed right away.   We'll miss mainstays like [player_tooltip player_id='205310' first='Tori' last='Oehrlein'] and [player_tooltip player_id='252381' first='Maddyn' last='Greenway'], who has been a staple of the AAU season for years. Those are names that helped define this event and set the bar. But that's how this thing goes. That chapter closes, and now it's someone else's turn.   This weekend had that feel. New faces stepping in, playing with confidence, and taking advantage of their moment. It's early, but you can already see who's ready to carry things forward and make their mark this spring. I tapped into the 2028 class to bring you a little bit of everything. Lets get to it!   [player_tooltip player_id='992379' first='Addy' last='Sears'] - guard 2028, [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] S40   The Centennial High School guard did a great job running the show for her squad over the weekend. She played with a calm presence and stayed in control from start to finish. Offensively, she got into the lane and kept her head up, creating opportunities for others while still being a threat to score. That balance is what you want out of your lead guard. What stood out most was how she played off two feet in traffic. That allowed her to stay under control and deliver firm, accurate passes right on time. Defensively, she brought good energy with active hands, making it tough for opponents to get comfortable. This was a strong start to the season for Sears and a good sign of what's ahead.   [player_tooltip player_id='630242' first='Caelyn' last='Foster'] - guard 2028, [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'] 3SSB   The St. Michael-Albertville sniper was locked in all weekend from deep. Foster knocked down shots with confidence and finished in double figures in two of the three games, totaling eight triples across the weekend. When she gets her feet set, it's about as clean as it gets. Her form is consistent and repeatable, which makes her a real weapon spacing the floor. She's more than just a shooter, though. Adding a few moves off the bounce will open things up even more and make defenders think twice about closing out too hard. That next step will take her scoring to another level. On the defensive end, she competes and holds her own, giving you a reliable presence on both sides of the ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='866655' first='Maggie' last='Joyce'] - wing 2028, [program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise'] Hulke   The 6-footer out of New Ulm put together a solid weekend and showed value in a lot of different ways. She moved well without the ball, making timely cuts that led to trips to the line. That kind of activity doesn't always get talked about, but it matters and helps an offense stay on track. She showed a willingness to step out and look for her shot while also doing the work inside – rebounding, sliding over on help, and holding her ground defensively. She understands her role and plays it the right way. There's real upside here. As she gets more aggressive looking for her own offense, it's going to open things up and make her an even tougher matchup.   [player_tooltip player_id='939749' first='Nadia' last='Adedokun'] - 2028 guard, [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] Blue   There's a lot to like about Adedokun. The Moorhead forward is long, athletic, and uses that length the right way, covering ground quickly and making plays that don't always show up in the box score. With the amount of scoring on her [program_tooltip program_id='713021' first='West' last='Central United'] squad, she understands where she fits – crashing the glass, disrupting passing lanes, and making life tough on opponents around the rim. What stood out was her ability to defend in space. She saw some of the quicker guards in the 2028 class and more than held her own, using her length and timing to stay in front and contest. This is a strong foundation, and there's clearly more coming. Stay tuned.   [player_tooltip player_id='992383' first='Allie' last='Lima'] - 2028 guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712697' first='MN' last='Crossfire'] P32   It was another strong showing for Lima as she continues to expand her offensive game. The Holy Angels guard played with confidence off the bounce, getting into the paint consistently and putting pressure on the defense all weekend. That ability to break things down led to multiple trips to the line, where she made teams pay. She finished in double figures in all three games, including a 25-point performance to close things out, helping her squad grind out a two-point win over a tough [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] group. When the game tightened up, she didn't shy away but instead stepped into the moment. She's trending in the right direction, and you can see the growth each time out. Right now, there's no clear ceiling with how she's developing.

The Midwest Kickoff Classic continues to set the tone for the spring, and once again it brought together a deep pool of talent from across the region over the weekend. Early in the season, you're looking for players who aren't just producing, but playing with purpose and that showed right away.