Up-and-coming 8th graders at the Spring Showdown

The 17th Annual Spring Showdown came with plenty of close finishes, high-scoring performers, and entertaining matchups across each age group. Prep Girls Hoops intern, Paxyn Rendahl, and I spent the weekend aiming to find another batch of 8th graders making a name for themselves on the AAU circuit this spring. Whether high-level varsity performers or prospects we watched for the first time, we found plenty of players who showed out this weekend. Here are six 2030s who impressed at Bloomington Kennedy.    [player_tooltip player_id='1598998' first='Ava' last='Kirchoff'] — 2030 Guard, [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] 2030 Bjorgaard   The Woodbury 8th grader (pictured above) is a player we've been watching for a couple of years now, first impressing us while playing the Royals varsity squad last winter. With the AAU season now in full swing, Kirchoff looks ready to take her game to the next level. At the Spring Showdown, the 5'6 guard was highly impactful on both ends of the floor. On defense Ava brought her usual fiery, competitive spirit. She locked down her opponents on the perimeter, overwhelming them with her quick hands and unrelenting intensity. On the other end, the [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] point guard pushed the pace in transition, feeding the ball to her teammates with high-velocity passes, and finishing off of two feet on drives to the rim. She finished the weekend with 42 points across four games.   Sophia Hernandez — 2030 Guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] 2030 Yellow    After playing a key role in the varsity rotation at Visitation this winter, Hernandez is off to a strong start to the AAU season. The 5'3 point guard showed off her abilities as a floor general over the weekend, making smart passes to her teammates and keeping a tight handle on the ball under pressure. When looking to score, Sophia got downhill with ease, blowing by defenders with a lightning quick first step and crafty footwork. When the ball wasn't in her hands, the highly competitive [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] guard spaced the floor well, making quick cuts to the basket and finding openings in the defense. On the other end of the floor, Hernandez brought a high degree of intensity to her on-ball defense, setting the tone for the rest of her team.    [player_tooltip player_id='1214262' first='Briella' last='DeBoer'] — 2030 Guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] 2030 Yellow   With a strong identity on offense, DeBoer excels at reading her opponents, allowing her to make quick, accurate decisions with the ball. Her keen court awareness and innate feel for the game helps the Bryon 8th grader keep things flowing in the half-court. Briella has a polished outside shot with a quick-trigger release. By maintaining her balance and staying ready to shoot, the 5'7 Fury guard is able to get open looks without much time or space. Whether she's facilitating or looking to score, DeBoer's composed demeanor makes her a reliable, even-keeled threat on the perimeter. Along with creating space for her own looks, Briella excels at finding opportunities for her teammates as well. The consistency and versatility DeBoer shows makes her a vital player for the Fury 2030 Yellow squad.   Stella Stiernagle — 2030 Guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] 2030 Yellow   A secret weapon on the defensive end, Stiernagle is a spunky, energetic competitor. The Southwest Christian 8th grader brings a high level of intensity to the defensive end, leaving her opponents uncomfortable with the ball in their hands. Stella plays with a real sense of urgency, allowing her to capitalize on her opponents mistakes and win the ball. Also a standout performer on the lacrosse field, the [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] guard is quick, fierce, and always ready to get the basketball out of her rival's hands and advance it in transition.. Beyond just forcing mistakes, she excels in transitioning from defense to offense and creates opportunities on the other end for her team. Stella's defensive presence sets the tone, ignites momentum, and makes her a pivotal asset when she's on the floor.     Kinsley Burnison — 2030 Wing/Forward, Enterprise Elite 2030   Standing somewhere around 5'11 with a long, wiry build, it doesn't take long for Burnison to stand out on the court. She's athletic and bouncy, plays hard on both ends of the floor, uses her length to block shots and force turnovers on defense, and consistently keeps her head on a swivel, allowing her to make heads-up plays on broken possessions. At the Spring Showdown, the St. Michael-Albertville 8th grader did all of that and more. Kinsley got her hands in the passing lanes, spaced the floor in transition, and wasn't afraid to play physical on the defensive end. Burnison is yet another player with collegiate potential on coach Betty Trull's up-and-coming Enterprise Elite squad.    [player_tooltip player_id='1124545' first='Amelia' last='Truty'] – 2030 Guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] 14U EYBL    Coming off scoring 63 points atthe Midwest Kickoff Classic, Truty's offense is best on the 3-point arc. Her quick release, textbook shot, plus her consistent readiness to shoot, makes the Rochester Lourdes point guard a dangerous threat along the perimeter. She can capitalize on her shot on even the smallest window, which makes her a dependable player to give the ball to when a bucket is needed. With a natural scoring instinct, Amelia continues to prove her consistency from long range, along with her footwork on both ends of the court. The [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] 14U EYBL standout gave another high-octane offensive performance this weekend, leading the top 17U division in the tournament while playing three years up.   PGH intern Paxyn Rendahl contributed to these evaluations.

The 17th Annual Spring Showdown came with plenty of close finishes, high-scoring performers, and entertaining matchups across each age group. Prep Girls Hoops intern, Paxyn Rendahl, and I spent the weekend aiming to find another batch of 8th graders making a name for themselves on the AAU circuit this spring. Whether high-level varsity performers or prospects we watched for the first time, we found plenty of players who showed out this weekend. Here are six 2030s who impressed at Bloomington Kennedy.