First impressions: South Dakota 2027s, part 2

Watching Peters at the Midwest Kickoff Classic, it became obvious pretty quickly why the Sanford 17U White guard has had so much success of the conference MVP, 1,000-point scorer variety. The 5'8 junior plays with speed, toughness, and a nonstop competitive edge that jumps out at you immediately. Watching more of her on video simply reinforces the impression. Rylee can get downhill in a hurry, attacks the rim aggressively, and shoots the basketball at a high level. Peters also brings real intensity defensively, using her quickness and anticipation to pile up steals and create chaos. What stood out most, though, was her motor and work rate. She competes incredibly hard, plays with purpose, and looks like the type of player coaches can trust. Add in athleticism and high IQ, and there's a lot to like.

Judging from her film, Heinje is one of those small-school standouts who simply knows how to play the game. The 5'10 forward has a complete package and impacts winning in just about every possible way. She shoots it beautifully from deep with a smooth, confident release, but she's equally comfortable attacking the mid-range, rebounding, creating for teammates, or forcing turnovers defensively. Heinje plays with intensity and energy on every possession, and her basketball IQ really shines through. She makes smart reads, understands spacing, and consistently puts herself in position to succeed. The production speaks for itself – 20 points, 10 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game – but it's the feel for the game and competitive edge that make her special.

Watching McCallum's film, the first thing that grabs your attention is her length and how effectively she uses to make life miserable for opponents. The 6-foot forward seems to get a hand on everything – deflections, rebounds, loose balls, blocked shots. She moves extremely well and and gets up and down the floor with pace. That's valuable on both sides of the ball. McCallum also plays with a strong team-first mentality which seems to permeate the game here. Claire does the little things, hustles constantly, rebounds with purpose, and understands how to impact a game whether she has the basketball in her hands or not. Offensively, she catches the ball naturally on the move and finishes fluidly around the basket. I think there's a lot of upside here.

Watching Oakley on film, it's easy to see why she's been such an important piece for Parkston since middle school. A little undersized for her position at 5'9, she competes effectively thanks to a relentless motor and a polished understanding of the game that allows her to make a difference on pretty much every possession. Keeara rebounds extremely well, consistently putting herself in the right spots and attacking the ball with purpose. She can score inside or step outside to hurt defenses from the perimeter, and she moves really well, too. Defensively, she anticipates well and creates turnovers with active hands and smart positioning. Add in the leadership qualities, toughness, and overall athleticism, and she looks like a player coaches will enjoy having in the fold.

Bordewyk is the type of player I never get tired of watching. She's got tremendous natural abilities and feel for the game but she has clearly put in the work to leverage those gifts into a buffet of basketball offerings. Braylee just seems to make things happen. The combo guard plays with tremendous energy and confidence, constantly attacking gaps, creating space, and finding ways to score. She's an outstanding shooter with quick mechanics and a smooth release, whether in catch-and-shoot situations or creating off the bounce for herself. What really stood out on video, though, was her explosiveness. Bordewyk has a super-quick first step that leaves defenders flat-footed and allows her to slip through traffic to the rim. She's also crafty, physical, and smart with the basketball. The production is impressive (19 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists per game), but so are the instincts and competitive fire that drive everything she does. Bottom line? Braylee is a player!