Impactful Freshman Seasons, Which Prospects Could Pull It Off?

<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The official <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/illinois/rankings/2030-rankings/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=rankings-----&utm_term=illinois-2030&utm_content=graphic" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Class of 2030</a><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/illinois/rankings/2030-rankings/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=rankings-----&utm_term=illinois-2030&utm_content=graphic"> rankings</a> are here, and with recruiting changing, the way we evaluate prospects will change with it. For this freshman class, Division I offers will carry most of the weight, especially since offers aren't being handed out as early or as easily as they once were. From there, true college potential, evident skill, size, production within a competitive high school or AAU program, upside, and long-term projection will all be valued. High school stats alone will not hold much weight. These rankings will continue to expand over time, and spots can change due to injuries, new offers, development, or simply other prospects getting better. Below are a couple of prospects that I think could have a strong first season.</h3>    Belleville East will have one of the best returning squads this season, with most of their impactful players entering their junior year. Solomon is another talented piece in this program who could make an impact right away. If she can carve out a good chunk of minutes with the second unit, she could be in for a strong freshman season and give them even more depth than they already have.     Montini has reloaded this year with some strong young talent, and Dye is near the front, if not at the front, of that group. She is a bucket, and at the end of the day, you need players who can put points on the board. She'll bring a different style of scoring that Montini hasn't had in a while, and seeing how the coaching staff utilizes her within their system should be fun to watch. If she earns that starting role and the production follows, she could find herself in the All State conversation, especially with how tough their conference is.     The new look Benet program will be fun to watch, and with a majority of the roster being young talent, there's an opportunity for a lot of these players to earn meaningful minutes. Taylor is one of those players who could find her way into a starting role at some point this season. Beyond her offensive ability, the defense she provides is something you don't always see from younger players. She can disrupt an entire offense with how calculated she is and how much effort she plays with. I've seen multiple chase down blocks from her this summer... She has a different mentality and attitude on that end.     Butler will be in need of a high-tier scorer with a recent roster update, and Bagsby has the skill set to provide that immediately. There's a strong chance she starts this year, and with the way Butler likes to play, their head coach should put her in positions that align with her strengths. She's a crafty scorer who can let it go from beyond the arc, and that can be utilized both on and off the ball. I'm excited to see how much confidence she plays with this year and how quickly that translates to production.     Ameenah is one of my favorite players in this class to watch, and the way she approaches the game is beyond her age. She is a legit two-way threat, and she does not let up on either end. Julian will be a place where she can be herself, figure out her game, and those coaches will give her the freedom to do that. They will go as she goes. The upside with this kid is high, and if a growth spurt comes in the near future, that only adds to it. It wouldn't surprise me at all if she makes a case to move up our list come the next update.