The Expo: Team 3 evaluations, part 1

After covering our series of Prep Girls Hoops showcase events all month, this week we're wrapping things up with our coverage of the PGH Minnesota Expo, which was held at Maple Grove Middle School on Sunday. The 60-plus players in the gym were all there for different reasons. Some returning from injury, some looking to prove themselves against tough competition, and others hoping to be seen for the first time. Whatever the reason may be, these juniors and seniors came to play. PGH scouts Grant McGinnis, Tony Ragulen, and I will be breaking down our evaluations one team at a time. Here is Team 3, part 1.    Finding players like Petro is exactly why we do what we do. Despite injuries and hardships, this is a player who has clearly put the work in and plays the game the right way. With a tight handle on the ball, the ability to play with pace and score at all three levels, the 5'7 guard (pictured above) jumped out at us right away on Sunday. Every play Audriana made was silky smooth. Her jumper is textbook, she elevates with ease, and she can create space for herself off the bounce. Even more impressive was her defense. The Armstrong senior moves well laterally, has a strong understanding of the game, and is highly disciplined on each possession. Petro is a must-see for Division 3 coaches in need of a versatile, two-way guard.     Hoheisel showed some great flashes at The Expo. Long, lanky, and incredibly bouncy, the 5'9 guard has a deep bag of tricks down low. Throughout the day we saw Peyton pull off step-throughs, Euro-steps, and reverse layups with relative ease. The Elk River junior's length came in handy, particularly in transition where Peyton sprints the floor and uses her long arms to catch passes that most players can't reach, allowing for easy buckets for Team 3. While she wasn't necessarily the most polished player in the gym, it's clear that the [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] guard is just scratching the surface of some legitimate college potential. We'll certainly be watching Hoheisel again in the future.     While she may have been one of the smaller players on the court, Kalstabakken made plenty of impact at The Expo. The 5'4 guard stood out early in the day thanks to her speed, strong fundamental skillset, and ability to stop on a dime for a pull-up jumper in the midrange. During 5-on-5 play, Amelia's motor and work ethic were evident on the defensive end. The Rosemount junior played hard on the perimeter, and consistently made contact to box-out after the shot went up. On the other end of the floor, Kalstabakken showcased a quick release on her three-point shot, allowing her to get open looks without needing much time or space.     Pike made a number of great plays for Team 3 on Sunday. Stocky and strong, the 5'6 guard doesn't necessarily pass the eye test at first glance, but she quickly made up for that fact with her effectiveness on both ends of the court. On defense, Summer was consistently the first player to meet the ball on drives to the rim. She stayed aware in help-side, stepped up, and walled up down low, using her body to protect the rim. On the other end of the floor, the Waconia junior knew where to be at all times. Pike spaced the floor, was aggressive on the boards, and used her strength to muscle her way to the rim on more than one occasion.

After covering our series of Prep Girls Hoops showcase events all month, this week we're wrapping things up with our coverage of the PGH Minnesota Expo, which was held at Maple Grove Middle School on Sunday. The 60-plus players in the gym were all there for different reasons. Some returning from injury, some looking to prove themselves against tough competition, and others hoping to be seen for the first time. Whatever the reason may be, these juniors and seniors came to play. PGH scouts Grant McGinnis, Tony Ragulen, and I will be breaking down our evaluations one team at a time. Here is Team 3, part 1.