Freshman 50: Meet the other Top 20 prospects

Healthy debate. That's usually the tone of the discussions as we assemble the Prep Girls Hoops Freshman 50, especially when the topic is the Top 10. After all, it's an especially big honor to be included among the best 10 prospects in any particular grade. In reality, though, there might be even more lively conversations this time over who should comprise the rest of the Top 20. Fortunately, we reached a conclusion a few days ago. While many others could have taken up residence in the Top 20 (the margin between #15 and #25 this time is slim), here are the official selections for Minnesota's Class of 2028.   Just a reminder that Prep Girls Hoops ranks players on their merit as COLLEGE PROSPECTS, not their current level of performance as high school players. That's a big difference. You can learn more about the process by clicking the <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/how-we-rank/">How We Rank</a> tab under ‘Rankings' at the top of the page.    #11 – Peyton might hail from one of the state's smallest high schools but she is a big-time basketball prospect in every way. In fact, she is one of the most sizeable, strongest power forwards in the Class of 2028, a post-sized competitor with a variety of guard-like skills. She can own the territory down low or step outside and bury it from distance. In high school she scores at will; in AAU she showed she could be just as effective at both ends of the floor. Peyton is a strong candidate for Division 1 basketball.     #12 – Amelia is a varsity veteran who already has the poise and experience of much older floor generals. It shows, both in the green uniform of Rochester Mayo and the navy blue of [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan']. She is a do-it-all point guard with a tremendous feel for the game. She is an elite playmaker who knows how to put her teammates in good positions to score. She is a gifted scorer herself (15 points per game as an 8th grader), both off the bounce and from distance. And her defense is much-improved and getting better.     #13 – There are so many similarities between Mills and Moore that it's really a coin flip between the two of them when it comes to rankings. The fact that they are on the same AAU team has created a two-headed monster for opponents. Moore has speed and quickness, great court vision and a natural sense of timing, and she can shoot it with the best of them. Ally has put in a tremendous amount of work to develop a truly elite box of tools, a menagerie of weapons that will serve her well for years to come.       #14 – Briana didn't make it to the PGH Freshman Showcase. Like a few other top 2028s, she was on a visit to UW-Milwaukee that day and didn't have the opportunity to make one final impression before the Freshman 50 was selected. It didn't matter one iota. Over the past two years we have seen Foster evolve into one of the best college prospects in her class, a skilled and athletic guard who checks pretty much every box. She can score, facilitate, defend and lead, and her on-court demeanor is A+.     #15 – It's not easy being the younger sister of two strong college players – Mallory at the University of Minnesota and Aubrey at Bemidji State – but Natalie is giving strong indications that she could turn out to be just as impressive. With tremendous size and length, a nose for the basketball, and a great sense of timing around the rim, she has all the potential in the world. Natalie has the tenacity to be a great rebounder and the touch to score. As she matures, Heyer is going to be a handful.     #16 – When we made the decision to include Maggie in our spring Watch List for the Class of 2028 we obviously felt confident about her long-term potential. We could not have predicted just how good her summer would turn out to be. Joyce's size, athleticism, skills and versatility are all impressive, as is her big motor and strong work ethic. Joyce was the undisputed leader of the 2027 Rise squad. She'll move to the [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] in 2025.     #17 – Entering the summer, we were familiar with Elsa's game from her accomplishments in high school. But small-school basketball and high-level AAU competition are not the same. What Retzlaff proved over the grassroots season is that she can hang with anyone. She's skilled, strong and smart, and never seems to get rattled. One of the most versatile prospects in the class, Elsa checks all the boxes. We picked her among the 10 best prospects in West Central Minnesota. Now she's in the state's Top 20.     #18 – Caelyn had a cup of coffee on a strong STMA varsity squad last winter but she's about to grab an extra large mug of dark roast in the months ahead. Foster's growth as a player has been remarkable, a trend that continued at the Freshman Showcase where she drove home her potential as a top-flight prospect. With length, skill, speed and touch, the big guard has the physical tools to be a scholarship-level player and she's just getting started.     #19 – Baptism by fire. That's what Quinn went through last winter while navigating the gargantuan task of being a core player on a rebuilding team while still in the 8th grade. The level of competition Kemper faced in the Lake Conference no doubt helped her development because come summer she played like a veteran for the Stars. Kemper is long and graceful, with tremendous body control and touch, both speed and quickness, and a motor than runs hot all day long.      #20 – They say success is what results when preparation and opportunity meet. When [player_tooltip player_id='644878' first='Sahara' last='Wilson'], the 3rd-best prospect in the Class of 2028, was promoted up the [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] hierarchy midway through the AAU season, it opened the door for Ecker to do more. She made the most of her opportunity. Amelia is big and strong and athletic, with the physical tools to dominate down low and the acquired tools to step outside and shoot. Yes, Ecker is still pretty raw but her upside is D1 high.

Healthy debate. That's usually the tone of the discussions as we assemble the Prep Girls Hoops Freshman 50, especially when the topic is the Top 10. After all, it's an especially big honor to be included among the best 10 prospects in any particular grade. In reality, though, there might be even more lively conversations this time over who should comprise the rest of the Top 20. Fortunately, we reached a conclusion a few days ago. While many others could have taken up residence in the Top 20 (the margin between #15 and #25 this time is slim), here are the official selections for Minnesota's Class of 2028.