HVL-TRC Showdown report: Top 5 freshmen

Prep Girls Hoops has worked hard to cultivate a network of people across the state who are always on the lookout for young talent. When they see an emerging prospect they let us know, which is exactly what happened Saturday at the HVL-TRC Showdown in Rochester. The tip came early in the day: “You need to watch the two 9th graders from Stewartville, Strum and Steele. They are going to be really good.” Eight hours later I had seen the aforementioned youngsters for myself while having reached a similar conclusion. Yes, Strum and Steele are going to be very good. They certainly were on the day as Stewartville defeated Dover-Eyota 55-50 in a thriller that capped off the seven-game event at the Mayo Civic Center, a showcase that featured contests between teams from the Hiawatha Valley League and their counterparts from the Three Rivers Conference. <strong>Hailey Strum</strong> and <strong>Keeley Steele</strong> were among the top 5 freshman who stood out the most on Saturday. Here are the 9th graders we liked best in Rochester. <strong>Hailey Strum – freshman guard, Stewartville</strong> Strum was, far and away, the top freshman performer She's tiny – only 5'1 – with a thin frame, but that didn't seem to matter a lick, even against a strong, physical opponent. Hailey is a crafty guard with very quick feet and equally quick hands that make her a disruptive defender. She is an intelligent player with a high level of confidence. The most impressive aspect of Strum's game was her poise and toughness. With the game on the line, the ball was in Strum's hands and she did what she was supposed to do with it. Hailey sparked a 10-2 Stewartville run in the late stages of the game. When it was over, the Southern Minnesota Fury 2023 player was the primary topic of conversation among observers. Strum is Stewartville's second-leading scorer at 10.8 points per game, behind only senior guard <strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/lily-welch/">Lily Welch</a></strong>. She finished with 15 on Saturday, the same number she scored against Byron. She had an 11-point game on opening night versus Albany and another 11 at Kenyon-Wanamingo. Add it all together and it has been a great start to the season for Strum, who could emerge as one of the top players in Southeastern Minnesota. Pray for a growth spurt! <strong>Keeley Steele – freshman guard, Stewartville</strong> Steele's performance on Saturday was not quite as dramatic as her teammate's, but she played a big role in the Stewartville victory with major minutes and a solid run of play. Steele is bigger than Strum – about 5'5 with a thicker build and more advanced physical development. She showed a quality, all-around skill set. Like Steele, Strum played with confidence, firing hard passes around the perimeter and looking every bit like she belonged with the older girls. Also a member of Southern Minnesota Fury 2023, Steele is contributing nearly 6 ppg, which is top 5 on the team, with a high game of 9 versus Kenyon-Wanamingo. Stewartville has a very nice thing going, with huge numbers of players in their program at all ages, and clearly Steele and Strum will form the squad's backbone over the next four years. <strong>Natalie Dykes – freshman forward, Zumbrota-Mazeppa</strong> Bigs are difficult to find, but Zumbrota-Mazeppa coach Andy Bromelling has certainly located a good one. Dykes is a big, powerful forward. Listed at 6'1, with a sizeable frame, Dykes is already a presence inside. Although Natalie's skills are a little raw at this point, she showed us good mobility and a ton of potential. She has also proven already that she knows what is required to put the ball in the basket. Dykes is averaging 10.8 points per game – that's second-best on the team to MSU-Mankato commit <strong><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ali-hunstad/">Ali Hunstad</a></strong> – with a high of 18 against Kasson-Mantorville and 13 in a win at St. Charles. Add it all up and you have a solid prospect who is only going to get better. <strong>Aubrey Akervik – freshman guard, Byron</strong> Akervik is long and lean, perhaps 5'8 or so. The first thing I noticed about her was Aubrey's exceptional lateral movement while defending the perimeter as she was able to stay one step ahead of the player with the ball while guarding on the outside. It wasn't a surprise to learn after the game, therefore, that she is a soccer player of some note. Makes sense given the importance of footwork on the pitch. She's got a big wingspan, combined with a nice overall set of skills, and that bodes well for the future. Aubrey played a lot of minutes for Byron. She made some freshman mistakes, but that's not unexpected, and it seems likely that she will step into a more prominent role next year following the graduation of senior guard <strong>Courtney Connelly</strong>. Aubrey is a work in progress but I like the long-term possibilities. <strong>Tori Miller – freshman guard, Goodhue</strong> The name Miller is synonymous with the Goodhue girls basketball program, and for that head coach Josh Wieme is thankful. The latest is freshman Tori Miller, who showed us on Saturday that she has the tools to be a big contributor for the Wildcats. Who knows if she'll live up to the 2,000+ point career of <strong>Mikayla Miller</strong>, or the exploits of Joy Miller in the previous generation, but this Miller is certainly off to a good start. Goodhue plays a team game with a whole lot of moving parts. Tori is one cog in a well-oiled wheel but she is doing more than her fair share. Miller has a good frame, and ample athleticism, and plays the game with poise and maturity. She has scored consistently through Goodhue's 8-1 start, putting up between 7 and 11 points in every game. We look forward to watching the latest Miller continue to get better. <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><em>Top photo: Stewartville has had plenty of success this year, both in and out of the high school season. (Photo courtesy of Breakdown Sports USA)</em></span>