Saving the best for last at the Spring Showdown

By mid-afternoon on Sundays during AAU season, fatigue usually sets in after 15 to 20 hours of watching basketball and we're ready to hit the road. Not this week. As soon as the Spring Showdown schedule was released, we had the 4:40 p.m. matchup circled: [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] 2030 EYBL vs. [program_tooltip program_id='718403' first='Minnesota' last='Freeze'] 2027. It was a compelling contrast – elite 8th graders, many already projecting as Division 1 college prospects, against one of the most consistent and battle-tested groups of incoming seniors in the state. The game delivered in every way.   From start to finish, the action was fast and physical. The intensity was off the charts. The crowd was wound tight, and the officials felt it. This was AAU basketball with an edge. In the end, it was Rochester Lourdes guard [player_tooltip player_id='1124545' first='Amelia' last='Truty'] who stole the show in a 72–59 [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] win. The game swung back and forth throughout before tilting in Tartan's favor in the second half, as Truty answered every Freeze flurry. More often than not, that answer came in the form of a smooth corner three – nothing but net.   Coming off a stellar high school season in which she averaged 20 points per game, the shifty 8th grader is off to a strong AAU start. She entered the game averaging over 15 points per contest and quickly surpassed that. I lost track somewhere around 30, and she kept scoring. Truty finished 8-for-9 from three and was excellent across the board. The tournament app credited her points elsewhere, but there's little doubt she led the division in scoring. [player_tooltip player_id='999549' first='Anna' last='Smolich'] (Spring Lake Park) of the Freeze finished the weekend in second place with 53 points after a 16-point effort Sunday. [player_tooltip player_id='764180' first='Anna' last='Smelser'] (Armstrong) added 19 in this one and totaled 44 for the weekend.   Despite a clear advantage in strength and experience, the Freeze couldn't slow down one of the most talented incoming freshman groups we've seen in years. Many names are already familiar: [player_tooltip player_id='1090086' first='Shea' last='Watkins'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1090085' first='Georgia' last='Watkins'] (Minnehaha Academy), [player_tooltip player_id='1256277' first='Tenlee' last='Egan'] (St. Michael-Albertville), [player_tooltip player_id='1243842' first='Mara' last='Segerstrom'] (Prior Lake), [player_tooltip player_id='1559037' first='Kali' last='Schultz'] (Delano) and more.   [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan']'s EYBL teams are built from the top of the talent pool, stocked with players who have D1 written all over them. Some are already into the recruiting cycle; the rest should be in the next year or two. The Freeze, by contrast, are a group of committed, hard-working players carving out their own path. Several – Smelser, Smolich, and <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/maiya-slusarczyk/">Maiya Slusarczyk </a>of St. Michael-Albertville – could make it to D2 while the rest are well-positioned for strong D3 opportunities.   What stands out about this 2027 Freeze group  is continuity. There's been no roster turnover from last season and very little in recent years. That speaks to the culture built by coach and club director Nate Lindholm, who consistently gets the most out of his players and molds them into a cohesive, competitive unit. They didn't get the win Sunday, but this collection of juniors are winners in every way.   Speaking of elite 8th graders, PGH scout Ally McGinnis, along with intern Paxyn Rendahl, who played recently at St. Scholastica, were focused heavily on the Class of 2030 for the second weekend in a row. They'll have more detailed coverage of the 8th graders this week. Early impressions? The Class of 2030 is deep, athletic, and possibly the tallest collection of talent in recent memory.   Sister Sister   [player_tooltip player_id='1829998' first='Lauren' last='Sweep'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1830027' first='Lydia' last='Sweep'] –  [program_tooltip program_id='713023' first='West' last='Central Wildcats']   We were watching a game on Saturday afternoon at Bloomington Kennedy when a lengthy 8th grader on the adjacent court caught our eye. For the next 30 minutes or so, that's firmly where our focus was. Lauren is a 2030 forward from West Central Area High School, which is about 30 minutes drive west of Alexandria. Although relatively inexperienced, Sweep's potential was immediately obvious. Already pushing 6 feet, she showed good mobility and ran the floor well. Her lateral movement is good. Her ability to employ a rather ample wingspan while defending on-ball was impressive. Her feel for the game and on-court vision were quite advanced. All of it was worthy of more attention. Then one of the parents watching the Wildcats mentioned that Lauren had an older sister who was 6'2 and a strong varsity player. Noted.   On Sunday we located [player_tooltip player_id='1830027' first='Lydia' last='Sweep'], a really intriguing 10th grader playing one year up on the Wildcats' 17U squad. Watching Lydia was like watching a more polished version of her sister. Similar movement. Similar feel for the game. And the ability to score the basketball in a variety of ways. Lydia put up 44 points for the tournament. On Sunday we saw Lauren score 15 in a 38-37 win over [program_tooltip program_id='713291' first='Minnesota' last='Nice'].   Stay tuned because we will be watching the Sweep sisters in the weeks ahead.   Other newcomers we'll watch again   [player_tooltip player_id='1280973' first='Miley' last='Sikkink'] – We loved the 2029 guard from the [program_tooltip program_id='718403' first='Minnesota' last='Freeze'] when we saw her at tryouts last summer. The multi-sport athlete from Princeton has a big frame and more strength than the average freshman. At the Spring Showdown we saw her leave a game early with a bloody nose – elbows up as they say in Canada! – but come back to compete again. She is by no means a finished product but there's a lot there.   [player_tooltip player_id='1280971' first='Sydney' last='Taylor'] – Sikkink's [program_tooltip program_id='718403' first='Minnesota' last='Freeze'] teammate absolutely lit it up this weekend. She had performances of 19, 20 and 29 points to top the scoring in the 2029 White Division with a 30-point cushion. Hailing from Concordia Academy in Roseville where she was the Beacons' leading scorer this season, Taylor is a crafty competitor who plays with an edge. She, too, made a beeline for the trainer at one point but returned to the fray to score more buckets.   Harper Waldoch – We were intrigued by the 2030 guard from [program_tooltip program_id='712689' first='Minnesota' last='Heat'] Stavig when we watched. She has nice size with the kind of build that will serve her well as she moves up the ladder. We liked how she handled the basics: she boxed out, rebounded well, competed for 50-50 balls. Her feet are quick enough to guard the perimeter, too. With a good first impression, Harper found her way onto our “Watch Again” list. We think she's from Forest Lake but that's unconfirmed.   [player_tooltip player_id='1829995' first='Cora' last='Lancaster'] – While there's clearly a ton of height in Minnesota's Class of 2030, we don't know enough about the 2031s to say how their height measures up. I'd be surprised if there's anyone in 7th grade taller than Cora, who plays for Minnesota Elite, a club we aren't familiar with We didn't get a chance to ask questions – can't even tell you where she's from I'm sorry to say –  but my best educated guess would have her at 6'3 or 6'4 already. She's long and thin and remarkably coordinated for that size at that age. We've sent a message to the club seeking more information.

By mid-afternoon on Sundays during AAU season, fatigue usually sets in after 15 to 20 hours of watching basketball and we're ready to hit the road. Not this week. As soon as the Spring Showdown schedule was released, we had the 4:40 p.m. matchup circled: North Tartan 2030 EYBL vs. Minnesota Freeze 2027. It was a compelling contrast – elite 8th graders, many already projecting as Division 1 college prospects, against one of the most consistent and battle-tested groups of incoming seniors in the state. The game delivered in every way.