The Expo: Team 8 evaluations

After covering our series of Prep Girls Hoops events all month long, 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 have been breaking down our evaluations one team at a time. Here is Team 8.    Craddock (pictured above) was a fresh face for us at The Expo. The 5'7 guard was quick to make an impact for Team 8, using her speed and hustle to sprint ahead in transition and finish with easy buckets at the rim. In the halfcourt, Lamya excelled at handling the ball under pressure, finding openings in the defense, and getting to the lane with an explosive burst. The Park Center junior finished consistently in the 4-6 foot range, using a variety of floaters and finger rolls to create space for her shot. On the defensive end Craddock stayed in the mix at all times. She was aggressive on the perimeter and rebounded remarkably well for a player of her size.     Jackson did a lot of things well on Sunday. Standing at 5'9, the lengthy guard used her size to her advantage on defense. Molly was active on the perimeter and highly aggressive when fighting for rebounds down low. On offense the Roseville senior kept it simple, sticking to the things that she does best. Jackson saw the floor well from the top of the key, made smart passes, took confident shots from the perimeter, and crashed hard for easy second chance points. While she may not necessarily be the star of the show for Roseville this season, the Raiders have a highly effective glue player on their hands. D3 coaches should be paying attention to Jackson this winter.     Bruns was easily one of the smallest players in the gym on Sunday, but that certainly didn't stop her from making a big impact for Team 8. Standing at just 5'2, Kinley's biggest attributes are her work ethic and her speed. Both of those elements of her game were apparent on the defensive end, where the Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop junior was relentless in her pursuit of the ball. She stayed active on the perimeter at all times, allowing her to pressure her opponents, generate deflections, and create transition scoring opportunities for her team. In the half-court offense, it was her consistent three-point shooting that stood out. Already a high level performer for GFW, Bruns will be crucial for the Firebirds this season.     Following a dominant summer with Sanford 16U Grey, Danks came into The Expo looking to make her mark. Long, athletic, and light on her feet, the 5'10 guard stood out early during the 3-on-3 competition. Josie spaced the floor consistently, made quick, explosive cuts to the rim, and showcased a smooth, high-arcing release on her three-point shot. Later, during 5-on-5 play, she continued to impress with aggressive downhill drives to the basket and her willingness to embrace physicality on the defensive end. In her sophomore season at Pipestone, Danks averaged 6.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4.4 steals per game for the Arrows. This season we suspect she'll be able to take things up another notch.     Shortly after representing her home town in the Nickle Dickle 3-on-3 tournament, Carlson gave a strong performance at the Expo. The Waconia junior was quick to demonstrate a strong understanding of the game, making smart plays and heads-up passes all afternoon. On offense Emma took care of the basketball, maintaining control under pressure and recognizing when the defense was closing in. The 5'8 guard didn't force anything, and found plenty of open shots from beyond the arc. Fundamentally sound in all areas of the game, Carlson certainly has the potential to contribute in the Wildcats varsity rotation in her upcoming junior season.     Boll's game has taken another big leap since we last wrote about her in January. At The Expo on Sunday the Southwest Christian forward played with more confidence than we've seen previously. Nora displayed her end-to-end quickness, ability to alter shots in the paint, and was highly aggressive on the defensive glass. While her game isn't the most polished yet, the 5'11 post plays with a level of energy that can't be taught. After averaging 5.7 points for the Stars as a sophomore, Nora is likely to be a key piece for Southwest Christian this season. Some patience may be required here, but we think that Boll's long-term development is going to be worth the wait.

After covering our series of Prep Girls Hoops events all month long, 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 have been breaking down our evaluations one team at a time. Here is Team 8.