The Fall Exclusive: Week 1 standouts
I didn’t know what quite to expect when I set out to cover the Fall Exclusive for the first time Friday night at Bloomington Kennedy. I had some reservations about 6th graders competing on the same court with girls that are finally getting their feet wet as freshman in high school. You know size, strength, experience, etc. That all went out the window pretty quickly as a host of young guns set out to earn some respect and put their names on the map. I have a mix of players here ranging from 6th through 9th grade that made my jaw drop and scratch my bald dome in amazement. Here are five players who stood out to me Friday night in the Fall Exclusive kickoff hosted by Prep Girls Hoops and Jr. All-Star.
Jazmine Daing – 2027 guard, Rochester John Marshall
Girls basketball in Minnesota gets better and better every year and it’s players like Daing (top photo) leading the charge. The first thing I noticed about Daing was the enthusiasm with which she plays. It’s generally difficult to get kids of any age or gender to talk on the court, but Jazmine was communicating all over the place whether it was encouraging teammates from her Tommies squad to shoot or just calling out who she was guarding. Notice I have not mentioned her wide array of basketball ability, which there is an abundance of. One quick dribble from the wing and Daing was at the rim finishing over the top or through contact. She handles the ball with ease and has a pretty outside shot to go along with it. The future is bright with players like Daing helping to lead the charge.
Phaley Yang – 2025 guard, East Ridge
Yang impresses me every time I watch her play, and Friday night was no exception. It’s usually tough to get girls to step out of their comfort zones in a pickup basketball types of settings, but Yang had no problem taking charge and leading her Tommies teammates as if they’d had a few practices together. She continuously puts pressure on the defense with her ability to get two feet in the paint to create opportunities for herself or her teammates if the defense over-commits. Her pick-and-roll game is fun to watch when she’s dropping pretty pocket passes to rolling teammates for easy buckets. She’s slight in her frame but had no qualms taking the rock to the bucket for her patent scoop layup fading away from the basket.
Chloe Johnson – 2028 guard, Duluth Marshall
Johnson is actually a 6th grader that I’ve had the pleasure of hearing about for a few months now.(I know I’m late to the CJ game) Dyami Starks of Starks Elite AAU sent me a highlight video of her putting in work and I refused to believe she was only in 6th grade. I finally got to see the product up close and personal with her running the show for her Coyotes squad and she did not disappoint. She has size and length standing at 5’7, and if her teenage brother (he had to be at least 6’3) is any indication, she’s not nearly done growing. Johnson was unselfish in moments where if she took the shot no one would have batted an eye, but those are the plays that get your teammates to buy in and allow you to lead. She crashed the boards with vigor and finished at the rim with both hands. In transition on Friday night she threw pinpoint passes from half court that you just aren’t supposed to be able to make at her age. Just like Daing, Johnson is helping to carry the torch.
Vienna Murray – 2026 guard, Tartan
I jumped on the Vienna Murray train about a month ago after watching her working out with Marqus McGlothan of DTA Academy. There were girls 3-4 years older at the training session and while she wasn’t dominating, she was not intimidated or afraid to compete. Those trials and tribulations are the reason she was a standout performer Friday night. She’s long and lean and plays the game at her own pace. Murray was locked on automatic Friday night as it seemed like she couldn’t miss from beyond the arc for her Bison team. When she wasn’t knocking down trey balls, she was back-dooring her opponent for the hoop and the harm. Vienna is another star in the making shining bright.
Chloe Feldman – 2025 guard, Wayzata
Feldman is the definition of a gym rat. She loves to hoop and never misses an opportunity to compete. She was running the show for the Pioneers Friday night and dazzled the crowd with her crafty ball handling and Lisa Leslie-type footwork in the paint. Yes, she only stands 5’4 but what she lacks in height she more than makes up for with her savviness and shiftiness. She’s always smiling even when things don’t go her way. Chloe is just fun to watch and I’m sure she’ll continue to put on a show for the next three weeks of the Fall Exclusive.