Winter Rankings Update: 2023 newcomers to see

It’s never too late to make a great impression. Heading into their final summer of AAU competition, followed by their senior year of high school, Minnesota’s Class of 2023 has seen a number of later bloomers step up this winter. We’ve added 10 of them to the Prep Girls Hoops 2023 rankings in our winter update. Here’s the rundown on the newcomers. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-284685" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/05/Jacee-Hauser.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> <strong>#182 –</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="389635" first="Jacee" last="Hauser"] <strong>– forward, Detroit Lakes</strong> The 5’10 stretch 4 played the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit last summer with West Central United and her performances got stronger as the summer progressed. We’d seen Jacee do great stuff in high school but the Circuit gave her the opportunity to prove herself against a higher level of competition and she did very well. Hauser is a lights-out shooter with great mechanics, a quick release and tons of range. With a big body and plenty of strength she is also a presence in the post at both ends of the floor. Jacee has a high basketball IQ, sees the floor really well and is an excellent communicator. She’s also a strong defender who anticipates well and gets a ton of steals as a result.  Hauser puts in the work and is only going to get better. <strong>#183 –</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="389636" first="Madeline" last="Guetzkow"] <strong>– guard, Mayer Lutheran</strong> The 6-footer is long and lean and mobile. With an advanced skill set, terrific court vision, and excellent understanding of the game, Madeline has had a very good year for the 22-3 Crusaders where she is averaging about 12 points and 5 rebounds per game. Guetzkow is a lefty who can shoot it. She gets to the rim with ease from both sides of the court and can finish with either hand. Madeline also gets up and down the floor at pace and is usually looking up. She is a more-than-capable defender who employs her length well, both inside and out on the perimeter. I think we are a little bit late to the party on Guetzkow, who made all-state in volleyball. This summer she’ll play with Crossfire Blue Star and it won’t be a surprise if she vaults up the rankings quickly. <strong>#184 –</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="361969" first="Molly" last="Bills"] <strong>– guard, LaCrescent</strong> The 5’9 guard set a school record last season for most three-pointers in a single campaign with 54 triples while averaging about 15 points per game. That’s not surprising since Bills is one of the state’s premier shooters. She knows how to create space for herself and has unbelievable range from way beyond the arc. If the opening is there, Molly is going to let it fly. You have to love that kind of confidence! This year Bills has also been getting to the rim a lot more often. She has put in a ton of work on her own to develop a more complete set of skills and it shows. Defensively she uses her length well and at the Class 2A level is able to guard all five positions. She plays AAU for the Wisconsin Playmakers. <strong>#190 –</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="389642" first="Cali" last="Esser"] <strong>– guard, LaCrescent</strong> Much like her teammate Molly, Cali has been a well-kept secret until now. Toiling away way down in the southeast corner of the state, the 5’4 guard has quietly been establishing herself as a player to pay attention to. She’s not very big but Esser makes a big impact on the game. Cali has nice handles – she’s adept with either hand – good athleticism, and a high basketball IQ. She sees the floor very well, knows where to send the ball, and knows when to send it there. She can also score the basketball. Last season, while averaging about 17 ppg, Esser set a school record for most points in a single game with 37. That’s legit! Cali is a very good outside shooter but also gets to the rim at high frequency. She, too, will summer with the Playmakers. <strong>#186 –</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="389638" first="Marley" last="Wheeler"] <strong>– forward, Foley</strong> We saw Marley in person for the first time this winter at the Granite City Classic during the Christmas break. At 5’10, with nice length and an excellent build for basketball, Wheeler is the sort of player who immediately catches your attention when she steps on the court. She’s athletic, has good speed and quickness, and plays with an air of confidence. Marley is also quite crafty. She showed us a couple of nice spin moves, a good mid-range jumper, and the ability to get up and over defenders. Defensively she is pretty smart, too, and isn’t at all shy about making contact as necessary. That, of course, has helped her become a nice rebounder, too. We’d love to see what she can do in AAU ball but that’s probably not in the cards. <strong>5 MORE NEWCOMERS OF NOTE</strong> There were five more players added to the 2023 prospect rankings in the winter update. We’ll highlight more about their particular abilities down the road. #181 – [player_tooltip player_id="389634" first="Sophia" last="Rahn"] –  5’8 guard, Red Wing #185 – [player_tooltip player_id="389637" first="Abby" last="Panka"] – 5’11 power forward, Marshall #187 – [player_tooltip player_id="389639" first="Elizabeth" last="Pierce"] – 5’9 guard, Holy Angels #188 – [player_tooltip player_id="389640" first="Paige" last="West"] – 5’5 guard, Lake City #189 – [player_tooltip player_id="389641" first="Jacey" last="Majerus"] – 5’4 guard, Lake City