Perhaps out of sight but definitely not out of mind

<p>Ask college coaches from across the Midwest and beyond about Minnesota’s pool of girls basketball talent and all are likely to tell you the same thing: It’s a deep pool. Very deep. Yet those of us who reside in the Twin Cities metro area miss out on many of the better players because of geography. Come high school tournament time, we get our glimpse of teams like Ada-Borup, Cromwell-Wright or Wheaton-Herman-Norcross, but unless outstate kids participate in AAU summer ball they can be somewhat unknown commodities to us city slickers. At the Breakdown Showcase, I spent much of the day trying to watch those players whose names I had heard but whose games were unfamiliar. With apologies to many others we didn’t get a chance to watch, here are few that made an impact in the 20+ games I saw at least part of on Sunday.</p> <p><strong>Ada-Borup: Kora Kritzberger </strong></p> <p>This 5’9” forward is currently ranked 87th in the class of 2020 but may be on the way up. <strong>Kora Kritzberger</strong> is very strong in the lane and plays much bigger than her size might indicate. On Sunday, she did an admirable job against Lyle-Austin Pacelli’s 6-foot-4 post <strong>Kristi Fett</strong> (committed to DII Mankato) who is obviously a handful inside for any high school player. Kritzberger has nice touch around the rim and is improving in the ball-handling department.</p> <p><strong>Eden Valley-Watkins: Halle Jansen, Olivia Kuechle & Emma Schultz</strong></p> <p>The 5’10” <strong>Halle Jansen</strong>, ranked 78th in the class of 2020, was already an impact player for the Eagles as an 8th grader. Now heading into her sophomore season, her skills have improved a lot. Jansen has a tremendous feel for the game, is a great passer and she can score. It showed on Sunday. <strong>Olivia Kuechle</strong> is a 5’6” combo guard rated 39th among incoming sophomores. She handles and protects the ball well, scores a lot from midrange, and is probably EVW’s best perimeter defender. Finally, <strong>Emma Schultz</strong> is a scorer with a quick first step who summers with Minnesota Comets Elite. She runs the floor well and is a hard worker who makes the hustle plays. Schultz is ranked #61 among 2020s.</p> <p><strong>Rush City: Jamie Guptil & Shawna Mell</strong></p> <p>When you first glance at the court during Rush City’s warmup routine, it’s not difficult to guess which two players just might lead the way in the ensuing game. <strong>Jamie Guptil</strong> is a 6-foot forward who is strong, mobile and athletic. She is a powerful rebounder who can be dominant in that regard on both ends of the floor. She can also knock down a jump shot and defend the perimeter. <strong>Shawna Mell</strong> is a 5’11” power forward who plays much, much bigger. A member of North Tartan 10 EYBL, she can guard any position and works her tail off every time out. I loved watching these two on Sunday and look forward to watching again. <span style="color:black">Rush City probably doesn’t have the horses to get past Sauk Centre in Section 6AA but it could be an intriguing rivalry nevertheless. Guptil and Mell are in the top 100 and rising among 2019s.</span></p> <p><strong>Lac Qui Parle Valley: Kelsea & Macy Lund</strong></p> <p>Lund and Lund could be a good name for a law firm in plenty of Minnesota towns. In the case of Lac Qui Parle Valley High School, however, it’s a sister act and a good one at that. Older sister <strong>Kelsea Lund</strong> is a whirling dervish on the court. She’s just 5’3”, but has the kind of skills and smarts that will enable her to play well at the next level. Lund is a tremendous outside shooter, distributes the ball well, involves her teammates effectively, and is a coach on the floor. Ranked #60 in the class of 2018, Lund is drawing interest from several scholarship-level programs. <strong><span style="color:black">Macy Lund</span></strong><span style="color:black"> is just emerging on the high school basketball scene but the incoming freshman is a talent for sure. A member of Northstar’s 20-player watch list of 8th graders, Lund is a skilled point guard who had 13 points in her first varsity game. She’s quick and athletic and can score from everywhere. </span></p> <p><strong>Wheaton-Herman-Norcross: Emma & Izzy Schmidt</strong></p> <p>If the firm of Lund and Lund can’t do the job for you, perhaps you can roll on over to Wheaton-Herman-Norcross and hire the duo of Schmidt and Schmidt. The Warriors went undefeated in the regular season last year but they are in a tough spot. If they are going to get past perennial power Ada-Borup in Section 6A, then the Schmidt sisters will need to be at their best. Senior <strong>Emma Schmidt</strong> is a member of the Minnesota Comets Elite. She is a quick, savvy point guard who is currently ranked 41st in the class of 2018. Everything runs through Emma on this team, but younger sister <strong>Izzy Schmidt</strong> is certain to be an impact performer, as well. The incoming freshman forward/wing is skilled and smart and has a little more size than her older sister. Izzy is definitely one to watch.</p>