The Week That Was #10: When the underdogs finished on top
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For about an hour on Saturday afternoon Prior Lake’s 56-52 win over Minnetonka at the Breakdown Community Clash looked like it would be the biggest girls basketball story of the week. Until Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence…
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Continue ReadingFor about an hour on Saturday afternoon Prior Lake’s 56-52 win over Minnetonka at the Breakdown Community Clash looked like it would be the biggest girls basketball story of the week. Until Maddyn Greenway Maddyn Greenway 5'8" | PG Providence Academy | 2026 State MN stole the Lakers’ thunder, that is. As you’ve probably heard by now (click here to read about it if you haven’t) Greenway scored 41 points to lead Providence Academy to a stunning victory over Class 4A power Hopkins. Although it’s not quite as newsworthy, Prior Lake’s gigantic step in the right direction is definitely worth a closer look, as well. That’s where we’ll begin our recap of the Week That Was #10.
A TALE OF TWO LAKES
Young but talented. That’s kind of been the descriptor hanging around Prior Lake’s neck from the beginning of the season until now. Coach Maurice Hodges’ first season at the helm of the Lakers’ ship has seen him navigate some choppy waters, but that is to be expected as a new coach in a new situation with a boatload of unfamiliar faces. Some nights the rather gifted group of sailors has looked like it could win the America’s Cup. On other days it has been more like the Poseidon Adventure. On Saturday it was a little of both.
After playing the Minnetonka Skippers even for much of the opening period of play, Prior Lake gave up a 9-0 run in the final three minutes of the half to go into the break trailing 26-17. In the second period ‘Tonka held that margin for about eight minutes but a smooth three-pointer by sophomore wing Bree Bowman Bree Bowman 6'2" | SF Prior Lake | 2025 State MN at the 7:25 mark closed the gap to four. Moments later Bowman made a pair of free throws before Cece McNair Cece McNair 6'2" | PF Prior Lake | 2024 State MN scored a field goal to tie the game at 46-46 with just over 5 minutes remaining.
What was most interesting throughout the half, and especially in the closing minutes, was just how dedicated the Lakers were to defense and just how vocal their bench was about doing so. That’s a big shift. Actually there were two things that changed from the first half to the second. “Sharing the basketball and communication on defense,” Hodges said. “Once you share the basketball and communicate on the other end, and you get some stops, then you start getting some confidence. We are buying into the idea that we have to defend in order to be able to come down on offense and share the ball. Then once you hit some shots it gives you a little more juice when you are defending. It goes hand in hand.”
In the final few minutes Prior Lake scored just two field goals – a three-pointer by Bowman at the 3:04 mark and two-pointer by McNair with 54 seconds to go – but it was enough to hold the lead and earn their 9th victory against 7 losses. Bowman finished the game with 19 points, McNair had 12 and Alaya Carter Alaya Carter 5'8" | CG Prior Lake | 2025 State MN scored 9. Aaliyah Crump Aaliyah Crump 6'1" | SF Minnetonka | 2025 State MN led Minnetonka with 19 while Megan Corkery Megan Corkery 5'4" | CG Minnetonka | 2023 State MN had 14.
“It feels really good,” Hodges said. “Coming into the season we talked about discipline, about playing together. Now we see what we can do once we play together. Now we need to play on the defensive end. We’re young. We don’t have any seniors in our lineup. I’m just proud of them today.”
The evolution of Bowman’s game has played a huge role in the team’s performance this season. She is a Top 10 prospect in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2025 and has several Division 1 college programs interested in her services. Bree is averaging over 12 points per game. McNair is a physical presence in the paint, a handful down low who is hard to stop once she gets position on you. Cece leads the team in scoring at over 15 ppg. Hodges understands just how important those two are for his team. “We’ll go as far,” he said, “as Cece and Bree take us.”
Juniors Anna Van Helden Anna Van Helden 5'11" | PF Prior Lake | 2024 State MN and Julia Thoms Julia Thoms 5'11" | PG Prior Lake | 2024 State MN , and sophomore Anna Trachsel Anna Trachsel 5'7" | CG Prior Lake | 2025 State MN , form a solid starting lineup for the Lakers. Sophomores Alaya Carter Alaya Carter 5'8" | CG Prior Lake | 2025 State MN and Brooklynn Holmberg Brooklynn Holmberg 5'11" | SG Prior Lake | 2025 State MN are both highly touted prospects who bring skill and athleticism off the bench. And then there’s sophomore Josie Horner, who started the season on JV and has clawed her way into an important role playing substantial minutes. It will be interesting to watch how they progress in the remaining weeks of the campaign.
STOCK RISER OF THE WEEK
Ella Frazier Ella Frazier 5'6" | CG Mahtomedi | 2025 State MN – 2025 guard, Mahtomedi
Last Thursday we went to Mahtomedi to see the Zephyrs take on the Polars of North St. Paul, one of the biggest surprises of this high school season. From the opening tip Ella made a big impression with her speed, skill and explosiveness. Defensively she was everywhere, putting pressure on the Polar ball-handlers and forcing them into ill-advised passes. Offensively Ella scored inside and outside, putting up a dozen points by halftime. The biggest improvement we saw from Frazier was playing more under control and not going 100 miles per hour all the time. That comes with maturity, of course, and produces quality results. It’s a huge step forward for this gifted guard.
TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES
Sophomore Gabrielle Fineday Gabrielle Fineday 5'8" | SG Cass Lake-Bena | 2025 State MN of Cass Lake-Bena has had some monster games this season in the 30+ and 40+ neighborhood but the Minnesota Fury guard outdid herself last week. On Tuesday she shattered the CLB single-game scoring record with 58 points in a win over LaPorte. That tied Fineday for the second-highest single-game performance in Minnesota history behind only Prior Lake grad McKenna Hofschild, who is having an outstanding career at Colorado State.
We told you back in the fall that senior guard Karly Holm Karly Holm 5'8" | CG Two Harbors | 2023 State MN of Two Harbors was poised for a breakout season. Last Thursday she made good on that prediction, scoring 46 points in a win over Greenway. The super-athletic Holm played AAU for Starks Elite out of Duluth.
Makadyn Gust Makadyn Gust 5'8" | CG St. Charles | 2024 State MN is a talented multi-sport athlete from St. Charles who has impressed us with her speed, quickness and physicality since we first saw her in the 8th grade. Last week the goalkeeper/softballer/hooper put up 40 points in a 64-53 win over Spring Grove.
On Tuesday St. Cloud State commit Abigail O’Reilly Abigail O’Reilly 6'1" | PF PEM | 2023 State MN of Plainview-Elgin-Millville recorded 39 points, 10 rebounds, 6 steals and 2 assists in a win over Winona Cotter. In the same game Cotter sophomore Clarissa Sauer Clarissa Sauer 5'9" | CG Winona Cotter | 2025 State MN made 7 triples en route to a school-record 36 points along with 10 rebounds and 7 steals.
Also on Tuesday DeLaSalle point guard Aneisha Scott Aneisha Scott 5'6" | PG DeLaSalle | 2025 State MN put up a season-high 30 points in a win over Fridley. The crafty floor general leads the Islanders in scoring at 17 points per game and is the #21-ranked prospect in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2025.
Last week freshman Avery Douglas Avery Douglas 5'5" | PG Swanville | 2026 MN of Swanville earned her way into the PGH Class of 2026 rankings. The third-year varsity veteran also had an outstanding performance against Sebeka, scoring 28 points along with 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.
MILESTONES
Senior guard Adella Olesiak Adella Olesiak 5'6" | SG South Ridge | 2023 State MN leads our parade of players reaching career milestones. It happened a couple of weeks ago but it’s not too late to salute Olesiak for becoming the all-time leading scorer, boys or girls, at South Ridge with 1,789 points. She also earned bragging rights at Thanksgiving dinner because the record was previously held by her sister.
Triton senior Brylee Iverson Brylee Iverson 6'0" | SF Triton | 2023 State MN became the Cobras’ all-time scoring leader, as well. The Southwest Minnesota State commit reached 1,592 points for Triton where she has been an impact varsity performer since middle school. Iverson is a Top 50 senior in Minnesota.
Hannah Compton Hannah Compton 5'8" | CG Legacy Christian | 2023 State MN of Crosby-Ironton reached a milestone of her own, recording the 1,500th point of her high school career in a win over Holdingford. Compton, who played the last several years for Legacy Christian Academy in the Twin Cities, also had a 31-point game against Staples-Motley, a contest in which freshman Tori Oehrlein Tori Oehrlein 5'10" | CG Crosby-Ironton | 2026 State MN put up another double-double with 42 points and 11 rebounds.
Two weeks ago we saw a rare 1,000-point double when Becker seniors Dani Nuest Dani Nuest 5'6" | CG Becker | 2023 State MN (Michigan Tech) and Maren Westin Maren Westin 5'8" | CG Becker | 2023 State MN (UW-Green Bay) both reached the milestone in the same game. Last Monday it happened again when twin sisters Rachel Kottke Rachel Kottke 5'8" | CG Buffalo Lake-H-S | 2024 State MN and Kristi Kottke Kristi Kottke 5'8" | CG Buffalo Lake-H-S | 2024 State MN of Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart both hit the 1,000 mark in a win over Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City.
The daily double struck again 24 hours later. I was in the gym at Glencoe-Silver Lake when New London-Spicer senior Avery Rich recorded her 1,000th point. Later in the game GSL sophomore Mylea Monahan Mylea Monahan 5'7" | CG Glencoe-Silver Lake | 2025 State MN also hit the 1,000 mark.
Grand Rapids junior Jessika Lofstrom Jessika Lofstrom 5'11" | SF Grand Rapids | 2024 State MN reached 1,000 last week in a win over Duluth East, the same game in which Thunderhawks coach Kris Hamling got her 200th win.
Ava Holman Ava Holman 5'9" | CG Champlin Park | 2024 MN of Champlin Park is one of the most skilled sophomores in the state having earned a Top 25 ranking in the Class of 2025. Last week the crafty guard scored the 1,000th point of her outstanding career.
Mounds Park Academy had its second 1,000-point scorer in as many weeks when junior guard Nora Pederson Nora Pederson 5'7" | SG Mounds Park Academy | 2024 State MN hit the mark after her teammate, senior forward Audrey Jakway Audrey Jakway 6'0" | PF Mounds Park Academy | 2023 State MN , had posted her 1,000th the week before.
Butler University commit Jocelyn Land Jocelyn Land 6'0" | PF Holy Family | 2024 State MN of Holy Family is certainly leaving her mark on Minnesota basketball. The junior forward reached 1,000 career points on the weekend.
Finally, UW-Stout commit Molly Bills Molly Bills 5'9" | SG La Crescent | 2023 State MN of LaCrescent reached the 1,000-point milestone. Her Wisconsin Playmakers AAU teammate Sydney Torgerson of Houston, Minn. topped 1,000 points in December and last week reached 1,000 rebounds.