Midwest Kickoff Classic: 5 emerging 2027s to watch

Like we will do most days during the first few tournaments of the AAU season, we set out at the Midwest Kickoff Classic over the weekend to find incoming freshmen with the potential to be Top 50 to 100 prospects in the Class of 2027. It didn't take long to score. By the time our first cup of coffee was down the hatch at 9 a.m. we had already identified a pair of candidates from Minnesota Stars Antl and one more from North Tartan Elite. An hour later, a standout guard from Minnesota Rise Busse had made the cut. In the final hour of play on Sunday, we added one more name to our compilation of emerging 2027s to watch. Here are all 5 incoming freshmen who made a strong impression at the Midwest Kickoff.   [player_tooltip player_id='637605' first='Kaelyn' last='Bjorklund'] – forward, Minnesota Stars Antl   Kaelyn has already got her feet wet on varsity at Lakeville South where she went up against veteran post [player_tooltip player_id='304934' first='Ava' last='Miller'] of Rochester Mayo in section play and found herself guarding D1 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='335641' first='Trinity' last='Wilson'] of Lakeville North in the section final. That's a baptism by fire! But the 6'1 post appears ready to make an impact for the Cougars next winter. Kaelyn (top photo) is built like a prototypical power forward – strong, long and athletic. She moves very well for her size, plays with a big motor, and has a high basketball IQ. We loved her aggressiveness attacking the basket on Saturday. Bjorklund's ball skills have improved a lot and she already has plenty of high-level AAU experience. She is also a strong volleyball player.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/04/Ellie-Drange.jpg?w=576" alt="" class="wp-image-640327" width="144" height="256" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='639702' first='Ellie' last='Drange'] – guard, North Tartan Elite   The 5'7 guard from Hill-Murray may turn out to be a hidden gem. We were super-impressed by the way she moves, her natural athleticism, and her feel for the game. This really showed itself in the rebounding department where she has that knack of anticipating where the ball is going to go and getting there before anyone else. That's an underrated asset. Ellie has a nice mid-range jump shot and looked great in catch-and-shoot opportunities outside. She didn't put up a lot of shots in the tournament, but she also didn't miss. Not once. She can also get to the rim. Ellie has already built a reputation as an extremely hard worker with a real hunger to learn and be coached. Although she's probably best-suited to play the 2 or 3 spots, Drange has the potential to be a plug-and-play athlete who can get the job done on both sides of the ball.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/04/Aubrey-Steffl.jpg?w=654" alt="" class="wp-image-640332" width="164" height="256" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='498657' first='Aubrey' last='Steffl'] – guard, Minnesota Rise Busse   We were exited to watch Rise guard [player_tooltip player_id='498658' first='Morgan' last='Mathiowetz'] do work on Saturday morning, and the top-shelf prospect did not disappoint. It was Aubrey, though, who stole the show. From the opening tipoff, the 5'5 guard from Cedar Mountain was flying up and down the court, putting opponents on their heels, and making one great play after another. She scored at the rim, from mid-range and from distance. Aubrey is quick and fast, with elite acceleration and a deadly first step. She was constantly attacking and delivered a couple of highlight-reel crossovers against players who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent. She also played excellent on-ball defense as the Rise jumped out to an early 24-4 lead and rolled to a 55-20 win against an opponent who may have been favored entering the contest. We've liked Steffl in prior viewings but this was a whole new level.   [player_tooltip player_id='600748' first='Kaja' last='Nash'] – 2027 guard, Minnesota Stars Antl   It's hard to watch the 5'8 guard from Maranatha without being impressed. Even on a strong Minnesota Stars Antl squad chock-full of top talent, Nash jumps into your consciousness immediately just because of how she moves. Kaja has quick feet, quick hands and tons of speed in the open court. Her delivery is nice, with a smooth catch-and-shoot motion and a high arc. She handles the ball well, makes good decisions and is already a proven varsity performer. Nash averaged 14 points per game for the Mustangs this winter. She had a season-high of 27 points against Richfield, one of eight occasions in which she topped the 20-point mark. She can also rebound the basketball with consistency and effectiveness. With a strong work ethic and a high motor, the future is shiny bright for Nash.   [player_tooltip player_id='639707' first='Nora' last='Mitteness'] – forward, West Central United   Our final game of the weekend was a match-up between West Central United and the Minnesota Freeze. It didn't take long to figure out that Nora was the one player on the floor with the most next-level potential. At 5'11, with a nice frame, excellent athleticism and good movement, Nora is clearly a scholarship-level candidate if she chooses basketball over volleyball. That's a big if given that Mitteness was the starting outside hitter on Willmar's conference-winning varsity squad this winter as an 8th grader. That gives you a pretty good indication of her jumping ability which was on full display Sunday on the basketball court, as well. She is a strong rebounder and a good passer, too. Mitteness' skills have improved a lot, including her range. This is her first year of AAU basketball. Let's hope it's not her last!

Like we will do most days during the first few tournaments of the AAU season, we set out at the Midwest Kickoff Classic over the weekend to find incoming freshmen with the potential to be Top 50 to 100 prospects in the Class of 2027. It didn't take long to score. By the time our first cup of coffee was down the hatch at 9 a.m. we had already identified a pair of candidates from Minnesota Stars Antl and one more from North Tartan Elite. An hour later, a standout guard from Minnesota Rise Busse had made the cut. In the final hour of play on Sunday, we added one more name to our compilation of emerging 2027s to watch. Here are all 5 incoming freshmen who made a strong impression at the Midwest Kickoff.