Which players are ready for a big year in Class 2A?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 2023-24 Minnesota State High School League season is now less than 48 hours away. Technically things get underway on Wednesday when Princeton travels to Duluth East for an early encounter. Many more teams will get down to business for real on Friday and Saturday when there are a combined 55 games on the docket. We'll be at the Pat Patterson Invitational at Hamline University in St. Paul, and the Twin Cities Thanksgiving Tip Off at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, ready, willing and able to provide complete coverage of opening weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last week we brought you our predictions for the high school season and a look at who is ready for a breakout year in Class 4A. This week we delivered the top small town stars in Minnesota – the finest Class A has to offer – and took a look at emerging talent in Class 3A. Now it's time for our final installment on who's ready to emerge in a bigger way in Class 2A. There's certainly plenty of players who fit the bill but we've settled on five athletes we think are trending up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='734368' first='Lily' last='Smith'] <strong>– 2025 guard, Proctor</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After graduating senior guard <strong>Hope Carlson</strong> (St. Scholastica), the Proctor Rails are going to be a younger but relatively experienced squad this season. Among the talent is Smith, a 5'6 junior guard who averaged 10.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Those are good numbers but we think this year is likely to be even better. After a solid AAU summer – and a ton of skills, conditioning and weight training work – Lily appears ready to take on a bigger role this winter. Overall, Smith's game is just fun to watch. She's quick, crafty, and plays with a ton of confidence and swagger. She has great handles, tremendous court vision, and one of the smoothest pull-up jumpers around. Smith's ability to get up and elevate over her defenders allows her to sink shot after shot. Lily was just added to our rankings and is definitely trending in the right direction.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='665721' first='Peyton' last='Walker'] <strong>– 2027 guard, Proctor</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Smith is a season veteran who will be relied upon in a big way in Proctor, Peyton is a relative newcomer just entering her freshman year. As 9th graders go, however, Walker is as ready as anyone to be a breakout performer this winter if she's given the opportunity to play significant minutes. Peyton is a natural athlete with a ton of potential, and is already a Top 50 prospect in the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2027. She plays with intensity, physicality, and a high motor. Her speed and athleticism, combined with great ball handling and ability to finish through contact, make Walker a tremendous one-on-one player. She can also shoot the ball well and is a solid, aggressive defender. Walker spent her summer training with Dyami Starks and playing AAU with [program_tooltip program_id='713214' first='Starks' last='Elite']. She has put in the work and it should pay off in her first varsity season with the Rails.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='550012' first='Halle' last='Eischens'] <strong>– 2025 guard, Park Rapids</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eischens is no stranger in these parts. The junior guard from Park Rapids has put in a ton of time and effort to develop her game and gain exposure across the state. Playing this summer with [program_tooltip program_id='713214' first='Starks' last='Elite'] out of Duluth – a 6-hour round trip for Halle – really helped her game grow. Eischens isn't particularly flashy but she is incredibly effective against a variety of opponents. She is an excellent transition player who does a lot of things right on the floor. Eischens is a tenacious defender who forces her opponents into what is often several turnovers per game. She's also a nice facilitator. Whether running a fast break or setting up a play at half court, Halle's ability to see her open teammates and get them the ball at the right moment is excellent. Also a prolific scorer, Eischens has no problem attacking and scoring at the rim or draining a corner three. With Eischens as part of their veteran core group, the Panthers hope to improve upon last year's 11-16 record.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='502591' first='Allie' last='Gillette'] <strong>– 2026 guard, Randolph</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After being moved up from Class A to AA, the 2023-24 season may be somewhat challenging for the Randolph Rockets, but even with the graduation of standout guard <strong>Paige Ford</strong> (North Central University) they aren't lacking in talent. Gillette, a sophomore guard now entering her third varsity season, is Ford's heir apparent. Within a few minutes of her stepping on the court, it's pretty obvious that Gilette is a player. Standing at 5'8 with a solid, muscular build, Allie is pure athleticism and power. She's a great ball handler, has a ton of basketball IQ, and her speed and explosiveness make her excellent at attacking the basket. She can also fire it from three and is a tenacious defender. In addition, Allie is a vocal leader for her team and just plays with so much confidence. If we haven't made it clear already, this is a player with a lot of upside and a ton of potential for the next level. It should be a great year for Allie.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='675954' first='Brooke' last='Mickolichek'] <strong>– 2027 guard/forward, Glencoe-Silver Lake</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Glencoe-Silver Lake is a team with high hopes for the 2023-24 season. The Panthers have a veteran core that aims to reach the state tournament again as they did in 2021. They also have one of the more intriguing freshmen in the state in Mickolichek (pictured above). Now entering her second season of varsity basketball, Brooke is poised for a much bigger role this time around. We last saw her at the PGH Freshman Showcase, where she cemented herself a Top 50 ranking in the 2027 class. Brooke is consistently a bulldog on the floor who plays with a ton of fire and passion. She's well built with a strong frame. Certainly 5'9 isn't tall for a forward, but Mickolichek has no problem out-muscling bigger opponents to gather rebounds and score around the rim. Brooke is a gritty competitor with a high IQ, a combination that should earn her more opportunities at GSL this time around.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>PGH scout Ally McGinnis also contributed to this report.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->