A Look Inside Our Class of 2020 Player Ranking Update
1. Paige Bueckers, Hopkins, 5-9, combo guard, 20-4-4-6 (points-rebounds-assists-steals per game) People have been asking me how I would handicap Ms. Basketball. The answer is in our 2017 ratings. Maybe we’ll write it up one more time. But the fact…
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Continue Reading1. Paige Bueckers, Hopkins, 5-9, combo guard, 20-4-4-6 (points-rebounds-assists-steals per game)
People have been asking me how I would handicap Ms. Basketball. The answer is in our 2017 ratings. Maybe we’ll write it up one more time. But the fact is, we don’t pick a Ms. Basketball. There’s a whole other committee for that. We have always picked a Player of the Year. And, sure, it’s always been a senior. But, this year, well, she might not be a senior, if you are catching my drift. Was #1 last time, too.
2. Mallory Brake, Hastings, 5-11, point guard/wing, 15-8-4-3
Brake, in case you haven’t seen her, is a highly skilled player who can play the point though, longer term, she might be better deployed on a wing. But, of course, a player can shoot it and crash the boards from the 1-spot, too. Brake can do all of that, as her numbers suggest. She’s not the most athletic but, like I said, she has terrific basketball skills and a high basketball IQ to go with it. Was #2.
3. Mia Curtis, Minnehaha, 5-7, combo guard, 16-4-2-3
OK, now you’re going to start to see some changes from last quarter. Like Bueckers and Brake, Curtis has all the skills you would want at the 2 spot, but at this level she is also the best ball-handler and distributor on the floor. So why not put the ball in her hands. Highly skilled, athletic, the whole package. Was #8.
4. Kenzie Kramer, St. Michael-Albertville, 5-6, point guard, 11-2-2
Started the season hurt but quickly became a vital part of the Knights rotation. She is small and gets overpowered sometimes, but she is so quick and so instinctive with such great hands that she can just run away from those mean, bigger girls when she has to. The #2 pure playmaker on this list, though clearly not as versatile as Brake and Curtis. Was #6.
5. Aliza Karlen, St. Paul Central, 6-2, post, 24 ppg
I haven’t seen so many outstanding posts from one class in decades, probably never. And Karlen is the strongest and the best of the bunch right now, scoring 24 ppg. None of her peers, as good as they are and as good as they will be, is above 11 ppg. She gets position down low, and catches and finishes in traffic. Nice footwork—she finishes because she’s almost always squared up. And she can go after it off the boards just like she does off the pass. Mobile enough and skilled enough to play the 4, maybe even the 3 someday. Was #17.
6. Zariea Chevre, Tartan, 5-11, power forward, 13-3
Very strong, always a powerful defender and rebounder. I can’t imagine why her rebounds are down from 6 per game last year to 3 right now, other than the stats aren’t right. She is probably the best defender—certainly the top front-court defender—in our top 10. And her offensive game is expanding, so she is becoming a much more complete player and it’s still just her freshman year. Was #4.
7. Kaylie VanDerWerf, Holy Angels, 6-2, forward, 9-6-1-1-1
A bona fide forward at 6-2, she is most at home at the 4 but looks more comfortable at the 3 than in the post. She has been up and down—e.g. 4 points in her 1st game at Holy Angels, 17 and 21 in the next 2, but then she failed to score in the Stars only loss to Forest Lake. Long, lean, mobile, athletic, still learning the game. Was #11.
8. Lauren Jensen, Lakeville North, 5-8, shooting guard, 7 ppg
Jensen might be the most mature player on this list mentally, emotionally. Blends with her teammates like a junior or senior, moves without the ball, spaces the floor, makes few demands. Fundamentally, she’s a great shooter but, on the other hand, she could also end up at the 1-spot after Temi Carda goes away. Was #9.
9. Jayda Johnston, Roseville, 6-1, power forward, 8 ppg
Already the 2nd best player on a top 10 AAAA team. Strong for her age, likes to put it on the floor and attack the rim. Also a relentless rebounder on both ends of the floor. Was #12.
10. Tiwah (T.T.) Danso, Simley, 5-11, power forward, 9-7-1-2
A great rebounder and a solid defender. Scores mostly around the rim, including a lot of put-backs. Her initial offense is a work in progress. Hopefully, one of two things will happen—either she’ll get bigger, or she’ll expand her skill set. If both happen, then look out. Was #14.
Dropped Out of Top Ten
This is the part that I hate. Somebody is always dropping down. I mean, especially at this age, some girls suddenly get it together and up they go. The ones they pass by aren’t necessarily doing anything wrong, they’re just not getting better as fast. Or maybe we misjudged them in the 1st place. But, anyway, we still like the following.
11. Molly Mogenson, Farmington, 5-7, point guard, 9-3-3-1
She has gotten bigger and stronger, but still plays at a very high rate of speed. It’s a high risk-high reward game. And the night I saw her against Northfield she didn’t score. But the quickness and athleticism were obvious. Was #3.
12. Jaide Pressley, Hopkins, 5-9, wing, 5-3-1-2
Not getting the kinds of minutes her peers are getting, but of course. Very athletic, her basketball game is a work in progress. Was #7.
13. Vanessa Alexander, St. Michael-Albertville, 5-11, post-power forward, 4-4
Strong and aggressive, excellent defender and rebounder. Compared to some of her peers, her offensive game is a work in progress. Was #5.
18. Lauren Frost, Park Center, 5-5, combo guard, 3-1-1
Another who isn’t getting a lots of chance to show off, what with 4 older guards ahead of her in the rotation. Very quick and aggressive. Other than that, I just haven’t seen her on the floor enough to say. She came out of last summer in the top 10, and I don’t see why she doesn’t still have that kind of potential. Was #10.