Emerging prospects we liked at the Meltdown

Generally speaking, our jurisdiction for players to scout doesn't extend beyond Minnesota and its four bordering states. We have to draw the line somewhere, and it usually ends within an hour's drive of the Minnesota border. Occasionally, however, exceptions to that rule arise as they did this weekend at the [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Meltdown. When a team flies over 8,000 miles for a tournament, and their point guard is a grade A talent, we feel compelled to tell you all about it. That's why 2026 guard Sahara Katene of Dare 2 Dream Australia tops our list of emerging prospects we liked at the Meltdown.   Including players in grades 8 through 12, Dare 2 Dream 17U features all Australians except Katene, who hails from New Zealand. They arrived at the last minute suffering from a significant case of jetlag but were excited to be part of their first big tournament in America. Unfortunately, D2D went winless at Shakopee. For Katene, however, it may have been a life-changing weekend. Her goal is to earn a college basketball scholarship and there were plenty of scouts and coaches in attendance who were quickly convinced that she is more than capable of doing so.   The 5'7 point guard, who is from Rotorua on New Zealand's North Island, stood out immediately. She's long, athletic, and incredibly quick. Sahara has an innate ability for scoring the basketball, both from the three-point line and on the attack. She is incredibly crafty with the ball and uses creative ball handling combined with an explosive burst of speed to blow by defenders on her way to the rim. Not including the one game where the stat sheet was left blank, Katene averaged nearly 25 points per game over the weekend, leading all scorers in 17U. In addition to her scoring abilities, Sahara has a high-revving motor, is a supportive teammate and vocal leader, and is constantly locked in on the defensive end. This kid is good.   Next week Katene will be in Arizona where she is part of the New Zealand Maori team of Indigenous players who'll compete in the Native American Basketball Invitational, a prestigious event in Phoenix that features teams from nearly 200 Tribal nations. We have no doubt that the folks at NABI will be just as impressed by Sahara as we are.   Here are four more emerging prospects – all of them from Minnesota – that we liked at the Meltdown.   [player_tooltip player_id='948877' first='Isabella' last='Anderson'] — 2025 forward, [program_tooltip program_id='779294' first='Northern' last='Lights']   We featured [program_tooltip program_id='779294' first='Northern' last='Lights'] teammates [player_tooltip player_id='734370' first='Paige' last='Evans'] and [player_tooltip player_id='843697' first='Kenzie' last='Kiminski'] in our Meltdown stock raisers piece this week, but Anderson deserves some notice, as well. The Cromwell-Wright forward was a standout this weekend. An incoming senior. Anderson stands around 5-foot-8 with a strong, solid build. When watching her on Sunday morning it was clear how much potential is there, despite an ongoing ankle injury that she has been playing through for some time. Anderson has a tremendous work ethic that shows up in her rebounding and willingness to fight for loose balls. She also has a natural gift for scoring the ball both inside and out. She put up 12 points in the game we watched. Lights coach Adam Johnson calls Anderson a “workout warrior.” That blue collar approach to the game is serving Isabella well.   [player_tooltip player_id='948880' first='Mercedes' last='Lawrence'] — 2025 forward, [program_tooltip program_id='779294' first='Northern' last='Lights']   Lawrence is another hidden gem in the [program_tooltip program_id='779294' first='Northern' last='Lights'] lineup, a big power forward from South Ridge High School who has been drawing attention up north for some time now. One look at her build and length and it's obvious why. She just looks like a college basketball player. The 6'1 senior-to-be went head to head with a benchmark big on Saturday against South Dakota State commit Brooklyn Felchele of Bismarck. Mercedes more than held her own. When we watched the Sunday morning matchup against Northwest Elite, Lawrence used her size and length well on the defensive end, blocking shot after shot and altering several more. She also used her strength to gain positioning when crashing the glass, allowing her to out-rebound the opposition. While her skillset is still quite raw, the Polar Conference MVP passes well from the post and has the ability to score with either hand at the rim.   [player_tooltip player_id='948886' first='Peyton' last='Meincke'] — 2025 forward, [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Southeast   Every year there are so-called “sleepers” who emerge late in their high school careers and go on to do good work at the next level. It wouldn't surprise us if the 5'11 forward from Lake City does the same. Sunday afternoon was our first opportunity to gather notes on Meincke this year and we did not go home empty handed. With lots of length and mobility, Peyton is a tremendous athlete who excels at track and cross country. She is a solid, reliable defender who can guard multiple positions. On the offensive end Peyton has made big improvements in her ability to score off the dribble. In a great battle on Sunday against [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] North, she showed off her ability to attack the basket and finish at the rim through contact. A consistent jump shot would take her offensive game up another notch or two.   [player_tooltip player_id='948888' first='Mallory' last='McBeth'] — 2028 guard, [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] Nike   The NT Nike guard/wing from Wayzata had a solid weekend at Meltdown to cap off an excellent 8th grade AAU season. Her team went 5-0 to win their division, and McBeth was a key piece of that puzzle. The Wayzata freshman-to-be has been a standout prospect who we've known about for a long time now. She is a consistent offensive threat and a reliable defender. She has a beautiful shooting motion, and knocks down shots from three with ease. She also scores effectively off of well-timed cuts to the basket. Now about 5'9 give or take, Mallory is an example of a player whose early size and strength gave her many physical advantages at a young age. While the players around her may have caught up in their physical dimensions, McBeth's skill development has kept her ahead of the curve. Don't be shocked if her name appears among the Freshman 50 when we rank the 2028s for the first time this fall.   PGH scout Ally McGinnis contributed to these player evaluations.

Generally speaking, our jurisdiction for players to scout doesn't extend beyond Minnesota and its four bordering states. We have to draw the line somewhere, and it usually ends within an hour's drive of the Minnesota border. Occasionally, however, exceptions to that rule arise as they did this weekend at the North Tartan Meltdown. When a team flies over 8,000 miles for a tournament, and their point guard is a grade A talent, we feel compelled to tell you all about it. That's why 2026 guard Sahara Katene of Dare 2 Dream Australia tops our list of emerging prospects we liked at the Meltdown.