Ava is a great player and a girl who is going to play a pivotal role for Minot as they navigate a new era without Maggie Fricke, LeeLee Bell, and older sister Eve. Minot maintains a quality core of athletes and Ava is going to be right in the mix for varsity minutes. She plays tenacious defense and is one of the better on-ball defenders I have watched play. She puts pressure on the offense and defends without fouling, making it difficult for opponents to get into their offense. She plays off of two feet in the lane, limiting turnovers and making great decisions. She can stretch the floor like her sister and knock down the three.

Knutson is finding herself some varsity minutes this season. She is a similar player to her older sister: a gritty defender who can knock down shots. She is a quick guard who makes the right play. She has a great opportunity to practice against some of the best guards every day. She will show tremendous growth from this season to next if she utilizes that opportunity.

Knutson has a great role model in her older sister Eve, an All-WDA selection in 2024-2025. Ava looks like she is going to be a similar player as Eve and that is a great thing to look forward to if you are a Minot fan. Ava can knock down the outside shot and has the form and focus to become a sniper from deep in the future. She can handle the ball, defend, and pass it well. She is going to be a very good high school player.

Ava is a very smart young player. She doesn’t dribble into trouble and has a nice retreat dribble to gain passing advantages. She is a good ball handler and has really good vision on her drives. She is able to drop off passes to her teammates before the defense can rotate into help side. She isn’t afraid to shoot from outside and is a good defender. She will really start to shine once she grows and gains some strength.

Ava has had some opportunities to play in varsity games this season and has a bright future as a Majette. She is patient in the half-court, knowing when and who to pass the ball to in their offense. When she is open, she is ready to knock down the three-point shot. She has a nice looking form and is a steady player. She will be a nice piece for Minot in the future.