Vanessa Bickford Vanessa Bickford 5'9" | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA jumps into the #5 spot in this 2024 Rankings Update prior to her Senior season at DCG High School. Bickford is set to play at Minnesota-Duluth once her high school career comes to an end but before that all happens, she will try to bring her DCG team back to the State Championship for back-to-back seasons. Something that is very doable with the ability of Bickford and the returning roster that will be joining her at the varsity level. I think the best way to define Bickford’s game would be strong and intentful. She always has a plan of attack, while being dominate as she goes at her defender each possession. At the Collegiate level, Bickford’s position will depend on the other recruits that are coming in with her Class. I think that she can move to a few different positions and be successful on the court but that’s only if she is put into those positions at the right time. Keep an eye out for DCG this winter, they are going to be a fun watch and a team to know as the Playoffs swing back around at the beginning of 2024.

A week or so ago when I touched on some of our stock-risers this summer I didn’t really speak on Vanessa Bickford Vanessa Bickford 5'9" | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA . Bickford, a quick and extremely physical guard, has recently committed to D2 – University of Minnesota (Duluth). A smart pick-up by the Bulldogs with the ability I’ve seen Bickford display. On more than one occasion i’ve seen her take over a game and completely change the outcome. She plays with great communication and smarts with the ball in her hands. She possesses the ability to score in a plethora of ways or distribute at a high and efficient rate. Not to mention that she is very physical. She would rather go to the line and have a chance for free throws more than anything else it seems like most of the time. I’m excited to see what she will do at the college level in the future but for this upcoming high school season, she will be locked in.

Vanessa Bickford Vanessa Bickford 5'9" | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA showed off all season long why she is such a highly ranked player in the 2024 class in the state of Iowa. She will attempt to do that once again during her spring and summer AAU sessions with her Lady Pure Prep team, located out of Des Moines. Bickford is a solid talent at the guard position who makes things happen. She has an act of putting herself in situations to be in the right place at the right time in big moments during a game. I got to watch her play live at the state tournament a few weeks ago and she did not disappoint. She did a good job of showing off the versatility of her game while being a team player on the floor for her DCG squad. Going into AAU sessions make sure to keep an eye on Bickford. She is going to be a good recruit at the guard position who can come in and make a difference right away, in an already successful college program somewhere out there.

In a group of players where the senior leadership is a major key, Vanessa Bickford Vanessa Bickford 5'9" | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA has main her presence known as one of the best overall players on this Mustangs team. She has put on a great performance for her junior season, showing that she is a player that can contribute in a number of ways. Throughout their first 23 games this season she has been averaging 8.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 4.3 APG. That ranks third on her team in scoring, second in rebounds and first in assists, only following behind some seniors that have been ball dominate this year. With all that taken into effect I think it speaks to how much production her team has when she is on the floor and leading the charge. I’ll be looking to see how Bickford matches up with Glenwood’s star player, who is also a ball savvy guard. It’ll be a tough matchup for both sides so we will just have to see what happens.

Vanessa Bickford Vanessa Bickford 5'9" | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA has had a good first two games this season for DCG but for them to be successful to a point where they are “unbeatable”, she will have to become super aggressive and dominate in all facets of the game. With the ability to do so, from a spectating point of view, Bickford just needs to understand she can be the best player on the floor every night she laces up. She possesses good ball skills, great IQ, a swift shooting stroke, and efficient ability to pass the ball to an open teammate after she creates something out of nothing off of the dribble. She is a fundamental defender with an aggressive play style, who is an unquestionable leader for her group when she is out there calling the shots. I will be intrigued to see where Bickford will lead this team at the end of the year with the possibilities being endless.

Rounding off the top 5 players in the class of 2024 at the #5 spot is Vanessa Bickford Vanessa Bickford 5'9" | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA . Bickford has already registered one game on the varsity level this season for DCG High School, scoring 10 points on 66% shooting from three while also recording a few rebounds and assists. I would describe Bickford as having a underrated ceiling coming into her junior year in this spot. She has every tool to be an overall great player who makes a real difference in a program at the college level somewhere. In her first game this year it really showed to everyone that she is going to have to become ultra-aggressive on both ends of the floor for her team to find success as they lost by 8 points while three players combined to score 83% of their total points. This season will be a big breakout year for Bickford as she will have a chance to really show what she can do while she has control of this team and how far they go this season. I anticipate the work that she has put in during the offseason will show more prominently as time progresses and the playoffs approach. Once she see’s first hand that she can be the best player on the floor each night, it’ll be hard stopping her.

Vanessa Bickford Vanessa Bickford 5'9" | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA is a facilitator for her DCG High School team who lost their season last year after an impressive state run where they ended up losing to Xavier High School, the eventual state champs. This made the Mustangs 21-4 overall, 13-1 in conference with a conference championship. Bickford averaged 7.4 PPG on 44% shooting, 3.7 RPG, and 2.6 APG. She ranked second in assists in 21′-22 for DCG High School as she will look to take over the control of that stat this season in hopes of leading her team back to state, which may pose a tough challenge with having less varsity experience as an overall team but with hard work that shouldn’t look to slow them down once playoffs roll around.