2020 rankings update: Obiazor, Hill, Williams earn their way up
It was near the end of January when I ventured over to Eden Prairie for the first time last season. The Eagles were starting to make some noise but, truth be told, I really went there to watch Lariah Washington…
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Continue ReadingIt was near the end of January when I ventured over to Eden Prairie for the first time last season. The Eagles were starting to make some noise but, truth be told, I really went there to watch Lariah Washington of St. Cloud Apollo. Washington did her thing with a nice offensive performance, but it was power forward Nneka Obiazor of Eden Prairie who stole the show with non-stop physicality and impressive ability to finish at the rim. She had 18 points, a bushel of rebounds and displayed a relentless desire to win. When the game was over, I asked new EP coach Ellen Wiese about her emerging star and she said this: “She’s kind of a beast. When she gets in that mode you’re not going to stop her.”
McKenzie Kramer of St. Michael-Albertville and Fury 2020 Gauntlet is one of the smartest point guards around. She is #4 in the class. (Photo courtesy of StarTribune)Turns out Coach Wiese’s words would end up describing not only the rest of the high school season for Obiazor but the AAU campaign, as well. In short, Nneka was a revelation playing for Stars 2020 Antl as she punished opponents pretty much every weekend. By the time the summer was over, Obiazor had gone from intriguing prospect to a hot commodity, who is now being pursued by a number of high-end D1 programs, including at least one in the Big 10. As a result, Obiazor has worked her way up from the mid-20s and into the #7 spot in the Prep Girls Hoops class of 2020 rankings. Obiazor is not the only one to take a big leap up in the class.
If you read Monday’s feature story on guard Ava Hill of Mesabi East (Northern Lights) then you know that she, too, has had a meteoric rise from #32 to #13. In doing so she passed a number of high-quality guards including Zhane Thompson of Burnsville (Suns Michaud), Jasmine Smiley of Wayzata (North Tartan), Mia Curtis of Minnehaha Academy (North Tartan) and Ravyn Miles of Simley (Fury). Hill’s ability will become much more obvious next summer when she and Thompson make the big jump up to North Tartan and the EYBL circuit where the stakes are much higher.
Not far behind her on the list is another athletic forward in Patience Williams of E1T1, who rose 16 places to #19. Williams has long had tremendous potential, but this summer it all came together and she is clearly a Division 1 prospect. Formerly of Fridley, Williams transferred to Benilde-St. Margaret’s. Since the summer season ended, most every 2020 AAU team around has been trying to land her for next year.
Alyssa Ustby of Rochester Lourdes and Fury 2020 Gauntlet is now ranked #3. (Photo courtesy of Rochester Post Bulletin)Rearranging the chairs on the top deck
If you read our AAU Co-Players of the Year story, it should not surprise you that Lauren Jensen of Lakeville North (North Tartan) has moved into the #2 spot behind the best player in the class, Paige Bueckers of Hopkins. Bueckers is the best player in the state, the best junior in the country and – ponder this for a moment – the best 2020 point guard in the world. Yes, the world.
Alyssa Ustby, the 6’2 stud from Rochester Lourdes and Fury 2020 Gauntlet, continues to improve. Her athleticism is off the charts and she’s picking up high D1 offers from across the country, including one from the University of Minnesota. She has definitely earned the #3 spot. Ustby is followed by cerebral point guard McKenzie Kramer of St. Michael-Albertville (Fury) at #4, who executes an offense with pace and precision. 6-foot forward Mallory Brake of Hastings (North Tartan) is now at #5.
Powerful 6’2 post Liza Karlen (North Tartan), who has transferred from St. Paul Central to Stillwater, remains at #6 with Obiazor at #7. Rounding out the top 10 are a trio of power forwards: #8 Emily Russo of New Prague (Stars Antl), #9 Zareia Chevre, who transferred to Simley (Fury), and #10 Jayda Johnston of Roseville (Fury). The arrival of Obiazor bumped point guard Molly Mogenson of Farmington (Fury) out of the top 10 by one spot. Meanwhile, point guard Abby Schulte of Maple Grove (Stars Antl) moves up three spots to #12 while Lauren Frost of Park Center (Fury) moves from #18 to #15. Big post Annika Stewart of Wayzata (North Tartan) rounds out the top 20.
For more on the movers and shakers throughout the class of 2020 rankings update, see my accompanying story on 10 players who made a big move over the summer.
*Please note: All AAU teams listed are those the players competed for in 2018.
Top photo: Paige Bueckers of Hopkins represented the United States at the World Championships in Belarus and came home with another gold medal. (Photo courtesy of USA Basketball)