5 freshmen to watch at the Minnesota PGH 250 Expo
There are a ton of great prospects in Minnesota’s Class of 2023. Some two dozen of them will be on hand Saturday for the inaugural Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo at Burnsville High School. We have written about many…
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Continue ReadingThere are a ton of great prospects in Minnesota’s Class of 2023. Some two dozen of them will be on hand Saturday for the inaugural Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo at Burnsville High School. We have written about many of them in recent weeks – Virginia Johnson, Kennedy Klick and Abby Krzewinski for instance – but there are many more to see this weekend, including some new faces. For now we give you 5 players to watch among this year’s crop of freshmen.
Players are listed in alphabetical order by last name. The AAU affiliation listed is the team the athlete played for in 2019.
Jordan Anderson, 5’10 forward, Buffalo (Comets 23 Elite) – Barry Peterson’s 2023 Comets Elite squad had some really nice talent this summer, including Becker guards Maren Westin, Dani Nuest and Ayla Brown. But as we discovered at Summer Jam, there were also some lesser-known talents who were well worth paying attention to. Jordan Anderson certain fits the bill in that regard. The big forward from Buffalo was outstanding in the paint, showed some big-time power moves in traffic and demonstrated nice touch around the basket, especially with her left hand. Anderson can also shoot the basketball with plenty of range. We’re looking forward to seeing more of that at the 250 Expo.
Kelly Boyle of HopkinsKelly Boyle, 5’5 guard, Hopkins (Suns 2023 Bluestar) – Kelly Boyle is a bulldog. Watch her play for a few minutes, or watch her practice for an hour, and you are going to want to watch her a whole lot more. She plays hard from start to finish and is driven to be the best player she can be. Boyle is crafty, she’s quick and she plays with a warrior’s mentality. She’s also at Hopkins where every player learns to play the game fast and in the right way. This kid is super-skilled and exudes confidence. The main issue that will be a big determining factor in her role at the next level is size and we’re all waiting for the big growth spurt. Regardless, she is a scholarship-level prospect with a ton to offer. Boyle will play up a year next summer for Metro Stars Starks.
Ashley Fritz of Eden PrairieAshley Fritz, 5’9 guard, Eden Prairie (North Tartan Milan) – The first time I saw Fritz play high school ball she was inserted into the lineup as a 7th grader late in a game where the outcome had pretty much been determined in the opponents’ favor. When Ashley took control of the ball, however, her Hastings squad looked completely different. Fritz is strong, she’s fast and she’s got a big frame. She plays with poise and maturity, and isn’t afraid to be physical when the situation requires it. Fritz has averaged 10 points per game over two seasons playing on a talent-starved team with a difficult 4A schedule while still in junior high. Need we say more? Fritz has transferred this fall to Eden Prairie.
Brylee Iverson, 5’11 forward, Triton (Stars 2023 Hersch) – We have been watching Brylee very closely for about 10 months now and she just keeps getting more impressive. Iverson is big, strong and athletic. She has physical tools, to be sure, and her skill development is going very nicely. Entering her freshman year, Iverson is already a polished varsity player who knows how to compete against high-level opponents. Yes, Brylee is still somewhat raw but playing with and against top players on a strong Stars 2023 Hersch team has helped her game immensely. Iverson made our AAU 2023 All Star Team this summer and is among the top half dozen forward prospects in the class.
Aniyah Reuben, 5’9, guard, Park Center (MN P.R.E.P) – It’s not often we speak about defense in the first sentence when we talk about freshmen, but we have been doing that since Reuben was in the 7th grade. That’s a set of skills that usually comes later. Not for Reuben. She was North Tartan’s reliable stopper in 2018. This summer she played up a year for MN P.R.E.P. Aniyah can guard bigs, she can guard guards, and she’s more than willing to shadow the opponents’ top players, while still knocking down shots at the other end of the floor. Her versatility and reliability make Aniyah a valuable prospect. Reuben appeared in 21 varsity games last season on a deep Park Center team which tells you a lot.
Top photo: Aniyah Reuben (right) of Park Center is known as a standout defender but she can do so much more. (Photo courtesy of Prospects Nation)