A look back: The 10 most-improved players of 2019
The New Year’s holiday is always a good time for reflection. In the whir of the week-to-week grind it can be easy to overlook just how much change has taken place in the course of 12 months. It’s true in…
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Continue ReadingThe New Year’s holiday is always a good time for reflection. In the whir of the week-to-week grind it can be easy to overlook just how much change has taken place in the course of 12 months. It’s true in so many aspects of life, including that of collegiate basketball prospects. There are tons of players who have gotten better this year – even seniors like Katelyn Marunich of Proctor (SMSU), Paige Servais of Burnsville and Kayla Bohr of Blaine have shown us how hard work pays off in the long run.
In honor of the end of the year, today we bring you the Prep Girls Hoops 10 most-improved players this year. If you are a regular reader these names will not surprise you considering that we have been chronicling their growth along the way. With apologies to David Letterman, here they are in reverse order from #10 to #1.
10 – Natalie Bremer – 5’11 guard, Lake City (2022 #60)
Bremer is a slasher with great handles and quick feet who really knows how to take it to the hole. She’s also super long. Bremer can shoot from significant distance and is a consistent scorer as her recent numbers will attest. In the past couple of weeks Natalie has put up single-game point totals like 27, 27 and 32, and has a season average of 23 per game. Bremer started the year at #61. Look for her to take a huge leap forward at the next update. She has earned it.
9 – Sacia Vanderpool – 6’4 post, Byron (2021 #44)
Sacia’s stock has risen dramatically over the past year as she has emerged from the shadows of Ayoka Lee (Kansas State) and become a top prospect herself. Sacia has worked really hard to develop her skills and improve her footwork. Vanderpool possesses the body type and natural assets to play at a very high level. Now she has forged the skill set to go with it. Sacia started the year at #54, has risen to #44 and is about to take another big leap forward.
8 – Ally Schultz – 5’11 guard, Lakeville South (2022 #22)
Ally was unranked at the beginning of 2019; today she is the #22 prospect in the class. That pretty much says it all. The big guard has had an outstanding 12 months, including a breakout summer. Despite a couple of injuries, Schultz’s high level of play has continued in the high school season. She’s long, versatile, is smooth with the basketball and competes hard all of the time. Schultz is also one of the youngest players in the class which makes her upside all the more exciting.
7 – Lilli Mackley – 5’11 guard, Hill-Murray (2021 #31)
Eighteen months ago Lilli was known primarily as a catch-and-shoot guard, but her game has expanded dramatically this year. Mackley still has excellent range but now she gets to the basket, too, scores off the bounce and handles the ball all the time. There’s a certain toughness about Mackley, who will fight for every inch on the court. Lilli started the year at #60 but has parlayed her great length and natural athleticism to vault all the way up to #31.
6 – Sophie Hart – 6’4 post, Farmington (2021 #4)
Sophie started the year at #12, but the giant center has come into her own over the past year, parlaying her performance at the Team USA tryouts into a spot in the national conversation. Sophie’s footwork is much improved, she has developed really nice touch around the basket, and she is a physical presence at both ends of the floor. Hart is a testament to the value of hard work, a competitive mindset and a willingness to do whatever it takes to maximize her potential. Sophie has the power conference offers that demonstrate just how good she has become.
5 – Lily Fandre – 6’2 forward, Eagan (2022 #30)
Lily started 2019 unranked in the class of 2022. Today she is a top-30 prospect whose stock is rising fast. Like Schultz that speaks volumes. Lily might be the longest player in the class, an attribute she has used to become one of the state’s premier shot blockers. Now we know she is so much more than that. Fandre’s ball-handling skills and mobility have progressed dramatically this year and she can now play every position. Plenty of Division 1 coaches are excited about what Fandre can bring to the table.
4 – Gianna Kneepkens – 5’11 guard, Duluth Marshall (2021 #14)
Gianna began the year as the 25th-ranked player in the junior class. By fall she had risen to #14, but even that is now too low for one of the smartest players around. Kneepkens led the state in scoring last winter, with multiple games in the 40s. Even though opponents routinely game plan around Gianna, she has been over 30 points in more than half of her games this season. This summer Gianna played against the best in the country and proved she could produce similar results at the highest level. Kneepkens is a dynamic athlete with high IQ, whose improvement recently earned her a scholarship offer from the University of Minnesota.
3 – Mikayla Aumer – 5’9 guard, Cambridge-Isanti (2022 #37)
Aumer began the year ranked #47, is now at #37 and is still rising. Nobody has worked harder to improve their skills, and the extreme effort has been well worth it. Mikayla is still an aggressive defender who goes 100 miles per hour all the time. Now she also has superior handles, can shoot it from anywhere with consistency, and possesses outstanding leadership skills. This is a team-first athlete who will make your squad better on and off the court. Mikayla is driven to make the absolute most of her natural assets and she is well on her way.
2 – Anna Miller – 6’2 post, Rochester Mayo (2021 #26)
Miller is one of the more intriguing prospects in the class. Her height and length has always drawn notice, of course, but she is fast becoming the total package. Anna’s skill level has improved significantly, but the biggest change has been in the toughness department. Anna is a force inside and out whose improvement in 2019 has seen her rise from 63rd in the Prep Girls Hoops rankings to #26. She’s now a solid Division 1 prospect whose ceiling continues to rise. The fact she’s a classroom star also helps.
And the number 1 most-improved player of 2019 is…
1 – Jenna Guyer – 6’2 post, Centennial (2021 #28)
Jenna was #85 among Minnesota juniors in January. Today’s she’s #28. Watching her last night at the Roseville tournament simply reinforced what we have witnessed over many months now. Guyer is deceptively quick and athletic. She is an excellent back-to-the basket player who has become so much more versatile. She runs the floor, shoots from distance and isn’t afraid to get physical. A terrific scholarship-level prospect, Jenna is a great example of why it’s a risky venture to put limitations on a player’s potential when they are still finding their way.
Graphic image courtesy of Positive Promotions