Minnesota’s Unranked Scorers: 320 Edition
These are some names that were off PGH Minnesota’s rankings, but their talents should be recognized in Central Minnesota. This is the 320 edition with players from St. Cloud to Howard Lake, and everywhere in between! There’s also clickable film on quite a few of the players too in this one.
Grace Gerads, Holdingford (2020)
I watched Grace for the first time at Breakdown USA Fall League in Sauk Rapids, and I could tell then she was going to be a senior leading, top scorer for the Huskers. She’s averaging 24 points per game, but the biggest shocker is the improvement from Holdingford this year as they are one of the top teams in Central Minnesota Conference at 21-4. Gerads is a 5’8 guard that has some bounce but can also muscle up and get rebounds.
You can check out her double-double here against HLWW and their 1-2 punch of CJ Decker and Alexa Schumann Alexa Schumann 5'10" | PF HLWW | 2020 State MN where she scored 17 points and fought for 12 rebounds.
Lily Orazem, Onamia (2020)
Orazem is a hard worker that defines the term “diamond in the rough” player from a town that borders Lake Mille Lacs. Averaging over 22 points per game, and a member of the 2000 point club between her early days at Isle and finishing up at Onamia, Orazem’s 6’0 frame shows off a lot of assets that can be utilized at the next level. She’s a good shot-blocker, has a stroke from outside, drives the bucket, a good sturdy rebounder, and an excellent 4.0 student at Onamia as well. Also one of the best free-throw shooters in the Great River Conference.
You can check out her film here when she posted a double-double this year against Moose Lake/Willow River which features 2022 ranked guard Natalie Mikrot Natalie Mikrot 5'6" | CG Moose Lake-WR | 2022 State MN .
Collette Duininck, Central Minnesota Christian (2022)
The youngest prospect on this list comes from Prinsburg, Minnesota’s Central Minnesota Christian of Class A that has an enrollment K-12 of just over 300 students. This 5’7 guard has put Prinsburg on the map only as a sophomore as she’s already a member of the 1000 points club as a 15-16-year-old. It will be interesting to see if we see the Bluejays top scorer (20.4) and top assists leader on an AAU circuit this spring, as I think she could turn some heads to the city of under 500 people near Willmar.
Hudl film could not be located anywhere on Duininck. She’s also a strong runner on the Bluejays track team.
Shayna Payonk, Sauk Rapids-Rice (2020)
Payonk’s development from week 1 when I saw here against a tough Brainerd team led by Erika Lane Erika Lane 5'8" | CG Brainerd | 2021 State MN and others, has blossomed late in her senior season. Averaging 18 points per game and career-high of 34 against Sartell-St. Stephen, Payonk has owned the Storm’s post this season with length she offers at the center.
Check out Payonk’s highlights here against the frontcourt of Caela Tighe Caela Tighe 6'0" | SF Big Lake | 2021 State MN and Reagan Sternquist Reagan Sternquist 6'0" | PF Big Lake | 2020 State MN , who just committed tonight to the College of St. Benedict and head coach Mike Durbin.
Genaya Murray, St. Cloud Tech (2020)
Murray is the heart and soul of the Tech Tigers of St. Cloud. When you watch her play, you can just see she’s got college basketball in her future. She not only is the leading scorer for Tech but an outstanding rebounder as well. I think she is a player that gets overlooked being in the St. Cloud market of basketball, as I think she’s also a great athlete on the court that’s fearlessly trying to compete.
This was the game I learned about Murray when her Tech Tigers showed the best heart and soul I’ve watched still of any team all season. Check it out here in her game against Annandale at the Granite City Classic at the new St. Cloud Tech High School.