Quick hits: 7 freshmen who got noticed at the Top 250 Expo
Nearly 50 freshmen took part in the second annual Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo Oct. 3 at Hopkins. From big names like Laura Hauge Laura Hauge 5'9" | SG St. Croix Lutheran | 2024 State MN (St. Croix Lutheran),…
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Continue ReadingNearly 50 freshmen took part in the second annual Prep Girls Hoops Top 250 Expo Oct. 3 at Hopkins. From big names like Laura Hauge Laura Hauge 5'9" | SG St. Croix Lutheran | 2024 State MN (St. Croix Lutheran), Ava Cossette (Maple Grove) and Finley Ohnstad Finley Ohnstad 6'1" | SF Lakeville South | 2024 State MN (Lakeville South) to emerging talents such as Casey Beck (Coon Rapids), Piper Engelby Piper Engelby 5'11" | SG Andover | 2024 State MN (Andover) and Kate Drury (Chanhassen), it was a diverse group of talent, all trying to make a name for themselves. More than a dozen of them had never been evaluated by Prep Girls Hoops before. These are the seven newcomers who stood out the most.
MacKenzi Simmons – If there’s one newcomer who shone the brightest among the 2024s it was Simmons, a versatile 5’10 player from Winona whose sisters Jaelyn and Kaelah have paved the way before her. Simmons is much taller and longer than her siblings. She has really long arms, huge loping strides and nice elevation. MacKenzi sees the floor well, always has her hands ready to receive the pass and can beat defenders consistently to get to the rim. While basing an opinion on a small sample size comes with inherent risk I feel confident in saying that Simmons is a scholarship-level prospect. We look forward to monitoring her progress in the months ahead.
Here are six more 2024s who got noticed.
Alexis Thomas – The 5’7 guard from Maple River has a big motor, plays with pace and is highly engaged in what’s going on around her. Alexis has excellent court vision and is a quality passer, and she shoots the ball well.
Ajanae Thompson Ajanae Thompson 5'8" | SG Benilde-St. Margaret's | 2024 MN – The 5’8 guard from Benilde-St. Margaret’s has put in a ton of work over the summer and it’s starting to pay off. She has a nice frame, plenty of strength and is quite athletic.
Itoro Etuko – The 5’6 guard from Totino-Grace is lean and athletic and has nice handles. She is very aggressive on offense and did an excellent job when taking on defenders one-on-one.
Chloe Christie – The 5’6 guard from Coon Rapids has done nice work in the Fall Exclusive and was equally good at the Top 250 Expo. She runs well, has good handles and is a solid shooter.
Maddie Kamm – Another 5’6 guard, Kamm is from St. Peter where she snuck into a varsity game or two for coach Bob Southwirth last year. Maddie is quick and aggressive on both sides of the ball.
Isabella Sanneh – The 5’11 forward from East Ridge has long arms and excellent reach. She is a quality athlete from MN P.R.E.P AAU who gets up and down the floor with pace.
Top photo: Ajanae Thompson Ajanae Thompson 5'8" | SG Benilde-St. Margaret's | 2024 MN of Benilde-St. Margaret’s caught our attention at the Top 250 Expo.