2023 rankings update: Who are the biggest movers?
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[player_tooltip player_id="186117" first="Ava" last="Privet"], Caledonia Ava Privet Ava Privet 5'10" | CG Caledonia | 2023 State MN made a big splash to begin the summer, thrusting herself into the spotlight down in Iowa at the end of June and making…
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Continue ReadingAva Privet Ava Privet 5'10" | CG Caledonia | 2023 State MN made a big splash to begin the summer, thrusting herself into the spotlight down in Iowa at the end of June and making it obvious she was going to be a headline-worthy talent. Conversely, Nicole O’Neil Nicole O’Neil 5'10" | SG Rosemount | 2023 State MN eased her way into the conversation, improving her performance steadily week after week over the course of the AAU season, gradually collecting believers along the way. Ultimately, they both ended up in a similar place as Privet and O’Neil launched themselves up the ladder and into the Top 50 in the Prep Girls Hoops class of 2023. As a result, we are pleased to report that Nicole and Ava are the two biggest stock raisers in the fall rankings update. The Prep Girls Hoops rankings are based on a player’s potential in college basketball, not on their current performance, and both O’Neil and Privet have shown they are solid candidates for scholarship programs.
Privet, an enticing point guard from Caledonia, moves up 46 spots from #80 to #34. O’Neil, a big guard from Rosemount, catapults 47 places up the rankings – the largest single jump in this update – as she rises from #97 to #50. Both will most likely play at the collegiate level but the skills and abilities that will get them there are very different.
O’Neil is probably best-known for her shooting. She get it up in a hurry and scores at a good clip. Her older sister Larisa, now graduated from Rosemount, is one of the best three-point bombers we have seen in recent years, but Nicole’s game is quite different. The separator is size. Nicole is about 5’10. She has length and a solid frame. Big guards aren’t easy to find, but O’Neil is much more than a catch-and-shoot player and she can perform effectively in spots 2 through 4. Nicole can get to the rim and finish with either hand. She uses her length to defend and rebound well. She has nice court vision and is a good passer. Although O’Neil may not have blinding speed she is quick enough to get where she needs to be when she needs to be there.
Minnesota Stars coach Josh Hersch calls O’Neil “a game changer.” Hersch recognized Nicole’s potential, recruiting the sophomore away from Fury 2023 Yellow for his top Stars squad where she joins fellow newcomers Brynn Senden Brynn Senden 5'6" | PG Wayzata | 2023 State MN , the top-30 guard from Wayzata, and Camryn Smith Camryn Smith 5'7" | SG Spring Lake Park | 2023 State MN of Spring Lake Park, who comes over from FBC North. You’ll note that both Senden and Smith are also included among our best stock raisers in this rankings update.
The 5’9 Privet is a very different player from O’Neil. She is an outstanding combo guard. In high school to date she has largely been parked in the corner to launch rockets, a task she has executed rather well for the Warriors of Southeastern Minnesota. This summer she ran the point for the Playmakers, and that’s where her potential really showed.
Ava has very light feet, among the lightest we have seen in the class. She practically floats around the offensive half of the court, picking and choosing her spots and directing the offense, all the while waiting patiently for the right opportunity to pounce. With a quick first step and a burst of elevation Privet gets airborne and the ball is more than likely heading for the cylinder.
In June we named Privet one of our five breakout players at the Great 8 Showcase in Ames. In July she made her rankings debut at #80. At the Battle for Mom we watched her go head-to-head with 2024 talent Angel Hill Angel Hill 5'8" | PG Minnehaha Academy | 2024 State MN in one of the more intriguing one-on-one match-ups of the summer. She made our AAU All-Star Team for 2023s and was on the All-Expo Team at the Top 250 in October. Clearly the secret is out and the Wisconsin Playmakers guard is probably not done rising yet.
Who else made a major move among the 2023s?
While O’Neil and Privet were making meteoric progress among the class of 2023 college prospects, there were a total of nine players who rose by double digits in the rankings plus three more who moved up nine places. We already mentioned Smith, who had a standout summer. She now elevates 16 spots north, rising to #51. Also up 16 is forward Grace Counts Grace Counts 6'1" | PF Providence | 2023 State MN of Providence Academy and the Metro Stars.
Here are the top 15 biggest stock raisers.
Up 47 – #50 Nicole O’Neil Nicole O’Neil 5'10" | SG Rosemount | 2023 State MN – 5’10 guard/forward, Rosemount (Stars 2023 Hersch)
Up 46 – #34 Ava Privet Ava Privet 5'10" | CG Caledonia | 2023 State MN – 5’9 guard, Caledonia (Wisconsin Playmakers)
Up 16 – #40 Grace Counts Grace Counts 6'1" | PF Providence | 2023 State MN – 6’0 forward, Providence Academy (Metro Stars)
Up 16 – #51 Camryn Smith Camryn Smith 5'7" | SG Spring Lake Park | 2023 State MN , 5’7 guard, Spring Lake Park (Stars 2023 Hersch)
Up 14 – #79 Kylie Diaz Kylie Diaz 6'0" | PF St. Michael-Albertville | 2023 State MN – 5’10 forward, Spring Lake Park (FBC North)
Up 12 – #60 Shannon Fornshell Shannon Fornshell 6'1" | SF Wayzata | 2023 State MN – 5’11 forward, Wayzata (Metro Stars)
Up 12 – #70 Ayla Brown Ayla Brown 5'6" | SG Becker | 2023 State MN – 5’7 guard, Becker (Comets Elite)
Up 11 – #64 Juliana Ewald Juliana Ewald 5'6" | CG Pillager | 2023 State MN – 5’5 guard, Pillager (Stars 2023 Knight)
Up 10 – #69 Ella Hopkins Ella Hopkins 6'3" | PF Rochester Lourdes | 2023 State MN – 6’1 forward, Rochester Lourdes (So. Minnesota Fury)
Up 9 – #10 Aby Shubert Aby Shubert 5'8" | CG Kasson-Mant. | 2023 State MN – 5’7 guard, Kasson-Mantorville (Fury 2023 UAA)
Up 9 – #30 Brynn Senden Brynn Senden 5'6" | PG Wayzata | 2023 State MN – 5’5 guard, Wayzata (Stars 2023 Hersch)
Up 9 – #35 Dani Nuest Dani Nuest 5'6" | CG Becker | 2023 State MN – 5’6 guard, Becker (Comets Elite)
Up 6 – #29 Karlee Fisher Karlee Fisher 5'7" | CG Armstrong | 2023 State MN – 5’7 guard, Armstrong (Suns Blue Star)
Up 6 – #41 Anna Lenzen Anna Lenzen 5'9" | CG Chaska | 2023 State MN – 5’9 guard, Chaska (Fury 2023 Premier)
Up 5 – #52 Olivia Harazin Olivia Harazin 5'8" | PG LCWM | 2023 State MN – 5’7 guard, Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial (MN Rise)
Top photo: Minnesota Stars teammates Brynn Senden Brynn Senden 5'6" | PG Wayzata | 2023 State MN (Wayzata) and Nicole O’Neil Nicole O’Neil 5'10" | SG Rosemount | 2023 State MN (Rosemount) are moving up.