2023 Rankings Update: Meet the newcomers
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It’s never too late to make a good first impression. That’s the truth for the 20 Minnesota prospects who made the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2023 rankings for the first time this week heading into their senior year. Some…
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Continue ReadingIt’s never too late to make a good first impression. That’s the truth for the 20 Minnesota prospects who made the Prep Girls Hoops Class of 2023 rankings for the first time this week heading into their senior year. Some of them truly are new to the scene. Others we have been watching for some time and their efforts over the past many months have now earned them this opportunity. In all there were four newcomers who made their way into the Top 100, another eight who landed between #101 and #200 and eight more who now find themselves on the south end of the list. Welcome to the party!
NEWCOMERS IN THE TOP 100
#78 Abby Berge Abby Berge 5'10" | CG Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa | 2023 State MN – forward/guard, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa
Our highest-ranked newcomer, the 5’10 Berge is one of the most well-rounded players in the class. She is a savvy veteran from West Central Wildcats who plays the game with poise and intelligence, has both physical strength and touch, and is not afraid of the big moment.
#81 Taylor Shelstad Taylor Shelstad 5'7" | PG Lac qui Parle Valley | 2023 State MN – guard, Lac Qui Parle Valley
The crafty guard, also from West Central Wildcats, has length, athleticism and a strong set of skills. We love how she keeps her head on a swivel with eyes up as she brings the ball up the floor which enables her to make quality decisions on a consistent basis. Taylor has some very nice upside.
#95 Zhane Singer Zhane Singer 6'0" | PF Como Park | 2023 State MN – forward, St. Paul Como Park
A prototypical late bloomer, Zhane showed at the state high school tournament that she had the potential to big a big-time post player. That’s what happened this summer with Minnesota Diamond Elite as Zhane saw her skill set expand, her experience level grow and her ability to dominate down low flourish.
#96 Lakesha Thomas Lakesha Thomas 5'10" | SF North St. Paul | 2023 State MN – guard, North St. Paul
We meant to add Lakesha the last time we upgraded the 2023 rankings in the spring but somehow she got missed. Our bad. The 5’10 forward/guard is super athletic, very agile and has great mobility. Her box of tools continues to grow, too, and this summer’s experience with Crossfire Blue Star is clearly paying off.
WHO ELSE MADE THE LIST?
#104 Anna Rynkiewich Anna Rynkiewich 5'9" | SF St. Paul Central | 2023 State MN – forward, St. Paul Central
The rangy wing/forward from Minnesota Diamond Elite (top photo) was a joy to watch this summer. She’s super long, gets up and down the court at pace, and plays the game with a ton of passion. We love her competitive spirit, and she can also put the ball in the basket.
#108 Marina Lafreniere Marina Lafreniere 5'10" | SF Blaine | 2023 State MN – forward, Blaine
The 5’10 forward from Minnesota Heat Gustafson is a bulldozer on the floor. With a big frame, an athletic build, and a take-no-prisoners mentality, Marina is a fierce competitor who will go through the wall to win. Her skills have come a long way over the past few months.
#112 Camryn Lee Camryn Lee 6'1" | PF LQPV | 2023 State MN – forward, Lac Qui Parle Valley
Cam is a late arrival on our radar, but at 6-foot-1 with a huge frame, you can bet coaches are paying attention to her potential. Lee has nice footwork, excellent touch around the basket, and the ability to take and hold space against anyone. Despite not playing AAU this summer, Lee’s star is rising.
#113 Rayna Klejeski Rayna Klejeski 6'0" | PF Barnum | 2023 State MN – forward, Barnum
The 6-foot forward from Crossfire Vaughn has a sizeable frame, good length, plenty of strength and a strong physical presence on the floor. She does the little things well and consistently, and she can score. She’s not fancy but Rayna is most definitely effective.
#115 Pauline McCarthy Pauline McCarthy 6'0" | PF Cooper | 2023 State MN – forward, Cooper
As you can see we’ve added a number of big power forwards to the Class of 2023 rankings this time around which is not surprising. Everyone’s looking for bigs and they tend to bloom later. That includes the size-XL 6-footer from Robbinsdale Cooper and 43 Hoops whose progress is intriguing.
#152 Whitley Ronn Whitley Ronn 5'11" | SF Lakeville South | 2023 State MN – guard/forward, Lakeville South
The 5’11 Crossfire forward is a multi-dimensional athlete who plays three sports very well. Ronn isn’t going to wow you in any way, or light up the scoreboard at the highlight reel level, but she is a quality all-around player with no obvious weaknesses. If Ronn focuses only on basketball there’s no telling how good she can be.
#154 Jess Eischens Jess Eischens 5'4" | CG Mounds View | 2023 State MN – guard, Mounds View
Standing just 5’4, the Minnesota Heat prospect could turn out to be one of the sleepers of the class. She missed a year with an ACL injury but has returned to the kind of form that made her Mounds View’s leading scorer prior to the injury, a player with great skills and a bulldog mentality. Jess is also an excellent soccer player.
#162 Lily Peper Lily Peper 5'10" | SG Roseville | 2023 State MN – forward, Roseville
Speaking of sleepers, look out for the near 6-foot forward from the Minnesota Suns who is about to break through. Lily is long, smooth and athletic. She is an excellent three-pointer shooter, rebounds the ball very well, and has a nice calm demeanor on the floor. Inside there is a giant just waiting to be unleashed.
THE REST OF THE NEWCOMERS
#201 Cassandra Ross Cassandra Ross 5'11" | SF Shakopee | 2023 State MN – forward, Shakopee
#202 Alexis Moberg Alexis Moberg 6'0" | PF Rogers | 2023 State MN – forward, Rogers
#203 Alexa Snesrud Alexa Snesrud 5'10" | SF Cloquet | 2023 State MN – guard, Cloquet
#204 Abby Lord Abby Lord 5'11" | PF Totino-Grace | 2023 State MN – forward, Totino-Grace
#205 Sascha Korpela Sascha Korpela 5'10" | SF Cromwell-Wright | 2023 State MN – forward, Cromwell-Wright
#206 Marin Blom Marin Blom 5'7" | PG Farmington | 2023 State MN – guard, Farmington
#207 Adella Olesiak Adella Olesiak 5'6" | SG South Ridge | 2023 State MN – guard, South Ridge
#208 Liv Birkeland Liv Birkeland 5'6" | CG Hermantown | 2023 State MN – guard, Hermantown