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West metro girls' basketball preview: Younger talent abounds

By Jim Paulsen, Star Tribune, 12/05/16, 12:23PM CST

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Players and teams to watch this girls' basketball season.


Raiyne Adams left of St. Paul Como Park fought for loose ball with Mackenzie Kramer of Becker Wednesday March 16, 2016 at Mariucci Arena Minneapolis, MN.] The Becker Bulldogs beat St. Paul Como Park Cougars 62-57 in Class 3A girlís quarterfinals bask

If you had to apply a theme to the 2016-17 west metro girls’ basketball season, it would be something along the lines of the best is yet to come.

While there are some good upperclassmen — floor general Rae Johnson of St. Michael-Albertville comes to mind — it’s the influx of exceptional freshmen and sophomores who stand out. Among them are Hopkins’ Paige Bueckers, Holy Angels’ Destinee Oberg and St. Michael-Albertville’s Mackenzie Kramer, a transfer from Becker who mesmerized fans at the Class 3A state tournament with her ball-handling.

Individuals

Senior dream team (college players signed with in parentheses): Tori Andrew, Orono, 5-10, G (Yale); Bailey Helgren, Edina, 6-5, P (Kansas); Annika Jank, Edina, 6-2, P (Colorado); Rae Johnson, St. Michael-Albertville, 5-8, G (Iowa State); D.D. Winston, Hopkins, 5-7, G (Siena).

Five junior jewels: Katey Brattland, Minnetonka, 5-6, G; Morgan Hill, Minneapolis South, 5-9, G; Kayla Mershon, Minnetonka, 6-2, F; Reana Suggs, Hopkins, 5-8, G; Terra Rhoades, Minnehaha Academy, 5-5, G.

Five breakout underclassmen: Paige Bueckers, Hopkins, 5-10, fr. G; Destinee Oberg, Holy Angels, 6-2, so., F; Mackenzie Kramer, St. Michael-Albertville, 5-8, fr., G; Kaylie Van Der Werf, Holy Angels, 6-1, fr., F; Mimi Schrader, Wayzata, 5-9, so., G.

Individuals

Five on top: Hopkins (4A); St. Michael-Albertville (4A); Edina (4A); Holy Angels (3A); Wayzata (4A).

Five dark horses: Minnetonka (4A); Minnehaha Academy (2A); Orono (3A); Waconia (3A); Minneapolis South (4A).

– St. Michael-Albertville at Hopkins, 7 p.m.; Dec. 29 – Hopkins vs. Eastview at St. Olaf, 8:30 p.m.; Jan. 3 – Wayzata at Orono, 7 p.m.; Jan. 13 – St. Michael-Albertville at Elk River, 7 p.m.; Feb. 16 – Holy Angels at Edina, 7 p.m.

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