Minnesota high school girls basketball: Meet the top players entering the 2023 state tournament

The girl's state tournament begins on Wednesday, so get ready by reading about the top players to watch during the week

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The 2023 Minnesota girls high school basketball tournament begins on Wednesday, so we've compiled a list of some of the top players who have a chance at history with their teams.

There are many good players on teams we might not have highlighted, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive.

Let's get into it.

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Class 1A

Jordan Zubich, junior, Mountain-Iron Buhl

The junior phenom has put in work for the Rangers this season. She averages 17 points per game off of 55 percent shooting from the field, and also makes an impressive 36 percent of her shots from beyond the arc. She will lead the No. 1-seeded Rangers into a tough battle against Minneota.

Kinsley Hanson, senior, Badger-Greenbush Middle River

A force on both the glass and the floor,  Hanson averages nearly a double-double for her team, netting 13.1 points per game while also pulling down 9.9 rebounds to match. Her versatility will be much needed come game time, as her team will take on Hayfield, the No. 2-seeded team in the tournament.

Tiyana Schwinghammer, senior, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa

The 6-foot senior guard combines size with finesse, and she showed up big in her team’s section championship game, scoring 18 points in a winning effort for the Jaguars. After overcoming an upset from its section final loss last year, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa will be looking to make a deep postseason run this March.

Elizabeth Corley, junior, United Christian Academy

Arguably the biggest underdog in the Class 1A bracket, United Christian Academy turned a 14-11 season into a state tournament berth thanks to an impressive section run. Corley is a 5-foot-9 shooting guard who averaged an impressive 15.4 points per game this season.

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Class 2A

Addi Mack, sophomore, Minnehaha Academy

Addi Mack is a scoring machine for the Redhawks and a nightmare to go against for her opponents. The sophomore guard averaged a staggering 29.9 points per game this season, including a school record 43 points against Becker. To top it all off, Mack was the first player in her class across the country to reach 2,000 career points, and she still has two years of eligibility left.

Maddyn Greenway, freshman, Providence Academy

For some odd reason, Class 2A is stacked with underclassmen scoring machines. A part of the defending state champion Providence Academy squad, Maddyn Greenway averaged 31.2 points per game this season, including the highest single game point total in the state so far with 60. Like Mack, she has also made history this year, becoming the first freshman EVER in Minnesota girls basketball history to reach the 2,000 point mark.

Willow Thiel, junior, Perham

Part of a Perham team that has made it to state for the first time in 32 years, Thiel has been the backbone of this Yellowjacket team. She averages a double double with 20 points and 11 rebounds a game, and needs a big game, as her squad faces off against third seeded Albany in the first round.

Alyssa Sand, junior, Albany

A first team all state selection and a 6-foot-3 forward, Sand is a consistently solid scoring machine, usually scoring around 20 points a game to go with plenty of rebounds and defensive play. Her versatility spans beyond the hardwood too, as she is also an all state softball player.

Tori Oehrlein, freshman, Crosby Ironton

Yet another freshman phenom in Class 2A, Tori Oehrlein averages 31.5 points per game, including a whooping five 40-point scoring efforts on the season. The 5-foot-11 guard puts together these performances on an impressive .563 field goal percentage, and she pulls in over 14 boards per game as well as 6.4 assists to go along with these already absurd numbers.

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Class 3A

Ayla Brown, senior, Becker

The 5-foot-7 senior is a well-rounded player, averaging 18.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. However, her most impressive stat has to be her steals, as she picks her opponent’s pockets nearly three times per game.

Taryn Hamling, senior, Grand Rapids

The North Dakota State commit has been a thorn in the side of opposing defenses all year, averaging 22.7 points per game along with an impressive .391 shot percentage from beyond the arc. 

On top of this, she averages 3.0 steals, and her defensive prowess combined with deadly range will be the Thunderhawk’s biggest asset going into the tournament.

Jordyn Johnson, sophomore, and Aneisha Scott, sophomore, DeLaSalle

One packs on the points, and the other grabs the rebounds. This sophomore duo has blossomed as a collective force to be reckoned with this season, with Johnson averaging nearly 12 rebounds per game while her teammate Scott racks up 17 points per game. This duo seems to complement each other nicely, and this chemistry will be necessary if the Islander want to beat No. 2-seed Benilde-St. Margaret's

Olivia Olson, junior, and Kendall McGee, sophomore, Benilde-St. Margaret's

There aren’t many duos in the state that both average over twenty points per game, but Olivia Olson and Kendall McGee are not like most duos. They average 21.5 and 20.6 points per game, respectively, and are a big reason the Red Knights were able to secure a second seed in the tournament this year.

Hill-Murray, sophomore, Elise Groppoli

Groppoli might be a hair undersized at 5-foot-3, but the sophomore point guard has shown more than a few flashes of greatness this season. She facilitates the floor well, finds the open player with ease, and even adds 15.3 points per game on the scoring end of things.

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Class 4A

Kendall Barnes, junior, Roseville

The junior shooting guard helps out a lot on the offensive and defensive side of the floor, with steals and jumpers being her specialty. She has racked up a career high 39 points this year against Chaska, averages 16.3 a game, and she can swipe the ball away from any unsuspecting dribbler.

Nunu Agara, senior, Hopkins

Even after a star like Paige Bueckers left for Uconn, the Hopkins basketball team has not slowed down, heading to yet another state tournament. A big reason for this has been senior forward Agara, who has averaged 19.5 points per game thus far for the Royals.

Trinity Wilson, junior, Lakeville North

The junior forward who has already been named an all state honorable mention, Wilson is a double double machine. Standing at 6-foot-3, she has the ability to put up shots above her competition and grab rebounds practically at will, two traits that will come in handy for the state tournament.

Lexi Karlen, senior, Stillwater

The  6-foot University of Minnesota, Duluth commit Karlen is well versed in all facets of the game. She can block, score, steal, and rebound with the best of them, and this versatility is what makes her a potential problem to any opposing team.

Madi McCullum, senior, Eagan

Speed kills, and simply put, Madi McCullum is fast. The senior forward has a surprising adeptness to scoring off the fast break, and she can get a guaranteed bucket off any offensive mistake her opponent makes.

Tessa Johnson, senior, St. Michael-Albertville

An all state first team honoree, Johnson gets things done on the hardwood through her efficient scoring on high percentage shots. She averages 23.6 points per game, one of the highest in Class 4A, and is an absolute nightmare to game plan against.

Autumn McCall, sophomore, Centennial

She may not be the highest scorer on this list, but make no mistake, McCall can ball out. An all around efficient player, the sophomore forward averages 8.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. These impressive numbers, especially in blocks, allow the rest of her teammates to take advantage of the extra possessions these plays grant them. 

Molly Lenz, senior, and Tori Schlagel, sophomore, Eden Prairie

Believe it or not, this duo for Eden Prairie both average exactly 13.9 points per game. Lenz, a senior Illinois State commit, is best at beyond the arc shots and facilitating the ball at point guard. Similarly, Schlagel’s three point shot is her biggest weapon, as it goes in over 40 percent of the time.