The June Midwest Championship in Sioux Falls, South Dakota was C3 Scouting’s first live girls tournament for the offseason thus far. I was there for Saturday only, but I picked up on a lot of things and learned some new names. There is many more prospects that I wanted to mention in this article, but I wasn’t able to get all the prospect’s names. I’m still learning and getting myself updated on girls basketball in region, as I scouted for Prep Girls Hoops years ago.
There was a handful of top girls prospects in South Dakota competing in the tournament and I discovered some new prospects that are deserving attention as college-level prospects.
Let’s go over the top prospects and some other key standouts that made my notes.
Dani VanDerWerff, 5’10”, 2028 Guard, Ambush Hooks 16U
I had seen Dani play on film for Gregory on film this past season but hadn’t seen her live until this tournament. She definitely impressed and looked much better live than I had expected. She has good positional length and her athleticism, explosiveness, and fluidity popped. She could get out and defend and disrupt the ball-handler full-court. She was explosive and sudden off of the drive. I’m unsure of the details of her recruitment but I feel that she’s most likely an under-the-radar D2 guard prospect.
Shelby Begeman, 6’0” 2029 Forward/Wing, Heiser Skills Academy 15U
Begeman was one of my top overall prospects that I saw play. Obvious standout length at 6-foot, but her ability to move and run at speed was impressive for her height. In the game I saw her play she made things look way to easy and made the Nebraska Chaos team look mightily inferior. She was able to hit short jumpers, finish at the rim, and got out in transition very well. She showed shooting range from three as well. Overall an impressive prospect and one of the tops in the South Dakota 2029 class.
Piper Langager, 6’1” 2029 Center, Heiser Skills Academy 17U
Piper stoodout majorly with her height and length. She was playing 17U and held her own—being a strong rebounder that could high-point the ball over the opponent. Another top 2029 prospect in South Dakota.
Jordyn Scott, 5’11” 2028 Guard, Ambush Hooks 16U
We all know that Scott can score the ball at a high level, but her passing ability and ability to see the floor and make the correct pass stoodout as well. The left-handed guard has some nice length and was one of the tops few most skilled prospects I saw on Saturday. Scott has seen D2 offers roll in.
September Rauch, 5’8” 2028 Point Guard, Ambush Hooks 16U
Rauch was playing point guard and handling the ball for the 4-0 Ambush Hooks 16U squad, and she impressed doing so. Her handle looks improved and more clean and comfortable. She’s a quick and explosive athlete that plays with toughness. She gets in a stance and defends the ball hard.
Reagan O’Neil, 5’10” 2028 Wing, Ambush Hooks 16U
Reagan is the best girls athlete in the entire state of South Dakota. Her athleticism and toughness is overwhelming for her opponents. Her skills with the ball and as a shooter need improvement but she’s able to take over games defensively and is a dominant offensive rebounder.
Kamryn Nesheim, 5’8” 2028 Point Guard, Heiser Skills Academy 16U
Nesheim’s skill and composure with the ball was one of the most impressive things I saw at the tournament. She’s a true point guard and natural basketball player with the necessary ball skills and knockdown shooting ability. She showed poise at the point guard position and I don’t recall her making an bad mistakes or turnovers. She played a clean game and she spread the ball around and hit her open outside shots.
Paxton Neunendorf, 5’5” 2029 Point Guard, Heiser Skills Academy 15U
Neuendorf was a contributor on Hamlin’s varsity team as a Freshman, but she wasn’t the main ball-handler because her all-state sister had that responsibility. But when she’s the go-to ball handler and general on the court she showed speed in the open court that I didn’t know she had. In the particular game I saw, she didn’t really need to score the ball and served as a true point guard that distributed the ball and pushed pace. She showed a good handle on the ball and played with championship-level toughness that you want your point guard to have.
Jenny Bevers, 5’8” 2029 Shooting Guard, Heiser Skills Academy 15U
Bevers I knew could play, but her effeciency was on another level. I saw limited gametime but I also didn’t see her miss an outside shot. She looks to be a knockdown three-point threat that has the ball skills to take care of the ball and pass it well on the perimeter and be a playmaking passer as well. She rose her stock tremendously in my eyes.
Aspen Billeter, 5’8” 2028 Wing, Nebraska Chaos 17U
Billeter was a Nebraska prospect that stoodout to me with her overall activity and impact. Her effort was there and she battled for the ball in the air and fought for the 50/50 balls. On offense she was a slasher that could drive past and through multiple defenders and finish off the glass at the rim.
Lainey Goertz, 5’8” 2028 Shooting Guard, Ambush Hooks 16U
Lainey plays high school ball for Sanborn Central/Woonsocket. With Liz Boshee graduated and playing in Aberdeen at Northern State University in the upcoming basketball season, Goertz will be on my list for breakout candidates in the girls 2026-2027 season. She was impressive on Saturday as well as a shooter and she got out in transition and finished easily at the rim. In the game I saw versus E3 Elite, she played a near-perfect game in her role as a shotmaker and one that can pass the ball and find open teammates in the half-court.
Suttyn Shafer, 5’4” 2028 Point Guard, Nebraska Chaos 17U
Another Nebraska prospect, Shafer is the smallest player on this list. She displayed a very quick handle on the ball and great shooting range. She was shifty in the open court and zipped the ball around to teammates and was constantly a threat from beyond the three-point line.
Elin Kvale, 5’8” 2029 Guard, Ambush Bruinsma 17U
Kvale was one of the top young players that I hadn’t known prior to the tournament. Her overall aggression, explosiveness, and fearlessness easily stoodout. She’s a skilled and explosive young guard out of Baltic High School. Her willingness and aggressive ess as a shooter was evident. She also put a ton of pressure on the rim and she attacked contact to get to the line. She has the playstyle to where she can win games for her team.
Maddlynn Red Bear, 5’7” 2029 Point Guard, E3 Elite
Red Bear and E3 Elite drew a tough matchup versus Ambush Hooks 16U, but Maddlynn showed a nice overall skillset, shooting ability, IQ, and playmaking as a young guard in South Dakota. The point guard out Dupree High School will be one to follow in the next few years.