USA TODAY High School Sports is proud to announce the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Minnesota Girls Basketball Team. Players were selected based on their athletic achievements from the 2017-18 season.
For the complete list of American Family Insurance ALL-USA state teams, click here.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Molly Kasper, Eastview (Apple Valley)
In just her third season, Kasper guided the Lightning to a perfect 32-0 season and the Class AAAA state championship. Eastview knocked off Hopkins—the team that had eliminated the Lightning in each of the past three state tournaments—in the state final, 68-63.
FIRST TEAM
Player of the Year
Paige Bueckers, G, Hopkins (Minnetonka), 6-0, So.
The Metro Player of the Year and the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year, Bueckers averaged 22.3 points, 7.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 4.2 steals per game. A member of the U-17 National Team, she was brilliant in defeat in the state title game, scoring 37 points on 14-of-23 shooting.
Carmen Backes, G, Chisago Lakes (Lindstrom), 6-1, Sr.
The Wisconsin commit bounced back from an ACL tear to average 22.3 points and 12.7 rebounds per game this season.
Sam Haiby, G, Moorhead, 5-9, Sr.
Haiby, a Nebraska recruit, averaged 25.6 points per game as a senior, giving her a school-record 2,421 career points.
Emma Grothaus, F, Mahtomedi, 6-3, Sr.
Grothaus signed with Lehigh and contributed 22.5 points and 10 boards per night as a senior for the 25-3 Zephyrs.
Megan Walstad, F, Eastview (Apple Valley), 6-2, Sr.
A Miss Basketball finalist and Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit, Walstad averaged 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots per contest, and scored 20 points in the state championship game.
SECOND TEAM
Maesyn Thiesen, G, Sauk Centre, 5-5, Sr.
Morgan Hill, G, Minneapolis South, 5-10, Sr.
Kristi Fett, C, Lyle-Pacelli (Lyle), 6-5, Sr.
Kallie Theisen, F, Wayzata (Plymouth), 6-2, Jr.
Destinee Oberg, F, Holy Angels (Richfield), 6-2, Jr.