Texas women's basketball recruiting: 3 high school prospects Vic Schaefer can target ft. Aaliyah Chavez

Despite having the potential to make it big, Vic Schaefer's Texas Longhorns lost to the NC State in the Elite Eight last season. The pieces were there. Texas won 33 games last season, which is the most in their 35-plus years of history. Small forward Madison Booker became the first freshman to win the prestigious Cheryl Miller Award.

Nevertheless, the team aimed for more, hoping to end their Final Four absence since 2003. Now, as Vic Schaefer journeys again to end the rut, here are a few high school prospects who can become valuable assets for the Texas team.

Top 3 high school prospects Vic Schaefer can target

1. Aaliyah Chavez

Aaliyah Chavez is the top prospect from Monterey, Texas. The 5-foot-9 point guard was given a 100 rating by 247Sports — she is the only women's basketball player to receive that honor.

She led the nation in made baskets and broke Monterey's scoring record while averaging 30.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 3.1 steals per game. As a result, she was awarded the Miss Texas Basketball honor and SBLive Sports' national player of the year.

Vic Schaefer and Texas have been in pursuit of Chavez, who has reciprocated a sentiment to play for the Longhorns. However, Vic Schaefer faces tough competition, as programs like Arizona, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, LSU, South Carolina, Ohio State, USC, Tennessee and UCLA are also in the mix.

2. Grace Knox

Grace Knox brings all-around value from a statistical standpoint. However, her biggest strength to Vic Schaefer's squad will be her mental and physical toughness. 6-foot-2 Knox's height and athletic build make her a mismatch on both ends of the floor. She operates heavily inside the three-point line, where she comfortably sinks more than half of her shots and effortlessly crashes the board for extra possessions.

Even though she shows signs of building a three-point shot, Knox's selling point is her floor general-like basketball IQ and court awareness. Knox is a five-star prospect and is currently ranked No. 14 in the nation by Prospects Nation.

3. Lara Somfai

Lara Somfai is an Australian player who is testing her game in the American high school circuit. So far, despite having issues with pace and speed, Somfai is a top-40 recruit. Her ranking comes mostly because of her strength, athleticism and ability to efficiently handle the ball. Moreover, she can also let it fly, be it off the catch or off the bounce.

Somfai also has international experience on her resume, and she scored 24 points during the semifinals in the FIBA U16 Asian Championship vs. New Zealand last year.

For Somfai, stability in coaching staff remains a top priority to make a successful switch to college. With that, Vic Schaefer's resume can work wonders in recruiting the Australian prospect, as he is slowly guiding the Longhorns along the path to victory.