2026 Watch #BattleInTheSunflower

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I get excited seeing the new kids on the block, pun intended, however, there were other incoming freshmen playing outside the block that stood out</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jaslene Howell-6’0 C (Pawnee) Graham’s Shooting Stars</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Howell has stood out in every event I’ve had a chance to catch her on the Circuit. Her having a huge upside is an understatement, she has a college-ready frame right now and doesn’t mind the physicality, either giving or taking. She rebounds on both ends, and scores on putbacks, after contact, but she also showed nice hands and footwork in the paint, which will create issues as her game progresses. I also enjoyed her facing the basket to hit the short jumper as well as put it on the floor and score off the dribble. She defended well inside the paint and she also did a good job passing the ball</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jada Faulkner-6’0 PF (Lincoln Christian) Oklahoma Utmost Basketball 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Faulkner is "long and athletic", I call that the base yet the more I watched her, the more things she showed me starting with her timing to block, alter and (or) deflect shots. Her athleticism also enabled her to "man up" outside the paint, plus she played the passing lane and showed she could handle the ball after the steal. Her finishes are powerful around the basket, contact was irrelevant but what really grabbed me was her "going after everything" off the rim. She does things instinctively, she reacts well, and her ability to score off the dribble will be an issue as it’s coupled with her size and length</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Isabella McSwain-5’5 CG (Union) EYG 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McSwain was a Top Performer on both days, her mindset and energy, well I guess her athleticism as well. all are rolled into a very nice skill-set but her first step basically sets everything up. She’s explosive off the dribble and when you add her "body control" to finish acrobatically, yes including after contact, that JUST DID IT for me. Well that was one of the things, her passes in traffic are something to see as she hits teammates very well attacking the basket or from 20 feet so if the court vision isn’t enough, how about the "stop and pop" jumper she has in transition. She defends "on the ball" baseline to baseline and just brings it</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kandice Shepard- Drip Nation 2024 Elite</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shepard is also "long and athletic" with an impressive first step both in the open court and the set. She played the passing lane, something I love to see, yet watching what she did after the steal is what had me going because in transition, she showed a change of pace in traffic to score, she also showed the stop and pop jumper yet "one play" put everything into perspective as she attacked from the wing, showed the spin move and finger roll, in one motion, while completing it after contact. Her on-the-ball defense was also solid, and so was her ball handling and seeing the floor</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Honorable Mention</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Breanne Rice-5’1 PG (Wichita County) Magic Basketball 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Shaylee Holzmeister-5’8 (Colby) Magic Basketball 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Deena Holmes-6’0 PF (Stucky) Kansas Bluejays 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Deja Burns-6’1 C (Sand Creek) Wrecking Havoc Hoops 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Audrina Nelson-5’7 G (Sand Creek) Wrecking Havoc Hoops 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Harper Floyd-5’11 F (Joplin) Missouri Legacy 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Marlee Stout-5’10 F (Pittsburg Community) Missouri Legacy 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Alissa Owens- 5’9 F (Joplin) Missouri Legacy 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gracie Waters-5’4 SG (Verdigris) EYG 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gabi Hinson-5’8 G (Kansas Elite White 2026)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->