2026 Rankings: Top Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We talk a lot about how talented the class of 2025 is, but the class of 2026 is also filled with talent. Not only do you have a lot of skilled players in this class, but you have a lot of players that play extremely hard whenever they step on the court and clearly love the game of basketball. The guards in this freshman class are strong and there will be many that play impactful roles for their high school squads this upcoming season. Since we have the PGH Top 250 Expo this weekend and plenty of content to come from that, instead of breaking down each guard position individually, I am going to discuss the top 3 guards in each position from these initial 2026 rankings. So, I will talk about the top 3 point guards in this class, then move on to the top 3 shooting guards, and then I'll finish it up with the top 3 combo guards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Point Guards</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6323795268e70","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["376761"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Tinelli is u003cemu003etoughu003c/emu003e! Her basketball IQ is extremely high and she consistently brings all she has when she steps on the floor. Tinelli's ball handling skills and court vision are tremendous. She's great at getting the defense to relax using her hesitation moves. Once she gets them up, she goes right around the defender and makes stuff happen. She can finish tough drives to the basket or create buckets for teammates. When you watch her play, it's apparent that Tinelli's passing abilities are advanced. She is a 3-level scorer with good range on her outside shot. Tinelli's a really talented player and she's shown her talent on some of the biggest stages possible, never backing down from a challenge. Look for her to be a difference maker for the Lady Chargers this season, especially after graduating their top 2 leading scorers who are both now playing at the D-I level.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["376764"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Downey has already shown her ability to impact the game at the Varsity level despite the fact that she just started high school. In fact, she was North Bullitt's 2nd leading scorer last season after averaging 8.3 ppg. Downey has excellent handles and her overall offensive game is strong. She can really shoot the ball and she can do it from extremely deep range. However, she can also get to the rim or score in the mid-range. Downey has the ability to create scoring opportunities not only for herself, but also for her teammates. Her passes are strong and her vision is good. Downey was really impressive this summer, consistently putting up big numbers. I'd expect nothing less than a big freshman year from the young guard.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["493157"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"I haven't gotten to watch Combs as much as I'd like to, but whenever I have seen her play, she's always really impressed me. She plays so hard and she looks fearless out there. Combs can handle the ball and she has a variety of moves in her arsenal that allow her to handle heavy pressure really well. She runs the floor, she plays tough defense, and she crashes the boards hard. Combs can come up with multiple steals in any given game because of how well she reads the passing lanes. She's an impressive scorer as well. The way Combs is able to shift her body and finish reverses around the rim is special. It also makes her extremely hard to defend. I'm hoping I can catch Combs a lot more this season, but regardless, I see big things ahead in her future.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":3,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-64bdf339d45b7"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Shooting Guards</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_63237c1c68e73","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["376790"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Renee' is going to do whatever it takes for her to be the best player she can possibly be and that alone is a recipe for success. However, it is also a testament to her love for this game because her talent level is already high. Renee' is a really tough match-up. She may not typically be the tallest player on the floor, but she is stronger than most and she plays harder than most, so height is never even a thought when you watch her play. She can put the ball in the basket at a high level. In fact, as an 8th grader, Renee' was Kentucky's 26th leading scorer at 19.7 ppg. She can finish tough buckets and knock down shots, but she also gets her teammates involved. Renee's potential is out of this world and with her work ethic, the sky is truly the limit.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["376807"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Heatherly is another player I haven't watched nearly as much as I'd like to, but her skills are undeniable. She can do a little bit of everything when she's on the court and it's not abnormal to see her put up good stats in nearly every category (points, rebounds, steals, blocks, assists, etc). Heatherly has a knack for the ball and you can rely on her to play hard every single game. Defensively, she reads the passing lanes and keeps her head on a swivel. She also puts herself in really good positions, and does a great job of staying straight up, to block shots. Offensively, she can handle the ball and her passing ability is really strong. She sees the floor and delivers the ball so well. Heatherly is also a scoring threat and should have a big freshman season ahead.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["493158"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"McDonald is the last of the players on this list that I wish I had gotten to watch more, but her versatility has always stood out. She can play or guard any position effectively, and more importantly, she is willing to do so. She's also one of the best shooters in this class. McDonald catches the ball ready to shoot and she does a great job moving into the openings on the perimeter. She can handle the ball well as well. Defensively, you can see that McDonald has a high basketball IQ and you never have to question her effort. McDonald plays for an extremely talented Southwestern team who made it to the Final 4 of the state tournament last year. She only took 10 shots in her 8th grade year, but with the work she puts in along with her versatility, I wouldn't be surprised to see her play a much larger role for the Lady Warriors this season.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":3,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-64bdf339d463c"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Combo Guards</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6323830668e76","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["376806"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Yeast is the #1 player in the initial 2026 rankings for a reason. Her sister, Timberlynn, is one of the top 2023 players in the state, so when I say Teigh may end up being even better than her sister, that is saying u003cemu003ea lotu003c/emu003e. As an 8th grader, Yeast was Mercer County's 2nd leading scorer at 9.3 ppg. To make that number even more impressive, take into consideration that she was running the point in a lot of the Lady Titans' games. When it comes to pure athleticism, it doesn't get much better than Yeast. She's quick and her ability to jump, both elevating up and horizontal strides, is so impressive. If you pass the ball anywhere near Yeast, you're risking a steal. She is a 3-level scorer, a lockdown defender, and an impressive floor general. You can't ask for much more out of a 2026 guard than what Yeast brings to the game.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["376789"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"James has primarily played point guard throughout her basketball career, but we moved her into the combo guard position because of her versatility and ability to play on or off of the ball. She is one of the quickest players in the state, regardless of position, class, etc. She's quicker with the ball in her hands than most players without the ball. And while her handles, passing ability, and floor vision make her an elite option at the point, her scoring ability allows her to be just as effective off of the ball (if not more). KHSAA has an 18 game minimum for their statistical leaderboards and James was only able to play in 14 games for Jtown last season, so she didn't hit the minimum. However, if she did, she would've finished last season as the state's 7th leading scorer as an 8th grader (24.1 ppg). She's a threat from everywhere. James shot 37.3% from 3 last season and 60.7% overall. With the talent she has surrounding her at Manual this season, expect to hear James nameu003cemu003e a lotu003c/emu003e this season.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["493154"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Reitzel is another versatile and tough 2026 guard. She gives 110% whenever she's on the floor and that alone makes her stand out. She also has the ability to guard any position and she never backs down from a challenge. Reitzel has one of the best looking shots of any 2026 player I've seen thus far. She can knock down shots from all areas of the floor, but she's also a threat on her drives. Her basketball IQ is high and she seems to prioritize doing whatever her team needs her to do to help them win over any individual accolades which is a really impressive quality for a young player to possess. Reitzel can truly do it all, but one of the best parts about her is her willingness to constantly put in the work to be the best.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":3,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit","anchor":"acf-block-64bdf339d46a9"} /-->