New 2026 Names to Know
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The 2026 watch list was updated last week. These athletes are finishing up their freshman years in high school, but many of them made an immediate impact for their teams as they competed at a high level across the state. …
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Continue ReadingThe 2026 watch list was updated last week. These athletes are finishing up their freshman years in high school, but many of them made an immediate impact for their teams as they competed at a high level across the state. Here are some of the names that were added to the list that you should certainly go ahead and keep on your radar.
Charlotte Tune sets herself apart with the patience that she shows on the court. She handles the ball well with both hands, and she attacks the gaps waiting patiently for them to open up. She is fluid pushing the ball to the hoop and finishing at the rim. Her ability to shoot all around the perimeter is an asset on the court, and she can do so right when her team needs the points.
Taylor Smith handles the ball for Central Cabarrus moving the defense and finding the opening for her teammates to knock down the shot. She can also knock down her own shot from deep finding the openings and shooting off the pass or creating her own space with her dribbles. She slides into passing lanes to grab the steal, and these easily turn into points on the other end with fast breaks.
Brianna Carelock had a phenomenal season with Northside Christian and capped it off with winning the state championship. She is explosive with the ball attacking the basket or making some nice passes to her teammates for them to score some points. She is sure to rack up assists and points on the stat sheet each time she steps on the court. She doesn’t shy away from contact being aggressive on the other end of the court grabbing steals jumping into passing lanes or stripping the ball from her opponents.
Rayana Minard is fun to watch on the court with her hesitation moves and ability to blow by any defender who tries to guard her. Even as a freshman, she handled the ball well no matter what kind of pressure was put on her. She received All-Conference and All-District awards this season by showing how quickly she can get to the hoop or pull up for her jump shot. She does a little bit of everything, too, crashing the boards and grabbing steals to push the other direction.
Reagan Lindholm is a state champion with Grace Christian this year. The Crusaders have a high motor pushing the tempo and finding creative ways to score some points, and Lindholm was ready to step right in to the mix. She knocks down shots from deep with ease, and she shows the importance of moving into the gaps as well as relocating after passes. She fills in the lanes, too, finding the openings on fast breaks to score some points staying ready for the pass and bucket.
Highlights
Kate Schindler already has some good length that she uses to get in the way of her opponents’ offensive sets deflecting passes and blocking shots. She is a three level scorer who can find the openings and knock down shots from deep with her patience letting a play develop to get the open look. She handles the ball well pushing it up the court using her long strides to get by her defenders.
Tiara Thompson is another state champion that we have on this list of new names, and she is one that will certainly continue to lead her team to many more victories. She does an excellent job handling the ball, seeing the floor, and finding the best path for some points. She knows when to push the tempo or slow things down to reset. She can score easily attacking the basket from all angles, and she has some nice floaters that go up and over post players in the paint. Her quickness helps her be a tough defender on the other end.