PGH Legacy Region Finals: Which 2026s stood out?

As usual there were plenty of standouts on the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit during the first weekend in July, including those at the Legacy Region Finals in Minnesota. But with more than 50 teams competing at Wayzata High School it was impossible to see them all. Among the freshmen we were able to watch, these six players made a notable impression.   [player_tooltip player_id='636285' first='Rayanna' last='Jenkins'] – 2026 guard, Wisconsin Blizzard Hawley   This was our first time watching the 5'4 point guard from Menasha in person this year but Rayanna's reputation preceded her. Jenkins has been making a name for herself all spring and summer. She was chosen for the All-Tournament Team at the PGH Champions Challenge in Appleton. She was selected as a Game Changer at the PGH Legacy Region Kick Off in Milwaukee. And she is already making a name for herself in Wisconsin high school basketball, averaging 9 points. 3.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.5 steals per game as a freshmen. It's obvious why word is getting out.   Seldom will you see a player of Jenkins' stature play with such physical presence and dominate a game in the way that she can. She's strong and assertive, playing with an air of confidence and court presence that is exactly what you want in a point guard. She is super crafty, with the quick feet and reflexes that make her very difficult to guard. She is an intelligent distributor with great court vision. Her defense is stellar. Rayana is just so good at waiting for the most advantageous moment to pounce on the ball handler to get a tip or force a steal, which often leads to easy transition buckets. There were plenty of good guards at the Legacy Region Finals, but you'd be hard-pressed to find one who made more of an impact than Jenkins.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/07/Lillie-Johnson_GNE.jpg?w=269" alt="" class="wp-image-691339" width="135" height="150" /></figure>   Lillie Johnson – 2026 forward, Great Northern Elite   Lillie hails from Gladstone on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, just an hour's drive northeast of the Wisconsin border but more than 400 miles removed from the epicenter of the state's basketball realm in Detroit. The 6'1 forward has already made a name for herself across the UP, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds as a 9th grader for the Braves and parlaying her length and tenacity into honors as the Great Northern Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Even the Detroit Free Press included her in their ‘Dream Team' articles. Watching her in Wayzata it was obvious why.   The Division 1 prospect has length, moves very well, can get up and down the court at a high pace, and has an impressive burst of speed when needed. She elevates well to the basket and is really crafty in the paint with very nice touch around the rim. Her selection of offensive options is vast. It should come as no surprise that Johnson has developed a nice skill set already given that her dad Matt is a men's college coach who is no stranger to Minnesota basketball. His resume includes stops at Hibbing Community College, Macalester and St. Mary's University in Winona.   In talking about Lillie we'd be remiss if we didn't do the same for her teammate Mya Hemmer. The 6'1 forward hails from Ishpeming, home of the United States Ski Hall of Fame. The town is another hour north of Gladstone and just 15 miles from the shores of Lake Superior. She, too, made the conference All-Defensive team. She is strong, highly athletic and can jump out of the gym. Hemmer's skill set is also impressive as is her physicality. Mya is a handful in the paint but also has nice touch where it matters most. She earned recognition as one of the standouts at the PGH Exclusive in Chicago. It won't be the last time Hemmer will make headlines.   Here are three more 2026s who made their presence known at the Legacy Region Finals.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/09/26-Landis-Williamson-Andrews-1-scaled.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-512168" width="150" height="100" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='502564' first='Landis' last='Williamson-Andrews'] – 2026 guard, Minnesota Diamond Elite Turner   The 5'6 guard from Eastview made a name for herself last fall in two key events – the PGH Freshmen Showcase and the Fall Exclusive. She was a standout at both, demonstrating her excellent ball handling, elite shooting ability, and overall craftiness. She also excelled at the Breakdown Fall League and the Featured 40, all of that laying the foundation for a spot in the Class of 2026 prospect rankings where Landis currently sits at #67. This weekend it was more of the same as Landis was the engine that drove her team. She's explosive with fast feet, quick hands, and the ability to get her shot off with limited time and space under severe defensive pressure.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/07/Jayda-Wilson_MDE-26.jpg?w=224" alt="" class="wp-image-691348" width="112" height="150" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='502600' first='Jayda' last='Wilson'] – 2026 forward, Minnesota Diamond Elite Walker   Coach Desmond Walker does a great job of promoting his players and he gave us a heads up to take another look at Jayda, so we did. What we saw was a much-improved version of the already impressive prospect we'd seen at the Freshmen Showcase where she was selected by our colleague Rudy Ruffin as one of the premier forwards at the event. At about 5'9, the Eastview 9th grader has filled out some and uses her size and strength to bulldoze opponents on offense and haul in rebounds in heavy traffic. We loved Jayda's confidence. She wasn't afraid to let it fly when there was an open look and was constantly on the attack. Her hustle plays were notable as was the constant energy. Let's just say Coach Walker was right.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/07/Nora-Eddleman_MDE.jpg?w=223" alt="" class="wp-image-691407" width="112" height="150" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='502570' first='Nora' last='Eddleman'] – 2026 guard, Minnesota Diamond Elite Turner   Nora first came to our attention last fall at the Freshmen Showcase where the 5'7 guard demonstrated solid ball-handling skills and a nice feel for the game. Since that time, Eddleman's game has continued to improve. This weekend she was a primary ball handler for Derek Turner's Diamond Elite squad and showed nice touch around the rim where she can finish with either hand. We loved her focused aggressiveness on the defensive side of things and her overall level of intensity from start to finish. Like so many players at Wayzata – one of the deepest 4A programs in the state – Nora might be operating in the shadows for now. At the Legacy Region Finals she was shining very brightly.

As usual there were plenty of standouts on the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit during the first weekend in July, including those at the Legacy Region Finals in Minnesota. But with more than 50 teams competing at Wayzata High School it was impossible to see them all. Among the freshmen we were able to watch, these six players made a notable impression.