2026 Player Rankings Update: #6-10

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This 2026 Player Rankings Update for Nebraska is different to most Player Rankings Update that you will see published out there. Prior to this update, there was no ranking list created or provided for this class throughout the state which means a few things... </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>There is some catching up to do. At each update I try to add 25 players per class. At this point, I would have 100 players listed already going into the school year so that's just what I did. There are 100 players listed that either put up big numbers in high school last season or showed some impressive gameplay over this past AAU campaign. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>I have only ranked the Top 15 players until our next update in December. I am confident that these 15 players are all individuals who could play basketball at the next level, no questions asked. The biggest determining factor being how they expand their games and physically grow over the next few high school seasons. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>In the Top 15 that I have listed for this class, there were a handful of situations where a player could have been a spot above or a spot below of where they were placed. I could truly justify either position to you in the end.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>(In General) </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Some small things on how understand the rankings:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The position that the player is labeled at currently is where they are seen as a college prospect, at THIS moment in time. That is subject to change as time goes on and players evolve.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Each player will have a "position rank" associated with their name in this first update, please understand two things about that ranking. 1 - Only the Top 15 players positional ranking is accurate. The others on the WL are just how players were mentioned in the PGH system in the past. 2 - Those are subject to change over-time as a player COULD end up changing their position for any given reason as they get older. (Growth spurt, Skill-set evolves, Ect.) </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Some small things to please remember from an outside perspective: </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Just because a players name is not added on this list, does not mean they aren't a good player. It simply means I haven't seen them compete YET or consider them as a CURRENT player who will see significant varsity minutes as a sophomore this winter at their high school.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>With younger classes, there can be some major movements as to where a player is from update to update. It's crucial to understand that when a player moves down in the rankings, it's usually not because they played bad or haven't been doing well. It's because more players are being added to the rankings and those players skill-set maybe evolving to a higher level as they get older.&nbsp;</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>A Players Ranking is an opinion. Nothing more, nothing less. My advice is that you can use it to motivate you or you should move on. There is no reason to feel hurt or slighted as it is never personal. It's just a different point of view. Remember, opinions change.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the article below I will be unveiling our 2026 - #6-10 Players list. This #6-10 list was determined by a few factors such as a players "feel" for the game, their body of work last high school/AAU season, their natural athleticism &amp; skill-set, their motor, and much more. Every player that I will list here is a college level competitor, who could one day play for a successful D1 program once their high school careers come to an end. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["756006"],"_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='756006' first='Ani' last='Leu'] is placed at the #6 spot to start this update because of her upside and future potential on the court. [player_tooltip player_id='756006' first='Ani' last='Leu'] already stands at around 5'11 with length and natural speed. She is very good with the ball in her hands at the point guard position and can be deadly when coming down the floor in transition. Being a 5'11 point guard is eye-opening to most in the girls game. There are several teams out there that don't have a center that is 5'11, not to mention a point guard. The upside of Leu's game is high. She has good body control, understands game tempo, and knows where to put the ball in big moments. All that mixed with her natural length makes for quite the combination. Over the next few months if she can have a stand-out start to her sophomore high school season at Lincoln Star North, she is going to be in the consideration to move into the Top 5 of this class. I just need to see things tighten up a little bit more. Something that is more then possible for a player like Leu. ","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["758887"],"_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":"Honestly, for every player in the Top 15 rankings, I could say their college future all depends on their game's expansion over the next few seasons. Along with their natural growth as a human being. Someone who has displayed growth in multiple ways this offseason is [player_tooltip player_id='758887' first='Clara' last='Welker']. Welker is a 6FT, three point specialist, who is slowly expanding her game across the floor. She is a lefty that is always ready to let it go from deep, stepping into her shot attempts with balance and coordination on the catch. If she can, she likes to move off of the three point line to the mid post and score over small opponents on a face up opportunity, if it presents itself. Defensively, she is getting better. She is long and athletic with some good side-to-side quickness. In most situations, she is a mismatch to the players around her and I think she should use that to her advantage a little more on the defensive side of things, Something I expect her to learn from experience over the next few seasons. As for now, Welker is a player that I could see on a college floor one day, she just needs to find the correct fit for her as a player and she could really make some waves.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["757573"],"_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":"Someone that did a little bit of everything her freshman year for her high school team was [player_tooltip player_id='757573' first='Avery' last='Kissinger'] and that helps place her at #8 in our 2026 - Top 10 list. Kissinger is a shooting guard that put up some consistent numbers her freshman year on the way to having a great season, eventually receiving a Division 2 offer from Wayne State. Kissinger would be described as a guard that is quick but is also very crafty. She understands the best moments to take the ball in for a finish or when she should kick it out for a rotation around the perimeter. There were several games last year that Kissinger stood out to everyone around the state because of her performance. Putting up major stat lines on the way to some high end victories. I'll be in attendance to watch Kissinger's St. Cecilia team play this year and I'm very excited. I'm expecting some fireworks. ","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["757592"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='757592' first='Sanai' last='Foster'] might be a surprising pick at #9 for a few people around the state of Nebraska but from everything that I have seen, Foster is extremely skilled and has size to match that. Foster stands at 6'2 but moves like a small forward. She can step up and hit a three pointer with ease off the catch or she can hit a step back three off the dribble. She has the ability to screen and catch in the mid-post, squaring up her opponent for a 15Ft jump shot or hard drive to the basket for an AND1 opportunity for herself. Like all players, I do have a few questions about Fosters game that I will need to see answered this high school season. If she can show me that she has a high motor and can do well on the floor for long periods at a time, we are talking about a future D1 player at the end of her high school career, accounting for her size and athleticism. The future outlook for Foster is bright, she just needs somethings to solidify a little bit more, and she will be a force to know out of this state. ","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["757579"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"There were 2-3 specific spots in the Top 15 that were between two players. Frankly, this was one of them but the OVERALL production by [player_tooltip player_id='757579' first='Emerson' last='Timm'] was my deciding factor. Timm is a 5'6 point guard that is a high score, high assists type player. Last season for her Arlington high school team, Timm was recording multiple steals a game while averaging double digits in points and nearly 5 assist per contest. She is a smaller guard that makes up for it with her scoring and passing ability as you can tell but I think there is a lot more to come. Timm is ready to step up this season and show everyone that she isn't just one of the best players in her 2026 class but the entire state. Offensively, she has a smooth game and a nice jump shot to go along with everything else I've already mentioned. If she has a better high school season than last year, it'll be interesting where she will fall when the next Rankings update comes around in December, but for now, she rounds off our Top 10. ","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64ff42aaeeb0d"} /-->