2026 Rankings: Ball Thieves

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this article we look at some of the top defensive players in the Freshman class and hilight the leaders in the "steals" category. The numbers they posted on the defensive end (as well as the offensive end) were accomplished as Freshmen competing against Juniors and Seniors. Some of the stats they posted are very impressive - if not mind blowing. Though we hilight the steals these prospects posted, we also look at some of the other numbers they produced as Freshmen. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='514627' first='Yamise' last='Haygood'] led every high school player in the State of Florida with 9.1 steals per game. Let that sink in - 9.1 steals per game. &nbsp; Of all the high school girl basketball players in the State of Florida, and all of the various divisions, Haygood&nbsp; walked away as the top ball thief&nbsp;in the State.&nbsp; Here is another head scratcher:&nbsp; The 9.1 steals per game ranks 4th in the entire&nbsp; country and 2nd amongst all Freshmen in the country. &nbsp; I got the opportunity&nbsp; to see Haygood during the travel season and during summer leaugue play and a ball hawk she is. &nbsp; Her athleticism&nbsp; and ability to run stood out the most.&nbsp; &nbsp; During the summer&nbsp; Haygood played some solid defense and forced turnovers as usual, but her offense&nbsp; was the main focus.&nbsp; She looked like a veteran on the court and was arguably&nbsp; the leader of her team. Haygood is going to be fun to watch and&nbsp; guards be ware - one of one of the top ball thieves in the country will be guarding you. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='752582' first='Lauren' last='Jordan']&nbsp; was ranked as the number 2 Freshman stealer in the State with 7.2 steals per game.&nbsp; She lead all Freshmen in Polk county in steals and was second overall in the county. Jordan plays all over the court and makes impressions in multiple categories: nearly 9 rebounds per game, nearly 4 assists per game, and an average of 18.2 points per game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='514522' first='Morgan' last='Cremen'] ranked 3rd in the Freshman class with 6.7 steals per game.  Cremen is a special player who uses her high basketball IQ on both sides of the court. Cremen sets the tone on offense and defense and is a natural leader on the court.  She was number 1 in St Johns county in steals and  assists as a Freshman. Look for her those super-impressive numbers to increase  even more with the addition of [player_tooltip player_id='515102' first='Madilyn' last='Ray'] and [player_tooltip player_id='248553' first='Kendall' last='Kane']. She will also have rising star [player_tooltip player_id='514520' first='Anni' last='Ament'] on the wing.  Beachside is poised for a special year and Cremen will be driving the bus.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='248681' first='Alayiah' last='Johnson'] averaged 6.5 steals per game and was one of the top Freshmen in the State at taking that rock away from opponents.&nbsp; Johnson posted staggering statistics last year with 24.9 points per game, 10.7 rebounds per game,&nbsp; 3.3 assists, and&nbsp; 1.2 blocks per game. Johnson also posted 15 double-doubles which ranked 5th in the 2026 class. &nbsp; Rumor has it that Johnson also collected tickets before the game, sold popcorn during halftime, and swept the floor after the game. Last season, Johnson showed that she is one of the most well rounded players in the State, and this season should be another special one. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='756676' first='Brianna' last='Bell'] took someone's lunch 6.1. times per game and and led Class 1A in steals. Bell also averaged 12.6 points per game, scoring in double digits 17 times and eclipsing the 20 point mark 3 times as a Freshman. Bell was special on both ends of the ball and is poised for another great season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='515086' first='Mylee' last='Van De Wouw'] had stats last season that were so good last year that you can't help but say "Wouw!" She averaged 5.4 steals per game that showed what kind of defensive player she was. She fueled the "Wouw-factor" with more evidence - averaging 6.2 blocked shots per game and shutting down the paint. The 6.2 blocks per game were tops in the State of Florida.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='754374' first='Avery' last='Chatman'] stole the rock 121 times last season for an average of 5.0 times per game. Chatman also averaged 29.4 points per game, showing that she played on both sides of the court. Chatman balled out as a Freshman and she is poised to have another amazing year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->