Closing the Book on the 2026 Rankings Update

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I lied. I have a few more kids I'd like to highlight in 2026. Today, I'll highlight a few more kids I want to write about in 2026. However, I would like to end the day by describing how I go through and work on rankings before I work on some minor things this weekend before updating the 2027 rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Taylor Lillie</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is something about Lillie that makes her an intriguing piece moving forward for a Hortonville team that lost three of their five starters. She's rehabbing from a severe knee injury but adds some physicality that the Polar Bears lost with their 2024 class. She stands at around 5'6 or 5'7, but having kids who don't mind playing through physicality, especially in the FVA, is valuable.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='842226' first='Maria' last='Hilbert']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The DSHA wing is someone I came across just before the new year when the Dashers hosted Menomonee Falls. The physical tools are all there for Hilbert. She's 5'11, can run in transition, guards multiple positions, has long arms, and can make an occasional perimeter jumper. Those tools are all there, but the skillset for her is what needs some refining. Hilbert is the kind of swing player that I hope to find at games I attend, and if she does pan out, she has a chance to be a contributor somewhere at the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='454966' first='Ellie' last='Deprey']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Health has always been a concern for Deprey in her first few years at Tosa East. However, in the last few months, she's been healthy and shown some of her quality on the floor. Deprey knocked down eight threes in a game to close out Live at the Lakes for her [program_tooltip program_id='713045' first='Wisconsin' last='Lakers'] P24 group. That ability to space the floor and knock down shots in bunches like that would make many regional coaches want to keep watching her to see what else she brings. It's been nice seeing her on the floor again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='448321' first='Breana' last='Dickrell']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four years in high school fly by, and thinking that Dickrell will be an upperclassman next season is unbelievable. She's another kid who the injury bug has hit hard, and she's also suffered a knee injury in high school. She missed most of her sophomore season recovering and still will have time before she's back to where she can be, but Dickrell has proven she can contribute to a high-powered offense. Her shooting speaks for itself. However, she has a good basketball IQ and knows how to move the ball quickly and make spilt-second decisions. In time, she could be one of the more productive players in the NEC and D3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->