Class of 2026: New-Look Top 10

PGHNJ has just updated it's rankings and with so much movement comes a NEW-LOOK TOP 10! This season of AAU hoops brought all the smoke, with these ladies showcasing their talents for all to see at tournaments in Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and beyond. None of the ladies in the Top 10 dropped out, just shifted around either up or down some. Let's dive in for a further look:   [player_tooltip player_id='559028' first='GiGi' last='Battle'] | Rutgers Prep | Exodus NYC   State Rank: #1 | Position Rank: #1   Sitting on her throne as the number one player in this Class, GiGi had a summer to remember! She let her menacing two-way game take center stage at all the Nike stops, concluding with a big summer finale at the USA Basketball Championships down in Rock Hill, South Carolina. With college coaches flooding the baselines to watch her and her Exodus teammates in action, she racked up offers from Harvard, Columbia, Miami and Georgia Tech, in addition to several more that have been kept private. At Jersey Live in June, GiGi reunited with her Rutgers Prep squad to rack up wins against Red Bank Regional (14 points), Bethlehem Catholic (PA) (14 points) and Archbishop Carroll (PA) (19 points). She was a standout and team-leading scorer in each game as she displayed all the goods that make her an elite hooper.   [player_tooltip player_id='559085' first='Addison' last='Nyemchek'] | Red Bank Catholic | Philly Rise   State Rank: 2 | Position Rank: #2   Addy is as good as advertised! Perhaps even better!! She led RBC to the championship game at Best of Maryland against nationally ranked powerhouse and in-state foe Morris Catholic. On the AAU circuit, Philly Rise battled against the top teams in EYBL 16U as the summer rolled on and she stepped up to meet the occasion every single time! In July, when players like Olivia Vukosa and Jordyn Palmer were away with their respective teams for FIBA ball, Addy stepped up to fill the void on the 17U team. Bringing size, versatility and a signature one leg fade away, she torched teams and landed on the 16U leaderboard for scoring heading into Session 3, at 13.1 ppg. Playing up in Louisville, she proved that she belonged with the best of the best, going off for 17 points on 7 of 10 shooting against Exodus NYC. Her time in Chicago saw more of the same efficiency and high level style of play that draws college coaches in and keeps their attention piqued. She was a major contributor for the Rise as they claimed the USA Basketball title down in Rock Hill, capping off a superb season with a well earned 'chip.   [player_tooltip player_id='559070' first='Jada' last='Lynch'] | St. Rose | Exodus NYC   State Rank: #3 | Position Rank: #1   One of the strongest guards in the state regardless of Class, Jada brought international flair and physicality to AAU this summer on the EYBL circuit. Clutch performances in Virginia, Kentucky and Jersey Live earned her standout honors. Deadly off the pick-and-roll, dazzling in transition and scorching hot pulling up from the mid-range and 3-point land! She had her way with opponents from April through July! During the scholastic live period in June, she put up 12 points against Chatham and another 12 in a dominant win over Pope John. She was one of the select few to be invited to the USA Basketball Championships (with Exodus NYC) but was busy prepping for a long flight overseas to Belgium to play FIBA ball with her National Team in August. Jada saw no days off this summer, playing incredible basketball both domestically and internationally, upping the ante each and every time she took the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='559135' first='Stella' last='Lockhart'] | St. John Vianney | Jersey Gemz   State Rank: #4 | Position Rank: #3   I've said it before and I'll say it again: BIG GUARD BASKETBALL AT ITS FINEST! [inset hand clap emoji here] Stella's jam-packed summer included stops in Virginia, Texas, Kentucky and Illinois for EYBL, New York for the Gym Ratz Challenge, South Carolina for the invite-only NCAA Academy and Georgia for Overtime Select. She rocked the Nike circuit, putting up head-turning performances against some of the top programs: 13 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists & 2 steals vs Cal Sparks at Session 1, 14 points & 4 rebounds against the nation's #1 team CyFair Elite at Session 2, 15 points, 5 rebounds & 2 steals vs Drive Nation at Session 3 and averages of 10.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.5 apg & 1.8 spg at Nike Nationals. Down in Rock Hill, I had a front row seat to watch Stella compete in the "individual pathway" and go off in front of several high major college coaches! To round out the summer, she was selected to Team YGE for the inaugural Overtime Select League down in Atlanta where she showed out in Week 1, totaling 32 points and 19 rebounds against the best players in the nation. It's only a matter of time before you see her name appear on ESPN's national rankings, you can bet your bottom dollar!   [player_tooltip player_id='559037' first='Taylor' last='Sofilkanich'] | St. John Vianney | Jersey Gemz   State Rank: #5 | Position Rank: #1   Moving up four spots in this rankings update, Taylor is the greatest gainer inside the Top 10 thanks to a phenomenal summer of basketball. Her scorching start at EYBL Session 1 saw her post 13 points against Cal Sparks and a huge 13-point, 14-rebound double-double against Exodus NYC, earning her a spot on the All-Breakout Team with averages of 10.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.4 apg & 1.4 bpg. She brought her torrid ways with her to Houston for Session 2 and by the time June rolled around, she had obtained a national ranking (ESPN #48). Down in Louisville, I watched first-hand as she put up a near-perfect performance against Wisconsin Flight going 7 for 8 from the floor en-route to 18 points. She capped off a thrilling July down at the NCAA Academy going 5-0 with her Kent State squad and wreaking havoc on both ends of the floor (per usual). At the time of this article being written, Taylor is currently dominating at The Fort, earning MVP honors in SJV's big win over Rutgers Prep.   [player_tooltip player_id='559046' first='Ava' last='LaMonica'] | Rutgers Prep | Jersey Gemz   State Rank: #6 | Position Rank: #1   Ava started off the Spring hot and sizzled all throughout the Summer! Her excellent guard play earned her All-Breakout Team honors at EYBL Session 2 in Houston, with huge games vs AL Southern Starz (16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists & 3 steals), Miami Suns (15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists & 2 steals) and CP3 Flames (11 points, 2 rebounds & 3 steals). She played an important role for the Argonauts' in securing multiple wins at Jersey Live, directing traffic and both scoring and dishing equally as efficiently. Ava has caught the attention of multiple scouting services and media alike, with her stock continuing to rise with each passing event. With recent offers from Iona, New Hampshire and LeMoyne in her back pocket, it's only up from here! She capped off a strong season in Chicago at Nationals, letting her game do all the talking and putting everybody on notice!   [player_tooltip player_id='559039' first='Madison' last='Kocis'] | St. John Vianney | Philly Rise   State Rank: #7 | Position Rank: #4   Madison's hot shooting scorched the EYBL circuit this summer and culminated with a USA Basketball Championship down in South Carolina! With great length, efficient 3-level scoring, excellent shot mechanics and a quick release, she was ultra dependable for her Rise squad. She was clicking on all cylinders at the Gym Ratz Challenge where her team went 4-0 to claim the 'chip in mid-May. She kept up that same intensity during the scholastic live period, reuniting with her SJV girls and helping them achieve a 4-1 record on the weekend. It was in July, however, that Madison really turned it up a notch, delivering big performances in wins over Pro Skills, NJ Gemz, Exodus NYC and Midwest Elite Meanstreets in Louisville and continuing that dominance at Nationals in wins over Cal Sparks, Team Durant, Boo Williams, MW Premier and Essence. Her confidence is at an all-time high which may spell trouble for opponents this winter!   [player_tooltip player_id='559043' first='Katie' last='Liggio'] | Red Bank Catholic | [program_tooltip program_id='714654' first='NJ' last='Shoreshots']   State Rank: #8 | Position Rank: #2   With one of the most solid two-way games in the state regardless of Class, Katie was a menace on both sides of the ball every time she took the floor. Her Shoreshots 16U squad swept the competition at Spooky with a 4-0 record, beating teams by an average of 20 points per game! Needless to say, a statement was made during the April live period! She continued to stand out from the rest as the season progressed, firing off warning shots against United NJ P24 and FBC United DMV in Atlantic City in May. The summer saw her compete in Kentucky, Ohio and South Carolina, where she was absolutely sensational and impressed college coaches from several high major D1 programs. Katie's ability to convert defense to offense and ignite the fast break is like poetry in motion, which opponents felt at Best of Maryland as she helped RBC land a spot in the championship game. I had a chance to catch her down at the invite-only NCAA Academy in July, where she ended her summer playing for Team Texas through the individual pathway. She wasted no time imposing her will and bringing that tenacious two-way guard play down to Rock Hill.   [player_tooltip player_id='559820' first='Addy' last='Platt'] | Gill St. Bernard's | United NJ   State Rank: #9 | Position Rank: #3   Although officially labeled as a "shooting guard," Addy's versatility was something that posed matchup problems for opponent throughout the summer. Competing on the P24 circuit and playing up on 17U with United NJ, she got every team's best shot! Smart decision-making, excellent defensive tactics and fluid execution on offense led to big-time showings at both the NJ and AC Showcases (where she earned tourney standout honors). In July, she took her talents to Run 4 Roses in Louisville followed by the Midwest Summer Classic in Ohio where she did more of the same; strong baseline rips, fearless rebounding, stop & pop middy, etc. Competing in the toughest division at Roses (Aqua pool), she led her team to big victories against Lone Star Magic (18-point win) and Spain Elite (27-point win). She capped off the summer by earning Power 24 17U Honorable Mention for her incredible efforts from April through July.   [player_tooltip player_id='601267' first='Mia' last='Washington'] | Pope John | Empire State Blue Flames   State Rank: #10 | Position Rank: #2   Mia had a summer to remember, decimating opponents with her savvy PG skills and racking up D1 offers along the way. Lafayette, Stony Brook, LaSalle, Boston College, Bryant, Siena and Delaware are just a few schools to have entered the picture after watching put in work at The Clash, AC Showcase, the Select Super Showcase, Run 4 Roses and NJ Live. She showed off everything that makes her dynamic, from elite court vision to quick-hitting buckets in transition. And while she's always been a reliable 3-point shooter, one thing I noticed about her game this summer is added firepower beyond the arc. She's banging 3's in at a higher clip than ever before, which is a scary thing for opponents! Mia was one of the weekend's shining stars during the scholastic live period in Skillman, NJ, dropping 22 points on PA power Neumann Goretti and battling tough against one of NJ's best teams in St. Rose. With the Platt sisters announcing their departure in the off-season (transferring to GSB), expect Mia to up the production (14.4 ppg last season) to fill the 24 ppg void Addy & Kaitlyn leave behind. With a loaded skillset that continues to evolve, big things are surely on the horizon for this budding superstar!

PGHNJ has just updated it's rankings and with so much movement comes a NEW-LOOK TOP 10! This season of AAU hoops brought all the smoke, with these ladies showcasing their talents for all to see at tournaments in Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and beyond. None of the ladies in the Top 10 dropped out, just shifted around either up or down some. Let's dive in for a further look: