2026 Rankings-Movin On Up pt 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I can't example remember when I first used JEFFERSONIZED when players elevated their games but it ties in with the show's theme song "Moving On Up" and since my mind works a little differently, I kept it and made it fly and speaking of flying, here are some upward movers who cracked the Top 20</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["510469"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67d03a7834681"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#8 (Up from 13)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Simpson sold me in middle school and yeah, I'm the first person who put out there yet I also knew once she came back from an injury this season, her team would look different. She's<strong> "THAT" </strong>player who makes those around her better, taking you from good to great. She throws darts on the money from 20 feet with either hand, she scores mid to long and off the dribble plus her defense, rebounding, and playing the passing lane all tied into her helping lead her team to a <strong><em><a href="https://www.uiltexas.org/basketball/state-girls/all-tournament-teams">State Championship winning MVP honors as well</a></em></strong> in the<strong> 6A D1 Division</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["597329"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67d03a78346f5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>#11 (Up from #15)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cole has been <strong>COLD</strong> since the first time I saw her play and she played a huge role in her team winning the <strong>State Championshi</strong>p, <strong>5A D2 Division</strong> where she was named to the<strong><em><a href="https://www.uiltexas.org/basketball/state-girls/all-tournament-teams"> All-Tournament team</a></em></strong>. She's a long and athletic guard who's explosive off the dribble yet her body control on her finishes after contact is nice. The same can be said for her outside shooting, but her" on the ball" defense including playing the passing lane also stood out</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["842800"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67d03a7834740"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>#14 (Up from #25)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jackson continues to elevate upwards, both on and off the court and I saw signs at the <strong>Spring Creek Mansfield Invitational Tournament<em><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2025/01/2026-eye-catchers-at-spring-creek-mansfield-invitational/"> see evaluation here</a> </em></strong>yet those signs were blinking as she helped lead her team to the <strong><em><a href="https://www.uiltexas.org/basketball/state-girls/all-tournament-teams">5A D1 State Championship and being named MVP</a></em></strong>. One of the most intriguing things about this is her upside is still high, yes she's "long and athletic" which is the base, and watching her start to control the game from either end has been nice </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["486454"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67d03a7834788"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong>#18 (Up from #24)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Powell got me thinking about players I saw before high school who were already good yet continued to elevate their games at the<strong><em><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2025/01/2026-eye-catchers-at-spring-creek-mansfield-invitational/"> Spring Creek Mansfield Invitational Tournament </a></em></strong>and she is in the group at the top of the list. Her DESIRE to get better as well as her falling into the "you won't outwork me" group and guess what, she also helped lead her team to a deep run and was named to the state <strong><em><a href="https://www.uiltexas.org/basketball/state-girls/all-tournament-teams">All-Tournament team in 5A Division 2</a></em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["802570"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67d03a78347ce"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#20 Up from #34</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">White has taken her game to another level and watching her maneuver through traps and double teams during the playoffs to score off the dribble made me smile. She's an athletic guard who understands how to use her athleticism on both ends of the court and her stop-and-pop jumper is special <strong><em><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2025/02/2025-finals-stage-has-been-set/">see evaluation here</a></em></strong> as she helped lead her team on a deep run and was named to the <strong><em><a href="https://www.uiltexas.org/basketball/state-girls/all-tournament-teams">6A D2 All-Tournament team</a></em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->