Final 2026 Notes From “The Clash”

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='624879' first='Julia' last='Lashley'] (2026) of Bloomington H.S. South and DistinXion Champions Black 17U.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The initial 2025 NCAA "live" period of April 25th-27th has come and gone. There were any number of tournaments across the country which took place, however many of the Indiana grassroots clubs sent their teams to The Clash in Hamilton, Ohio, to the Spooky Nook at Champion Mill location. After reviewing all of my notes from the weekend, I wanted to touch base on a handful of ladies who I haven't mentioned yet who stood out in the 2026 class when I was able to see them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='886667' first='Shaylee' last='Barrett'], 2026, 5-7 SG/SF, Lafayette Jefferson H.S.</strong><br>- I have now seen Shaylee a few times since December, and she continues to stand out with her athleticism and length. She is quick, fast, and aggressive. She can become an elite defender with a little more discipline, because she can sit in a stance and defend a variety of wings and guards using her length and quickness. Offensively, she gets to the basket in a hurry, not to mention she can change directions in traffic, plus she has a little touch from all three levels. She's still a bit of a "sleeper".</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486561' first='Nya' last='Dame'], 2026, 5-4 CG, Princeton Community H.S.</strong><br>- Nya hasn't really grown since middle school, but she has greatly improved her strength while still maintaining her speed and quickness. She plays low and compact, she attacks gaps with physicality, and she can score the ball effectively from all three levels. She also has good ball skill and the creativity to find open teammates, but she is programmed more as a scorer. I also think she has a natural feel and understanding of the game, plus she can become a nice college defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='434719' first='Eliana' last='Grubbs'], 2026, 5-7 PG, Bremen H.S.</strong><br>- Since seeing Eliana for the first time last July, I have really enjoyed watching her growth as a ballplayer. She has a strong frame, a little length, and she has a quiet poise to her game. She is a nice athlete in most directions, plus she plays with some versatility. She can knock down an open rhythm jumper, attack the basket and finish inside, or draw defenders and find open teammates. She's a willing rebounder, plus she is an effective half-court defender who willingly battles bigger players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='624879' first='Julia' last='Lashley'], 2026, 5-11 SF, Bloomington H.S. South</strong><br>- To me, Julia is the ideal type of skilled forward to play in the NAIA's Crossroads League, but because she's in Southern Indiana and all of those teams are North of her, she is just starting to draw some eyes from those successful programs. Julia has good ball skill, a nice feel for the game, and she's an excellent passer. She is a solid all-around athlete, she can push in transition, initiate the offense, and attack the basket for scores in the half-court. She plays hard and pursues rebounds as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1038873' first='Deniyah' last='Warren'], 2026, 5-7 SG, Pike H.S.</strong><br>- Deniyah is on a Pike team loaded with talent in 2026 and 2027. Because she isn't a big scorer, she doesn't draw as much attention as others, but she often finds herself in the starting lineup because she is a nice athlete, with length and wiry strength, and she is a tough-nosed, hard-working defender. She can sit down and defend the ball, plus she can cause problems in passing lanes from "help side". Offensively, she can attack the basket and finish inside, but expanding her game would help.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->