2026s Still Under the Radar

<!-- 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 E40 17U.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now that the Spring grassroots season is coming to a close, I wanted to take the time to circle back and highlight seven ladies in the Class of 2026 who I feel are still somewhat under-recruited at this point in time. Obviously, the same case could be made for several others, but these seven stood out to me for one reason or another.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><font color="FFFFFF">.</font></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='832654' first='Jillian' last='Barr'], 2026, 5-9 F, Delta H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='714260' first='Midwest' last='Explosion'] 17U</strong><br>- Of all the kids in Indiana's 2026 class, Jillian be one of the most under-recruited at this point in time. She is a strong, athletic forward, who works extremely hard. She is probably best suited to play in the mid-post right now, because she is an excellent rebounder, whether she's boxing out or pursuing caroms. She is great scoring it at 15-feet as well, and she can defend multiple positions, including bigger guards. Making her perimeter jumper more consistent will be key for her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486476' first='Shaylyn' last='Hawk'], 2026, 5-7 SG, Washington H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='714250' first='Indiana' last='Pride'] Attack 17U</strong><br>- Shay hasn't always been a big grassroots participant, but she is on the circuit this Spring, and I've been impressed with her play each time I've seen her. She is strong, athletic in most directions, and she plays with a good motor. She is a very good perimeter shooter, she can put it on the floor North/South and finish through contact, plus she can initiate the offense when needed. While she is a scorer at heart, I think her versatility will allow her to play either guard spot at the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='772792' first='Aubri' last='Ingram'], 2026, 5-8 G/W, Ben Davis H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='712574' first='Indy' last='Magic']-Scott E40 17U</strong><br>- Aubri is a talented athlete who does a nice job of playing in transition. She has an athletic frame, length, and she is a nice, left-handed, slashing wing. She likes to handle it and create offense for herself or teammates, so she could play a point forward type of position at the next level. I like her a little more coming off of a ball screen or running into a dribble-handoff and turning the corner. I also think she has the talent to be a highly effective on-ball defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='928878' first='Marley' last='Jeffers'], 2026, 6-0 F/C, Pike H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='716173' first='Always' last='100'] 3SSB 17U</strong><br>- Marley had somewhat of a breakout season for the Lady Red Devils in 2024-2025, averaging 10.8 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. She has a strong frame, and she does a nice job of winning position in the pivot, both offensively and defensively. At the same time, she has length, she's a nice athlete, and she can play effectively in the mid-post and short corners. Her jump-shot is improving, and as it stretches to near the 3-point line, look for her to be a quality inside-out threat.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='624879' first='Julia' last='Lashley'], 2026, 5-11 SF, Bloomington H.S. South, DistinXion Champions Black E40 17U</strong><br>- I've been a fan of Julia's since middle school, as she has always been a playmaker. I would consider her the truest of point forward types in the state right now. She has a strong handle, really nice vision, and the ability to find teammates or get by defenders and put pressure on a defense. She has a little touch outside, but her offensive game is best off the bounce. Defensively, I think the combination of her length, basketball IQ, and athleticism allows her to be effective in most schemes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486494' first='Jayden' last='Scott'], 2026, 5-10 SF, Castle H.S., IBC-Marlin 3SSB 17U</strong><br>- Over the years, Jayden has always been a nice athlete with a lot of potential for the next level. In the past 9-12 months, however, I've noticed significant improvement across the board in terms of her entire skillset. She is handling the ball tighter, changing directions with greater ease, she's shooting it more consistently from the perimeter, plus she has added a bit of a mid-range pull-up as well. I think she's also a solid defender, and she can become a real problem at that end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='624883' first='Jordan' last='Steele'], 2026, 5-9 SG, Highland H.S., [program_tooltip program_id='715528' first='City' last='Elite'] Supreme 17U</strong><br>- Jordan really erupted this Winter, to the tune of 26.4 points and 6.1 steals per game, plus she knocked down 70 3-pointers in 26 games. More impressive is the fact that she scored 58% of her team's points while being chased all over the court. She is a long, wiry-strong, and fast lefty who loves to bury the corner jumper or drive it baseline to the rim. She has grown a little, gotten stronger, and her game has become much more consistent and dynamic. She's also an effortful defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->