2026 Senior Player of the Year Finalists Pt 1

The BCAM Mick McCabe Miss Basketball Award is the crown jewel of Michigan High School Girls' Basketball individual awards. There is a thorough voting and narrowing process to determine who the finalists are, depending on the year. [player_tooltip player_id='613939' first='SeCrette' last='Carter'], [player_tooltip player_id='502311' first='Mariah' last='Sain'],[player_tooltip player_id='613424' first='Kendyl' last='Smith'], and[player_tooltip player_id='613422' first='Lilly' last='Williams'] are the 2026 finalists; they have all had remarkable careers at their respective schools. All four are ranked inside the top 5 of this class and will be wearing a D1 college uniform next season. Inspired by the Miss Basketball award, which seeks to honor the best senior basketball players in the state, we wanted to add our own flavor to Michigan's postseason awards. Danyle and I have collaborated to determine a list of deserving high school prospects from every grade that we wish to nominate as Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Player of the Year Finalists. Two Players from each grade will be selected as Player of the Year.   This award emphasizes individual accomplishments and performances during the 2025-26 season. Prospects who compete on teams that excel in their division, conference, and against competitive teams were prioritized. To be included as a finalist, a player must have played for a high school team ranked by an authoritative girls' basketball resource and demonstrated consistent, impactful performances throughout the season. Two Player of the Year Finalists will be selected for each grade. The girls chosen are those who we believe impact their team with such significance that their team would not be in the same competitive category without them. Their performance throughout the scope of this season are separators and makes them the most deserving recipients of what we hope will be a highly respected award for years to come. This is our attempt to offer a fresh award to several of the best basketball players in the state, on the best teams in the state. Here are eight of our 2026 Senior Player of the Year Finalists.   <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2026/03/2026-senior-player-of-the-year-finalists-pt-2/">Read Senior Player of the Year Finalists Pt 2</a>    Se'Crette has one of the smoothest shooting strokes in the state, and she's made her mark as a lethal perimeter scorer for Belleville throughout her accomplished career. As a junior, she made more threes at the Breslin Center than anybody, with eight in two games. Her four triples against West Bloomfield and Rockford were crucial to Belleville's State Championship, earning Se'Crette an All-Breslin Team Selection. Se'Crette is averaging 19 points, three rebounds, and two assists for the top-ranked Tigers this season. She has more than 1,400 career points and is the program's all-time leading three-point sniper, with more than 182 triples. Se'Crette led the team with a game-high 24 points in a 77-49 win against Wayne Memorial and poured in a team-high 22 points with five three-pointers in the KLAA Championship game against Howell. Her efficiency from beyond the arc, confidence, and poise were separators in the game. The Tigers ended the regular season as KLAA East Champs for the third year in a row with statement wins against Wayne Memorial, Parma Western, Detroit Renaissance, Livonia Stevenson, Detroit Mumford, and Lawrence Central. Se'Crette earned KLAA-East All-Conference Select Team recognition once again and is a Miss Basketball Finalist. She will graduate with more than 90 wins at Belleville and continue her college career at Marquette University.     Jenessa earned first-team all-conference honors as a freshman during Ishpeming's 16-7 season. As a sophomore, she was a crucial contributor to her team's 28-1 record and memorable postseason run. She performed at her best on the brightest stage for Ishpeming in the D4 State Finals. Jenessa unleashed her full arsenal to help the Hematites secure their first state championship in a 73-54 win vs. Kingston. She wrote her name in the MHSAA record books by scoring 27 points in a State Championship game, 15 in a single quarter, and making five three-pointers in a State Finals game. Jenessa earned a D4 All-Breslin Team selection and First Team All-State honors. As a Junior, she became the perennial star, averaging 21.6 points (48% FG%), 6.2 rebounds, and four assists per game. Ishpeming moved up to Division Three for the season, and Jenessa guided the Hematitites to an 18-6 record, losing to eventual State Semifinalist Calumet 51-43 in the District Finals. She was recognized as First Team All-State by the Associated Press, BCAM, and the Detroit Free Press. As a senior, Jenessa has been unstoppable for Ishpeming, averaging 24.7 points, six rebounds, 3.9 steals, and 3.8 assists per game. Her complete impact has led Ishpeming to a 19-2 record with statement wins against Negaunee, Gladstone, Hancock, Calumet, Baraga, and Munising. They enter the postseason as a D4 favorite to make it back to the State Semifinals. I've seen Jenessa compete on the travel circuit, in showcases, and in high school games. She's a dynamic playmaker who has explosive quickness driving to the basket, can score at all three-levels, finish acrobatic layups, torch the nets from beyond the arc, rack up steals with her aggressive ball-pressure, create shots for teammates, and chase down breakaways in a dead sprint to block shots out of bounds. Jenessa owns the school record for three-pointers made in a season with 74 and became Ishpeming's all-time leading scorer (boys and girls) in December with more than 1,379 career points. She will continue her basketball career at Michigan Tech following graduation.     Rayah will graduate as the most prolific scorer in school history. She guided her team to their second straight undefeated record in the Interstate 8 Conference, third straight 15-win season, and will graduate with more than 55 career victories. Rayah came through in the clutch, posting 40 points (single-game scoring record) and 12 rebounds in a 52-39 win against Coldwater to preserve their undefeated league record. Parma Western earned signature wins against Holt, Frankenmuth, Coldwater, Dexter, and Marshall. Pressure makes diamonds. Against top-ranked Belleville, Rayah scored 32 points and grabbed nine rebounds. She also poured in a team-high 27 points in a five-point loss to D3 contender Grass Lake, and 25 points with six steals in a win vs. Holt. In 20 games, Rayah averaged an eye-popping 22.4 points (54.3% FG%, 43.2% 3PT%), 8.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.9 steals, and 4.2 deflections. Rayah became the program's all-time leading scorer (men's and women's) this season with 1,686 career points and is on pace to beat her junior single-season scoring record of 493 points; her efficient .855 free throw percentage as a junior was 3rd in the state according to BCAM and also an MHSAA record. She entered the MHSAA record books by sinking an impressive 309/392 career free throws. Rayah's honors include: Interstate 8 All-Conference all four years, two MLive First Team Dream Team selections, BCAM First Team All-State, Associated Press Second Team All-State, and Prep Girls Hoops Junior of the Year. She's contributed in every statistical category throughout her career with 1,686 points, 634 rebounds, 261 assists, and 245 steals. Rayah will continue her career at the 2025 Division Two State Champion Grand Valley State following graduation.     Lillie isn't just the greatest player in Gladstone history; she's one of the best players to ever come out of the U.P. As a junior, Lillie led Gladstone to an undefeated record in the Great Northern U.P. Conference, a 24-2 record, and a quarterfinal appearance against State Runner-Up Frankenmuth. After averaging 23 points and 12 rebounds a night as a junior, Lillie turned in another dominant season for the Braves as a senior. She broke her own single-game scoring record with 47 points in December and became the fifth girl in U.P. history to reach 2,000 career points during a win against the D4 favorite Ishpeming. Lillie led the Braves with 32 points to beat the Hematites. She surpassed 1,000 career rebounds this season and earned recognition as the Prep Girls Hoops x Dr. Dish National Player of the Week for Jan. 6th-12th. Lillie guided Gladstone to its third straight league title and second straight undefeated record in conference play, leading the Braves to statement wins against Marquette, Kingsford, Ishpeming, and Calumet. She's earned recognition as Ms. U.P., Associated Press D2 First Team, Conference Player of the Year, and Defensive Player of the Year. Lillie graduates as the school's all-time leading scorer, all-time leading rebounder, single-season scoring leader, and single-game scoring leader. She will continue her career at the University of Milwaukee following graduation.     Vanessa graduates as the most decorated player in Ann Arbor Fa. Gabriel Richard school history. She's been named Associated Press D2 Player of the Year as a sophomore, Ann Arbor MLive Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025, Prep Girls Hoops Junior of the Year, Detroit News D2 All-State First Team, Detroit Free Press All-State First Team, BCAM D2 Best Team, and CHSL All-Catholic First Team all four years. Vanessa averaged 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 3.7 steals per game with a 2.11 Ast/TO ratio. She holds the school record for points with 1,326 and steals with 315. Vanessa is second in school history with 356 career assists and has 454 career rebounds. She owns the school record for three-pointers made with 205, which is #27 in the MHSAA record books. Vanessa guided the Irish to key wins against Plymouth Christian Academy, Warren Regina, Chelsea, and Toledo Central Catholic this season. FGR ended the year at 14-8 with competitive losses against Grass Lake, Jackson Lumen Christi, South Lyon East, Holt, and Farmington Hills Mercy. Vanessa posted 21 points against Holt and a stat-stuffing 18 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, and five steals in February. At 85-15, Vanessa graduates as a winner. She helped lift the FGR program to new heights, finishing as the State Runner-Up in 2024, winning a state record 28 games in 2025, 32 straight league wins, and three CHSL Championships. Vanessa will take her dynamic skill set to Western Michigan University following graduation.     One of the biggest performances of the season belongs to Miss Basketball Finalist [player_tooltip player_id='502311' first='Mariah' last='Sain']. Against undefeated Rockford, Mariah stole the show, leading Muskegon to their first win against the Rams in seven years. She delivered the knockout punch with 22 points in the second half and 24 had 24 in the game, securing a 58-51 upset win for the Lady Reds. She was a West Michigan Summit MVP with 18 points against D1 contender Wayne Memorial and is a four-year team captain. Mariah led Muskegon to a 19-2 record (10-0 in O.K. Green) with statement wins against Rockford, East Kentwood, Holt, Grand Rapids West Catholic, and Hudsonville. She averaged 20.2 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2 steals per game. Mariah poured in 26 points to pass 1,000 career points in a win vs. Hudsonville and now has over 1,250. Mariah's elite, high-flying athleticism, explosive dribble drives, and freakish ability to convert acrobatic shots in the paint make her the highest-rated guard prospect in the 2026 class. Mariah has been an electric playmaker for the Lady Reds throughout her career and will join the University of Charlotte following graduation.     Kendyl breathed new life into the Powers Catholic girls' basketball program when she joined the Chargers as a sophomore in 2023. In three years, Kendyl led the program to 60 wins (21-5 in the conference), an SVL South Division title (10-0), and an SVL Championship. As a senior, she became one of eight athletes in MHSAA history to record 1,650 career points and 500 career assists. Kendyl delivered an SVL Championship Game MVP effort, leading the Chargers to victory with 21 points. She was named Prep Girls Hoops x Foster Swift Sports Player of the Week for Feb. 15th-21st. Kendyl has averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 3.3 steals per game as a senior. She guided Powers to statement wins against Pewamo-Westphalia, Frankenmuth, Clarkston, Detroit Edison, Hartland, and Saginaw Heritage. Kendyl dropped in 32 points during the Detroit Edison win, 20 against Hartland, and a near triple-double with 23 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds vs. Frankenmuth. Kendyl received the Saginaw Valley League MVP Award as a junior and a senior; she is the most accomplished basketball player in school history and a Miss Basketball Finalist.     Lilly won two National HomeSchool Christian National Champions with the HEA Firebirds in 2024 and 2025. She was named Player of the Year twice and Defensive Player of the Year three times. As soon as Lilly decided to attend Howell High School for her senior year, the program instantly became not just the KLAA West favorite, but a top ten D1 program heading into the 2025-26 season. At 6-5, Lilly towers over every forward in the state. Her mobility, muscular stature, strength, footwork, face-up driving ability, finishing touch, and fundamental development put her in a class of her own. She is the first and only high school girl I've ever seen dunk a basketball. Lilly covers more ground than any forward I've ever seen at the high school level, forces routine layups to become contested floaters, and is a shot-blocking machine. She averaged 17.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and six blocks per game, leading Howell to a KLAA West Division Title with a perfect 14-0 record. Against nationally ranked and undefeated Belleville, regarded by all as unbeatable coming into the game, Lilly delivered the performance of the season, scoring a game-high 27 points with 12 rebounds and four blocks as the Highlanders defeated the Tigers 59-51 to win the KLAA Conference Championship. She shoots 63% from the field and can score from the perimeter. Lilly set a new school record with 12 blocks in a game and broke the previous single-season record of 65 in January. Lilly earned KLAA All-Conference Select Team honors, is the number one-ranked prospect in her class, Michigan's only McDonald's All-American, and will be competing in the Big Ten Conference at Michigan State University.

The BCAM Mick McCabe Miss Basketball Award is the crown jewel of Michigan High School Girls' Basketball individual awards. There is a thorough voting and narrowing process to determine who the finalists are, depending on the year. SeCrette Carter SeCrette Carter 5'8" | SG Belleville | 2026 State MI , Mariah Sain Mariah Sain 5'9" | CG Muskegon | 2026 State MI , Kendyl Smith Kendyl Smith 5'9" | PG Powers Catholic | 2026 State MI , and Lilly Williams Lilly Williams 6'5" | C Howell | 2026 State #18 Nation MI are the 2026 finalists; they have all had remarkable careers at their respective schools. All four are ranked inside the top 5 of this class and will be wearing a D1 college uniform next season. Inspired by the Miss Basketball award, which seeks to honor the best senior basketball players in the state, we wanted to add our own flavor to Michigan's postseason awards. Danyle and I have collaborated to determine a list of deserving high school prospects from every grade that we wish to nominate as Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Player of the Year Finalists. Two Players from each grade will be selected as Player of the Year.