Spring Rankings Update: 2026 Guard Additions

The Spring has arrived, and it's time for us to update the prospect rankings in all four graduating classes currently enrolled in high school. For the Class of 2026, it means this is the last time they will be ranked throughout their careers, and the overall list (rankings & watch list included) has expanded from 275 total prospects to 300 total prospects. With that said, below is an introduction to those Seniors who were added in yesterday's update who play one of the guard positions.   .    Ayla is a nice wing guard prospect whose opportunity at Jasper really ramped up as her career progressed. This season, she averaged 14.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, while burying 79 3-pointers in 25 games at a 40% rate. She has a solid to strong frame, some length, she plays with a nice motor, and she's willing to be physical. I like the fact that while she likes to shoot it outside, it doesn't stop her from getting physical defensively or rebounding her position well. She's a nice multisport athlete, but if she chooses to play basketball, she could help a small college from the perimeter.     Emily has been a really nice backcourt running 'mate to Elkins (above), and she spends a lot of time handling the ball for Jasper. Once she settles in, in college, she might be a combo guard, but I think she could serve as a nice wing guard as well. She has a lot of length, a fluid athleticism, and she balances scoring and facilitating well. During her Senior season, she averaged 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, while shooting an impressive 47% from 3-point range (36-77). She has a twin who was just added as well, and we will identify her in our next article about newcomers.     Josie has been a nice contributor for the Lady Vikings throughout her career, but she really stepped up as a Senior, averaging 12.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.6 steals per game. She has nice length, some strength, and she likes to play mostly off the dribble, looking to attack downhill, then find open teammates if her path is cut off. She rebounds her position extremely well, she is a physical defender, and she can even play in the mid-post as an undersized small forward in a pinch. She strikes me as a really nice "glue" type of kid at the small college level.     Bremen was very good this year, and their backcourt was a 3-headed monster of [player_tooltip player_id='434719' first='Eliana' last='Grubbs'], [player_tooltip player_id='1131960' first='Emma' last='Kincaid'], and this Emma. This Emma is a long and athletic wing guard whose first critical minutes of Varsity action came as a Junior, then, this year as a Senior, she proved to be a reliable third scorer for the Lady Lions, averaging 10.3 points per game. She added 3.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, and she knocked down 2 3-pointers per game, keeping defenses honest. Her improved ability to score the ball took a lot of pressure off her backcourt 'mates, as she added depth to the lineup.     Gabbi is an intriguing small school guard who plays with an outstanding motor and is seemingly all over the court. While she averaged 13.9 points per game this season, she also chased down an impressive 10.9 rebounds per game as well. She added 2.7 assists and 3.2 steals per game, and she shot it well enough from the perimeter to keep defenses honest. But make no mistake, she's at her best using her ability to attack and score inside the arc, find open teammates, or collect caroms for put-backs inside. She definitely plays bigger than she is, and she can certainly help a small college with her grit.     If you were to look up the definition of "scrappy" in the basketball dictionary, you might see Catie's picture there. She fit in quite well at Roncalli because of their style of play, and she was helpful in their run to the Class 3A State Finals this season. She is a smaller lead guard, but she is quick, fast, and feisty. She is always around the ball, she can split defenders and create for teammates, and she has improved her perimeter shooting as well. This season, she averaged 6.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 steals per game for a guard-heavy Lady Royals team, plus she was 29-77 (38%) from '3'.     I saw Ava for the first time during the 2025 grassroots season, and she is a nice, steady guard who does a little of everything. She has some strength, she's a solid all-around athlete, and she plays with a nice motor and some physicality. She can handle it a little and is a capable North/South attacker. She can knock down an open jumper when set and in rhythm. She rebounds her position, she defends with physicality, and she plays a bit bigger than she is at both ends of the floor. Ava gave a commitment to Albion College, and she should fit very well in that league.     Paisley is another really nice small school guard who does a little of everything. She has strength and length at her size, and she's a hard-working athlete. She can handle it a little and initiate the offense, but she has proven to be a better shooter/scorer from the wing, averaging 14.0 points per game while knocking down 36% of her 3-point attempts this year (61-170). Paisley also did a solid job affecting the defensive end of the floor, and she created turnovers for the Lady Panthers, who won 72 games over her 4-year career, including an appearance in the State Finals her Freshman season.

The Spring has arrived, and it's time for us to update the prospect rankings in all four graduating classes currently enrolled in high school. For the Class of 2026, it means this is the last time they will be ranked throughout their careers, and the overall list (rankings & watch list included) has expanded from 275 total prospects to 300 total prospects. With that said, below is an introduction to those Seniors who were added in yesterday's update who play one of the guard positions.