Akiem’s Long Island 2026 Guards to Watch (Part 2)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>October usually means plenty of things across the Empire State – including the onset of Fall foliage. One of the other things it means is that the anticipation for another exciting season of high school girls basketball will be on the rise.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last month, Prep Girls Hoops New York penned a series of articles where we put a focus on Long Island – and the litany of talented seniors that comprise Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Now, we turn our attention to the junior class.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A few noteworthy guards were spotlighted in our first 2026 article and we do the same here by featuring even more beasts of the backcourt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1138037' first='Laila' last='Carr']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"St. Mary's","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='714728' first='Riverside' last='Hawks']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66fda18cedbd5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">In 2022-23, Carr averaged 10.6 points in her freshman campaign for Half Hollow Hills West, solidifying herself as one of New York State's breakout youngsters. Last season, she took her talents from Hills West to St. Mary's. She stands at 5-foot-7. Her athletic plate is very full. In addition to what she gets accomplished on the basketball court, she also plays tennis, lacrosse and flag football. Throughout the AAU season, she sports the uniform of [program_tooltip program_id='714728' first='Riverside' last='Hawks']. Aficionados of New York high school girls basketball knew Carr would be a name to watch when she scored 16 points in her debut in 2021 as an eighth grader. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1138033' first='Sadie' last='Krangle']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Jericho","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66fda18cedc9e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Last season's Jericho rendition graduated a total of four seniors. Krangle was already the leading scorer for the Jayhawks, but as she transitions to veteran status she will certainly be the focal point of all things Jericho for the next couple of seasons. In addition to the number of points the standout junior can put on the scoreboard, she understands the art of setting her teammates up to make plays and also is efficient as a rebounder. Krangle is a multi-sport athlete as she also proudly sports the Jayhawks gold and navy blue on the soccer pitch. She has played at the varsity level since she was in the eighth grade. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1138025' first='Maeve' last='Downing']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'7u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"New Hyde Park ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Team Lightning","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66fda18cedd2d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Another two-sport athlete and another where her second sport of choice is soccer. Basketball-wise, she has spent her springs and summers running with Team Lightning. Downing's play was a major reason why two seasons ago New Hyde Park reached the 11-win plateau for the first time in over a decade and earned a playoff berth in the process. This past season for the Gladiators, she averaged a robust 14.1 points per contest and returned to the playoffs once again. The combination of veteran status and all-around talent will be a worthwhile boost for New Hyde Park in 2024-25 – and a massive problem for Gladiators foes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["376324"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","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-66fda18cedd98"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Versatility, versatility, versatility. Green is more of a wing than a traditional two or a three. This past spring and summer, she spent her club basketball running with Elevate Elite – based in the Washington, D.C. area. Following a stellar 2023-24 campaign that saw her average 20.3 points in 23 games with the Stewart School in the Commonwealth of Virginia, she has brought her talents to the Empire State – more specifically Long Island Lutheran. One of LuHi's latest notables, she is swimming in Division I offers with Georgia, Purdue, Boston College, Clemson and Georgia Tech being among the latest to have her on their radars. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->