Mental Edge Series: What Gives These 2026 Players the Edge?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Welcome to the first installment of the Mental Edge Series—a spotlight on players who bring more than just skill to the court. In this series, I'll be highlighting athletes who stand out because of their commitment to the controllables: focus, motor, presence, effort, defense, and the ability to lead with intangibles. These are the traits that separate good players from great ones and help elevate their teams to another level. Here are a few players with that edge I'd like to highlight:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1181941"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","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-684b23dd5053c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kirsten has already established herself as a standout guard, averaging over 18 points per game during her sophomore year. What sets her apart is the energy she plays with. She is locked in on each possession—on both sides of the floor. Kirsten plays with a hunger to impact the game, staying focused on one play at a time. She's a threat in both the half court and transition, and she brings that same high energy to the defensive end. Whether it's tough defense, pushing the ball, or grabbing a steal—her confidence shows in her ability to stay present and impact every play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1132025"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","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-684b23dd5061b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ashya is a strong guard for Butler Heat Elite. In the 2024–2025 season at Holbrook Middle-High, she averaged 17.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.1 APG, and 6.5 SPG. What separates Ashya is the pace she plays with. She has a great handle and sets the tone for her team offensively by controlling the tempo and attacking with purpose. Then she locks in on defense—often picking up her matchup full court to slow down the other team's rhythm. Not only does she set the pace for her own team, she disrupts the pace of her opponents.</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":"Hannah Levine","_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":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Needham High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"MTE Ducks Jade","_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-684b23dd50711"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hannah is a standout guard at Needham. In the 2024–2025 season, she averaged 10.5 PPG, 4 RPG, 3 APG, and 2 SPG. While she can shoot the three and score at all levels, what stands out most is her defense. Hannah steps up to guard the opposing team's best players. She's an elite defender with good size, always locked in and ready to do her job on that end of the floor.</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":"Carley Fernandez","_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":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":" Plymouth North","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"MA Huskies","_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-684b23dd507db"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Carley is such an impressive player—but what sets her apart mentally is her quickness and her defense. She's a nuisance on the defensive end, moving her feet well, pressuring the ball, and creating stops. Offensively, she uses that same quickness to push in transition and generate easy scoring opportunities for her team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->