Jaya is a young star coming into a new situation. It looked like a good transition based off of how Horace played this summer. Taylor is another Division 1 talent and another excellent passer. She can score the rock among the best of the EDC but also contributes on the defensive side of the ball. Her on-ball defense is really good and she uses active hands to get deflections and steals. Last season Jaya averaged 17.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. She shot 41.1% from the field, 31.8% from three, and 75.2% from the free-throw line.

What separates Jaya from most other players in North Dakota is her relentless work ethic. She is always in the gym working on her game. She has grown quite a bit the last couple of years and with that her athleticism and quickness are really starting to shine. She blows by defenders with one of the quickest first-steps in the state. Her ability to get to the basket and finish is really impressive. She has exceptional vision with the ball and is really good in transition. She creates steals and turns them into easy baskets. Finally, she continues to improve her outside shooting. She will have the green light at Horace and should light it up from deep next season.

Jaya starts the 2030 rankings as the #1 ranked player in the state of North Dakota. She is a second year varsity player for the Deacons and had an incredible year in 2025-2026. She finished the year averaging 17.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, earning her a spot on the All-EDC team. Her 17.1 points are good for top 5 in the EDC and top 15 in the state, with nearly every girl ahead of her being at least two years older and seven girls being Division 1 prospects and five being Division 2 prospects. Taylor plays with great energy and effort. She is one of the quickest players in the state and is incredibly skilled. She is very good at getting to the basket and can finish in very creative ways, often finishing through contact and getting to the free-throw line for And-1 opportunities. I am excited to see how the Spring and Summer AAU seasons treat Jaya.

Jaya is an elite prospect who is having an All-Conference type of year. She is currently the second leading scorer on a talented Shanley team at 17.1 points per game. This is also good for 5th best in the EDC. She is averaging 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. She is a very efficient shooter for her age, shooting 40.5% from the field and 33.7% from three. Her passing ability is an underappreciated part of her game. She has excellent vision and finds the open girl. We all know this girl can score the rock, but she is a multidimensional player on both sides of the floor.

It is easy to write about Jaya because of how talented she is. She finished her 7th grade varsity season on a tear and is continuing that with an outstanding offseason. She also is playing on a top Minnesota AAU team and is arguably their best player. Her skill work is off the charts and her desire to be great is uncommon. She shoots it super well and is very quick and athletic. She is the total package.

Jaya is one of the top prospects in the Midwest. She is a relentless worker and has the mindset required to be a high-level player. Here are some comments from Coach Maher on Jaya:

“ Jaya Taylor Jaya Taylor 5'8" | PG/SG West Fargo Horace | 2030 State ND was voted most improved by her teammates and coaches this year. Jaya started her 7th grade season playing one half of JV and getting some minutes on the varsity. Through hardwork and disciple day in and day out, Jaya earned a starting spot in January. The growth we saw in Jaya was her command of the floor. Once she started to get more familiar with how the offense ran, she was able to create for herself offensively and for her teammates. Once she earned her starting spot she proved she deserved that spot and held it the rest of the season.”

One note to add is that Jaya ended up being Shanley’s second leading scorer on the season at 11.2 points per game. She was really impressive in Shanley’s postseason games, averaging just under 18 points per game.

Jaya is a relentless worker and someone who has a passion to be the best. She has earned her way into Shanley’s starting lineup and has been playing great basketball as of late. Jaya has scored in double-figures in five of Shanley’s last six games. She is becoming more comfortable with the speed and physicality of the varsity game. She is going to be critical for Shanley to make a deep season run into a hopeful state tournament birth.