2026s Impress Playing Up

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The July club tournaments have shined the light on a handful of 2026s who are holding their own against older competition. These rising ninth graders might not all be ready for varsity action this fall, but they are testing themselves this summer against more mature competition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some of the top 2026s playing up this summer:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Malakyah Duncan</strong>, 6-foot-3 forward, 2026, Topeka West, Topeka United:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Playing up two grades, Duncan handle the physical challenge, and doesn't seem to be intimidated by playing older competition. He's got long legs and arms and a smooth athleticism. He can handle the ball and is accurate from the perimeter. He has the combination of physical tools and confidence to be a player early on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Isaac Fox</strong>, 6-foot-2 forward, 2026, Hays, Western Kansas Elite:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fox has good vision and court awareness, making him a good passer from anywhere on the court. He has the size and strength to be a presence in the paint, but he also is a shooter. When he faces the basket, he is a triple threat, able to drive with either hand, drop a nice pace into the lane, or pull up. He is adept at turning a defensive rebound into a drive the other way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1624987' first='Jordan' last='Jones']</strong>, 6-foot guard, 2026, Colby, [program_tooltip program_id='2075854' first='SSA' last='Hoops Elite']:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jones is a skilled and physically developed guard who can push the pace and get into the lane on the bounce. When he isn't running the point, he finds the open spot for an open 3-pointer. He rebounds well too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2403201' first='Trey' last='Oakley']</strong>, 6-foot-1 forward, 2026, Hays, [program_tooltip program_id='2075854' first='SSA' last='Hoops Elite']:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oakley plays a forward spot for SSA White team, but he's got guard skills and does some of everything. He's a shifty ball handler who can penetrate to the rim or to kick out a nice pass. But he's often in the paint on offense, posting up or popping out for a three. He does it all at the offensive end, and he is a difference maker on defense as well, blocking shots and jumping passing lanes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2211308' first='Dawson' last='Ruder']</strong>, 6-foot-5 center, 2026, Hays, [program_tooltip program_id='2075854' first='SSA' last='Hoops Elite']:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bigs tend to be a little behind their guard counterparts in terms of development at this age, but Ruder is a well-schooled and smart post player. Not only is he big and powerful, but he has soft hands, good court awareness and a lot of energy. He is active on the defensive end, hedging on the high pick and contesting shots all over. He shows both tenacity and finesse finishing on offensive rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->