Prep Hoops Iowa Expo: Five 2026 Standouts

Murray established himself a year ago as a high-level shooting threat, and now he's rounding out his offensive game. He looked much more comfortable and confident playing with the ball in his hands on Saturday, an area of his game that he has obviously been working on. He played much more aggressively, looking to play downhill and get to the rim, which paired with his shooting, will make him a big-time scorer in the MVC this winter.     A transfer from East Moline United Township (IL), Simons is a long, explosive athlete who is a terror in transition, looking to attack the bucket and finish with authority above the rim. He puts constant pressure on opposing players with his ability to put pressure on the rim, as both a scorer and a playmaker, flashing impressive feel and court vision throughout the afternoon. He's a skilled passer who likes to get his teammates involved. With his length, he also impacts the game on the defensive end in a major way, getting into passing lanes and contesting shots.     Crane (pictured) was really close to being written about in the All-Showcase team article, that's how good he was on Saturday. He's a kid that I was looking forward to learning more about, and he didn't disappoint. He's a legit 6-8 forward who can step out and stretch the floor with a clean, smooth release on his jumper from 3-point range. He's a long, mobile big man who can switch defensively and protect the rim. He runs the floor really well, is strong on the glass on both ends of the floor, and looks like he could be a really viable threat in both pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop ball screen actions.     Badding is a high-level shooter off both the dribble and the catch, getting the ball into his shooting pocket quickly in both settings. He has range well beyond the 3-point line and is capable of getting scorching hot in the blink of an eye. He did a great job using ball fakes and the threat of his shot to temporarily freeze the defense, allowing him to get into the teeth of the defense, where he can either get all the way to the rim, finish with a floater, or find open teammates. He impressed with his improvement as a shot creator off the dribble.     Knapp may be one of the best shooters in the state in the 2026 class, and it's a class filled with snipers from deep. He has a really quick release off the catch and unlimited range, knocking down shots from well beyond the high school line routinely. When he's playing with the ball in his hands, he does a great job getting the ball into his shooting pocket off the dribble. He's also a skilled playmaker with great vision and passing instincts. He had a really nice all-around showing on Saturday.