Shay Stephens, - Prep Hoops

Shay Stephens

Point Guard/Shooting Guard

2026 Class

6'5" Height

Notre Dame School

Murray Elite Club

State Rank
Position Rank

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Expert Analysis

Eliot Clough

Prep Hoops Scout

Where do we even start?

Shay Stephens Shay Stephens 6'5" | PG/SG Notre Dame | 2026 State IA is the class of the 1A state tournament, far and away. One could tell that in the first five minutes against Bellevue in the quarterfinals. Scoring at all three levels, Stephens did it all with ease for the Nikes, commanding every possession as the primary ball-handler and leading scorer. A knockdown shooter with the ability to get down hill and finish at the rim with the best of them, it feels almost impossible to stop a player the caliber of Stephens. He put up a monster 21 points in the first half.

The Western Illinois signee put up 26 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals, showing an understanding to not force up shots simply to get them up.

Having the Nikes looking like a title contender, the future Leatherneck put his team on his back in a way few can in the state. If Stephens doesn’t earn team captain honors at the end of the tournament, one should be quite surprised. If he ends up at a higher level than in the Summit League in his college career, one shouldn’t be surprised.

2 months ago

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Tony Roe

Prep Hoops Lead Scout

The star of stars in the 1A tournament, Stephens, a Western Illinois signee, is the type of electric guard who can carry a team to a state title. The 6-5 lead guard can do everything on both ends of the floor, shooting it well off both the dribble and the catch. He has great vision and is a skilled ball-handler who loves to set his teammates up. A plus-athlete who can do it all, I’m thrilled the rest of the state will finally get a chance to see him play here. He’s averaging 24.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 3.1 steals per game on 62% shooting.

3 months ago

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Tony Roe

Prep Hoops Lead Scout

All things considered, Calamus-Wheatland did a really good job defensively on Stephens, holding him to 18 points. To his credit, he didn’t force anything, instead looking to get his teammates involved and making the right plays. He shot 6-12 from the floor, and many players as talented as him would’ve taken twice as many shots as he did, open or not. The 6-5 lead guard is in complete control of the game on both ends of the floor, with his length making a major impact. In addition to his 18 points, he had 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks.

3 months ago