Winter Jam 7th Grade Tip Sheet (2026)

There was plenty of up and coming talent in the 7th Grade Division, the finalists OYG and Swarm Elite met in pool play as well as the Championship with OYB winning both games but there plenty of close heated contests that kept my eyes open and that is what I love, excitement, as well as players getting after it so here are some of the standouts from the event which

Maddie Stewart-5’7 G (OYG Superstars)

Stewart battles for everything and that’s something you can’t teach because her desire just stood out all of the event whether it was going after loose balls or fighting in the paint for rebounds against taller players but that, as well as watching her create her shot, at this stage was definitely impressive as well as her pull-up jumper, the release is smooth and the shot is consistent, mid to long-range, plus she also can take defenders off the dribble and finish

Alexis Leywa-5’8 G (OYG Superstars)

Leywa is long and athletic, I speak about that being the base where I evaluate many players who fit “the profile” many colleges look at and the intangibles help determine many things, like watching her play the passing lane as well as reacting on defense on the switch but she also does a good job rebounding on both ends of the court as well as defending. She creates her shot nicely, even drops the long ball

Arrie Brown-5’10 F (OYG Superstars)

Brown already understands something very important and that’s how to use her body, especially inside the paint. She gets good position, she blocks out and she grabs rebounds, on both ends but she also understands how to ignite the break with the outlet pass and run the floor, which she does on both ends after rebounds and she can finish

Kenlea Jefferson (OK Swarm 2026 Black)

Jefferson has a lot of stuff going including something very important; she understands how to control the tempo, be it pushing the ball in traffic in the open court or running sets in the half-court, the game starts at the 1 so her ballhandling as well as seeing the floor and making the right passes to the right player at the right time all stood out

Talyn Payne (OK Swarm 2026 Black)

Payne goes hard and that includes attacking the basket but she also showed she could finish after contact, not to leave out strong defense and rebounding which will only get better

Lindsey Scott (OK Swarm 2026 Black)

Scott is “long and athletic” remember that’s the base and she elevates off the ground for rebounds, she has good timing to block, deflect and (or) alter shots. She has nice moves around the rim and she can finish

Jakary Brown (Krush Queens 2026)

Brown already understands how to create her shot, either the pull-up jumper or attacking the rim and going up, up and away to finish after contact but her length and athleticism gives her a double edge sword as she applies heart on defense, this includes playing the passing lane and watching her go hard on every possession is a very bright sign

Paige Williams (Krush Queens 2026)

Williams also understands how to read the defense, that’s good because she’s athletic and can handle the ball so once she plays the passing lane and attacks the rim in the open court, you know something is coming because of her body control and ability to finish after contact. Add that she showed she could knock the long ball done and there it is

Aundrea Walter (Krush Queens 2026)

Walter was impressive at the Duel States Girls Combine I covered a few months ago yet she showed me a different side and that was controlling the tempo. Understanding how to run a team at this stage is big, yet she has speed, with the ball, as well as athleticism and watching her push the ball and hit here teammates showed me progression, which I love to see

Skylar Anderson-5’7 SG (Team Trae Young 2026)

Anderson is about to unwrap an impressive offensive package, I already see it, I know it’s coming and here’s why. She handles the ball well under pressure, this is a big plus and her crossover is better than some guards heading to college, right now so she can create her shot, which can be a pull-up jumper or she can attack off the dribble yet when you can keep defenders guessing, you’re up

Natalie Moore-5’10 G/SF (Team Trae Young 2026)

Moore is long and athletic so one more time, that’s the base yet her treble ain’t bad either as I played on the homophone yet she elevates on her shot, as well as her rebounds and one huge thing that really sets her off is she can handle the ball from the wing and attack and finish, not leaving out that ever so important play the passing lane

Avery Ragland-5’1 PG (Team Trae Young 2026)

Ragland is a heady point guard that can handle the ball under pressure, see the floor and make the pass yet she also falls into that #sizedontmatter hashtag because at 5’1, she gets the job done and that includes keeping the defense honest as she can shoot the ball from outside, this includes the three-ball

Mya Alston-G (Oklahoma Aces 2026)

Alston made that long and athletic work in a number of ways, first of all, she extends on her jumper, check the picture and elevates over defenders attacking the rim so with her body control and learning how to defy gravity at a young age, she’s going to create some problems because the midrange is fluid and she has a nice floater and when you “plays the passing lane” with her speed, that’s baskets going the other way

Aliyah Duval-G (Oklahoma Aces 2026)

Duvall shows me something different every time, the first thing she ever showed me was how ahead she was with her knowledge of the game in a brief conversation yet she can shoot it, mid to long range, she has a step back that is pretty impressive and she can attack and finish after contact. She’s vocal on the floor, constantly moving and plays solid defense, that includes the passing lane

Mea Ginn-G (Oklahoma Aces 2026)

Ginn had me thinking “one mo GIN” as she came out of nowhere several times to show an effective midrange jumper but she’s athletic, she reads the defense and plays it well but on the flip side, her attacking of the basket from every angle imaginable, going hard while doing it, yet staying under control is a viable asset that will keep getting better

Cambree Blair–5’8 F (GOC 2026)

Blair understands how to get to the basket and she attacks with power. She’s strong and goes in under control but she also showed she could finish after contact. She also rebounded strongly as well as defend

Riley Forehand-5’1 PG (GOC 2026)

Forehand is another heady point guard that falls into that #sizedontmatter group because she plays under control, you can’t teach poise and she showed she saw the floor and got the ball to her teammates

Sydney Durrah-4’11 PG (Lady RBC Black 2026)

Durrah gets a big “hurrah” for a number of reasons, one she’s playing up and she played with confidence so factor in her size combined with poise and her potential jumps right out at me because she created her shot, she attacked the basket and she made plays