The Below Armour Subsequent Elite 24 showcase is formally underway, because the three-day showcase started with practices on Thursday and scrimmages on Friday earlier than the nationally televised recreation this Saturday on ESPNU.
24 of the nation’s greatest girls’s highschool prospects got here out to compete throughout the 2025, 2026, and 2027 recruiting lessons, with over 75 p.c of the individuals being five-star recruits.
Whereas Thursday was a lighter day that concerned extra particular person drills and 3-on-3 work, Friday concerned a full-on scrimmage between the 2 divided groups, with 12 gamers on both sides, as the highest recruits within the nation competed in opposition to one another over a grueling 40 minutes.
Though numerous gamers flashed with their skills, two particular gamers stood out among the many relaxation with their skillsets: 2026 five-star guard Kate Harpring and 2026 five-star ahead Oliviyah Edwards.
Kate Harpring
Harping was one of many first gamers to face out on Day 1 Thursday, as she shortly confirmed her means to shoot the ball from distance throughout the person drills.
One of many higher gamers that I noticed through the open taking pictures drills, Harpring was in a position to persistently knock down photographs from numerous three-point spots on the courtroom, displaying one of many extra improved areas of her recreation.
That carried over to Friday’s scrimmage, the place the Atlanta native gave a glimpse of her means as a three-level scorer. Not solely was she in a position to knock down photographs, however Harpring additionally had a pleasant drive along with her off hand on fellow five-star Divine Burroughs, attending to the rim for a layup.
That wasn’t the one space the place the 5’10” guard stood out, as Harpring was additionally bodily defensively, which has been one in all her calling playing cards as she’s developed right into a prime highschool expertise.
Whereas she was referred to as for a couple of (questionable) fouls through the scrimmage, the five-star didn’t waver from her depth when on the courtroom.
“I did get referred to as for a pair [fouls]. I imply, I may have stored my arms off somewhat bit extra, however I play arduous on protection,” Harpring shared after the scrimmage. “I’ll get a couple of sensitive fouls, however on the whole, I’ll nonetheless maintain enjoying arduous.”
Enjoying for Marist College in Atlanta, Georgia, Harpring is seeking to be some extent guard on the subsequent stage, and needed to show herself in opposition to among the prime gamers on the place right here through the Below Armour’s Subsequent Elite 24.
Averaging 27.8 factors and seven.8 rebounds per recreation as a sophomore with Marist final season, Harpring led her workforce to the Class 6A state championship. On the best way, she had an enormous 45-point efficiency within the semifinals, main the Battle Eagles to an extra time win over River Ridge earlier than going for 27 factors within the title recreation to seal the deal.
Now, heading into subsequent 12 months, the rising junior is seeking to change into an much more efficient scorer, whereas bettering her recreation and sustaining her place as one of many prime level guards within the nation.
“I’m simply making an attempt to get higher at the whole lot,” Harpring stated. “Actually making an attempt to include extra bounce photographs in my recreation like [the] mid-range and stuff like that, however simply maintaining on protection, maintaining on being a three-level scorer, [and] simply maintain enjoying.”
Oliviyah Edwards
Whereas Harpring was one of many larger standouts at guard, 2026 five-star Oliviyah Edwards was one of many prime bigs in attendance over the primary two days on the Below Armour Subsequent Elite 24.
Though she was one of many taller gamers in attendance at 6’3”, Edwards shortly stood out on Day 1 along with her gentle contact and consistency across the rim on the offensive finish.
That has been one the areas the place the five-star has improved, changing into a two-way participant that may function nicely out of the publish.
“My stepdad, he coaches me, so after I first began enjoying, I used to be identified for with the ability to block photographs and being actually massive,” Edwards acknowledged. “He didn’t like that as a result of he was like, nicely, ‘she will achieve this far more,’ as a result of he had already seen my athleticism and different sports activities as a result of I used to play soccer, I used to wrestle and all that.”
So, he knew that he may pull that out of me. So we began engaged on all of that stuff. In order that’s sort of the place [the finishing] comes from, [as well as] with the ability to dribble. It’s simply a variety of work that I do at dwelling.”
The defensive facet is Edwards’s sturdy swimsuit, as she has nice instincts as a rim protector, shoring up the paint nicely and blocking photographs at a excessive clip, whereas additionally securing rebounds.
However, general, the five-star, who’s ranked because the No. 7 recruit within the 2026 class, simply has a superb really feel for the sport on each ends, which is spectacular for an enormous, particularly at her age.
“I really feel like I attempt to do what I feel the sport must do,” Edwards shared. “So if I have to be within the paint for that recreation to win it, then that’s what I’m gonna do. If I have to be exterior, pull the massive out that’s guarding me out, after which go in, that’s what I need to do. I simply need to have the ability to do regardless of the workforce wants.”
The Elite 24 was an enormous check for Edwards, who’s enjoying in opposition to numerous fellow five-star forwards and facilities, as she continues to show herself on a nationwide stage. Nonetheless, the second didn’t appear too massive for her.
“It’s actually concerning the psychological and simply your mindset and the way you take a look at it,” Edwards acknowledged. “You possibly can take a look at it as, ‘oh, there’s a variety of stress and there’s a variety of this that,’ or you possibly can take a look at it as, ‘I’m the canine and I’m gonna present everyone what I can do as we speak.’”
I really feel like my mother actually helps me with that when I’ve, like dangerous nervousness, apprehensive about what different individuals assume. She actually helps me with that pep speak and simply telling myself, ‘okay, look, you bought it. You’re the perfect. Go and get it.’ And that’s actually what I work on. Even when I’m having a foul recreation stats clever, I’ll simply deal with the rebounds and stuff that I can management. So it’s nearly that mindset half and the way you flip it.”
The rising junior revealed that the psychological space was a spot that had affected her in 12 months’s previous, particularly mid-game, however she grew in that division over her sophomore season, which helped her enhance as an entire.
“I feel I obtained higher at taking pictures. I undoubtedly improved with my management, I might say. And simply the psychological a part of it, with the ability to bounce again,” Edwards stated concerning the previous 12 months.
“I used to get actually in my head quite a bit within the recreation, and that used to take me out of my recreation, and I really feel like now I can mess up and nonetheless go after and nonetheless be capable of bounce again. And that’s a very massive half as a result of that’s what was. My mother used to all the time say, ‘the one individual that may cease you is you.’ In order that’s actually what I’m specializing in, is with the ability to simply bounce again after a mistake.”
Now, heading into the 2024 season, Edwards is assured and can look to sharpen her instruments all-around in hopes of one other sturdy 12 months.
