The Underneath 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 sport 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 courses, with over 75 p.c of the members 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 towards one another over a grueling 40 minutes.
Though quite a lot of gamers flashed with their talents, 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 rapidly confirmed her potential to shoot the ball from distance throughout the person drills.
One of many higher gamers that I noticed throughout the open capturing drills, Harpring was capable of constantly knock down pictures from quite a lot of three-point spots on the courtroom, displaying one of many extra improved areas of her sport.
That carried over to Friday’s scrimmage, the place the Atlanta native gave a glimpse of her potential as a three-level scorer. Not solely was she capable of knock down pictures, however Harpring additionally had a pleasant drive together 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 every of her calling playing cards as she’s developed right into a high highschool expertise.
Whereas she was referred to as for just a few (questionable) fouls throughout 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 might have stored my arms off just a little bit extra, however I play onerous on protection,” Harpring shared after the scrimmage. “I’ll get just a few sensitive fouls, however basically, I’ll nonetheless hold taking part in onerous.”
Enjoying for Marist Faculty in Atlanta, Georgia, Harpring is seeking to be a degree guard on the subsequent degree, and needed to show herself towards a number of the high gamers on the place right here throughout the Underneath Armour’s Subsequent Elite 24.
Averaging 27.8 factors and seven.8 rebounds per sport as a sophomore with Marist final season, Harpring led her workforce to the Class 6A state championship. On the way in which, she had an enormous 45-point efficiency within the semifinals, main the Struggle Eagles to an time beyond regulation win over River Ridge earlier than going for 27 factors within the title sport to seal the deal.
Now, heading into subsequent 12 months, the rising junior is seeking to develop into an much more efficient scorer, whereas bettering her sport and sustaining her place as one of many high level guards within the nation.
“I’m simply making an attempt to get higher at all the things,” Harpring stated. “Actually making an attempt to include extra bounce pictures in my sport like [the] mid-range and stuff like that, however simply maintaining on protection, maintaining on being a three-level scorer, [and] simply hold taking part in.”
Oliviyah Edwards
Whereas Harpring was one of many greater standouts at guard, 2026 five-star Oliviyah Edwards was one of many high bigs in attendance over the primary two days on the Underneath Armour Subsequent Elite 24.
Though she was one of many taller gamers in attendance at 6’3”, Edwards rapidly stood out on Day 1 together 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, turning into a two-way participant that may function properly out of the put up.
“My stepdad, he coaches me, so after I first began taking part in, I used to be identified for having the ability to block pictures and being actually massive,” Edwards acknowledged. “He didn’t like that as a result of he was like, properly, ‘she will be able to achieve this rather 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 might pull that out of me. So we began engaged on all of that stuff. In order that’s type of the place [the finishing] comes from, [as well as] having the ability to dribble. It’s simply a whole lot of work that I do at dwelling.”
The defensive facet is Edwards’s robust swimsuit, as she has nice instincts as a rim protector, shoring up the paint properly and blocking pictures 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 really feel for the sport on each ends, which is spectacular for a giant, particularly at her age.
“I really feel like I attempt to do what I feel the sport must do,” Edwards shared. “So if I should be within the paint for that sport to win it, then that’s what I’m gonna do. If I should be exterior, pull the massive out that’s guarding me out, after which go in, that’s what I wish to do. I simply need to have the ability to do regardless of the workforce wants.”
The Elite 24 was a giant check for Edwards, who’s taking part in towards quite a lot of fellow five-star forwards and facilities, as she continues to show herself on a nationwide degree. Nonetheless, the second didn’t appear too massive for her.
“It’s actually in regards to the psychological and simply your mindset and the way you take a look at it,” Edwards acknowledged. “You’ll be able to take a look at it as, ‘oh, there’s a whole lot of stress and there’s a whole lot 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 right this moment.’”
I really feel like my mother actually helps me with that when I’ve, like unhealthy nervousness, fearful about what different folks assume. She actually helps me with that pep discuss and simply telling myself, ‘okay, look, you bought it. You’re the very best. Go and get it.’ And that’s actually what I work on. Even when I’m having a nasty sport stats smart, I’ll simply concentrate on 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 capturing. I undoubtedly improved with my management, I might say. And simply the psychological a part of it, having the ability to bounce again,” Edwards stated in regards to the previous 12 months.
“I used to get actually in my head so much within the sport, and that used to take me out of my sport, and I really feel like now I can mess up and nonetheless go after and nonetheless have the ability to 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 particular person that may cease you is you.’ In order that’s actually what I’m specializing in, is having 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 robust 12 months.
