Rivalry Game of the Week: Conway vs North Little Rock

Whenever Conway and North Little Rock faceoff, you can believe it’s going to be some good ball. The teams are always solid and feature some of the best-talented players in the state. This year is no different. These players are not only some of the best in the state but in the country. There were a number of future college players suited up for this game. So let’s take a look at some of the players whose talent was on full display. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>NORTH LITTLE ROCK HIGH SCHOOL</strong></span> North Little Rock had their hands full when Conway came to town. The #3 team in the state was battle-tested against the #13 team in the country. North Little is an athletic, scrappy bunch of young ladies that will play hard until the bitter end. Here are a few of their players that stood out against Conway. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="304710" first="Destine" last="Duckworth"] | Forward | 2022 | North Little Rock</strong> This Southern Illinois University Edwardsville commit had her fingerprints all over the game. She played hard from the opening tip to the final buzzer. She’s a physical player that not only played through contact but embraced the contact. She made a few baskets down low and then flexed to show off her muscles. Not only can she play physical down low, but she can also operate out of the high post and attack the basket in a straight line from the perimeter. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="304689" first="Jocelyn" last="Tate"] | Wing | 2024 | North Little Rock</strong> Jocelyn had the privilege of starting the game guarding [player_tooltip player_id="309616" first="Chloe" last="Clardy"]. This is a difficult task, but the sophomore wing player didn’t back down. She was able to use her length and athletic ability to make Chloe have to work for every bucket. She even got a couple of blocks on the highly recruited player. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="304739" first="April" last="Edwards"] | Combo Guard | 2023 | North Little Rock</strong> Every time I see April play I get the same energy and effort (which is a good thing). She plays with an edge and confidence that’s unshakable. She really excels in transition when she can use her body and strength to her advantage to get to the rim and draw contact. She had her three-ball working vs Conway as she hit a couple of threes. Defensively she’s a physical on-ball defender that loves to apply pressure and make you uncomfortable. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="304696" first="Amauri" last="Williams"] | Post | 2022 | North Little Rock</strong> Amauri is a strong post player that can really control the paint with her ability to block shots and limit the opposition to one shot. It took her a minute to get going due to some early fouls and it seemed she could never really find a rhythm. Amauri did get things flowing with some offensive rebounds and she was able to get some finishes around the basket off a teammate’s penetration. <strong>Garin Freeman | PG | 2023 | North Little Rock</strong> Garin is one of the most athletic point guards in the 6A Central conference. Her speed and quickness allow her to get in gaps that most players can’t get to. She can also advance the ball quickly down the court. Transition is where she can really excel and make plays for her team. Defensively she uses her athletic ability to her advantage. She gets in the passing lanes to disrupt passes and she’s not afraid to sacrifice her body to take the charge. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>CONWAY HIGH SCHOOL</strong></span> Conway is the #13 team in the country, but they knew coming into this game that it was not going to be easy. North Little Rock was the #3 team in the state and couldn’t wait to get a chance to upset one of the best teams in the country. Conway’s mixture of young players and upperclassmen makes this a dangerous team. Let’s look at some players that stood out against North Little Rock. <strong> Kalayna King | Forward | 2022 | Conway</strong> Kalayna is a coach’s dream player. She plays hard, accepts her role, is a great teammate, and doesn’t complain about points or shot attempts. But her value to this team doesn’t always show up in the stat sheet. Defensively she applies pressure, understands where she should be, and gives multiple efforts causing deflections and getting steals. Offensively she’s not going to do too much. She’ll attack when she has a gap and will always look to make the right play. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="304736" first="Savannah" last="Scott"] | Post | 2023 | Conway</strong> Savannah brings size and skill that is hard to match. Standing at 6’4 or so, she displayed her touch around the basket with a couple of left-hand finishes over her right shoulder. Once she gets positioned on the low block she is either going to score or draw the foul. Defensively she rotates well in the 1-3-1 zone. When the opponent drives she’s able to alter or block shots. She also limits the opposing team to one shot with her defensive rebounding ability. This is huge for Conway who likes to get out and run. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="309616" first="Chloe" last="Clardy"] | Combo Guard | 2023 | Conway</strong> Chloe saw a few different defenses against North Little Rock. She was picked up full court, double-teamed at times in the half-court, she was denied the basketball, and the help defenders tried to offer as much help as possible on her drives. Despite all this, she was still able to get in the lane to make plays. She stayed calm under the pressure North Little Rock applied. If she got free on the perimeter she would knock down the three. If the lane opened up she would attack. Defensively when she was on top of the 1-3-1 she caused havoc. At one point she forced three straight turnovers that led to her getting uncontested lay-ups. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="304697" first="Jaiden" last="Thomas"] | Wing | 2022 | Conway</strong> When you are a shooter sometimes you have quiet nights. It was hard for Jaiden to really get a rhythm against North Little Rock, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t have an impact on the game. Her shooting ability causes the defense to stay close and this opens up driving lanes for her teammates. When she did get a clean look she was able to make them pay. Defensively she still had a presence. Her pressure and multiple efforts caused North Little Rock to throw errant passes, lose control of the ball, and travel.