2022 Border War Displays A Multitude of Talent

I traveled to Springdale this past weekend to watch Arkansas high school-level talent play clubs from 5 different states. I’ve captured a list of the athletes that were a head above the others and caught my eye throughout the weekend; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="305320" first="Aven" last="Sasser"]-All Arkansas Red 2023, 6’2” Post, Little Rock Central 2024-</strong>As a post or power forward, Aven is a dominate player on the court. She is agile on her feet but is a fierce rebounder. She can score in the paint or hit that 10ft. jump shot. Aven can get out on the fast break and finish. As a sophomore, she will be a top prospect in the class of 2024. <strong>Makenzie Hampton-Arkansas Bandits 2023, 5’5” Swing Guard, Marmaduke 2024-</strong>This girl can shoot. She is proficient with the ball, but if she can get a look, she’s deadly. Makenzie is the classic catch-and-shoot baller. Especially from the wing. Her floor vision is excellent and she knows how to move without the ball. As a junior next season, look for her to lead her high school team to a deep playoff run in each of her final two years. <strong>Ciara Bailey-Arkansas Sting 2024, 5’6” Guard, Beebe 2025-</strong>Ciara can play either the wing or the point guard position. Her basketball IQ is much more advanced than her sophomore high school classification. An excellent penetrator, she can also dish to an open player for the three-ball. Her quickness gives her the capability to clog passing lanes on defense and starts the break the other way. <strong>Sara Daniels and Sara McCain-Arkansas Sting, 5’11” Posts, Searcy 2024-</strong>This pair works very well together in dominating the boards. Their footwork in the paint, coupled with their high-low offensive rotation makes it difficult to defend. Look for this tandem to help Searcy to a playoff appearance in 2023. <strong>Kaycee McCumber-Arkansas Flight 2025 Elite, 5’11” Post/Power Forward, Farmington 2025-</strong>Kaycee moves very well without the ball. She can post-up and create a high percentage shot or draw the foul. She plays hard on every possession. She takes advantage inside with her strength and also dishes out after recognizing the double-team. Kaycee should be a positive addition to the Farmington High School run. <strong>Taelor Thomlinson-Arkansas Flight 2025 Elite, 5’5” Shooting Guard, Berryville 2025-</strong>Taelor is all over the court and can score easily. She can run the break because of her speed, but her strength is shooting. Taelor is a streak shooter and can make the three from anywhere past the ark. Mostly a catch-and-shoot scorer, Taelor moves very well without the ball finding the open spot. Logging multiple minutes as a freshman last year, I look for her to help a very young Berryville team land a playoff spot next season. <strong>Keimuira Brown-Arkansas Bandits 2023, 6’0” Post, Paragould</strong> 2023-Keimuira has excellent footwork in the paint. She moves very well without the ball. If she can get possession in the lane on her strong side she’s automatic. She hustles down the court in transition and can dribble out of trouble in double team situations. She will be a big part of a Paragould playoff run next year. <strong>Makayla Lambert-Arkansas Bandits 2023, 5’11” Power Forward, Paragould 2024-</strong>Makayla has a nose for the ball. Her aggressiveness allows her to get most 50-50 balls. She’s not afraid to go to the floor for a loose ball. She’s one of the best defenders I’ve seen due to her strength on the physical side and anticipation skills on the mental side. Only a sophomore, she has the size to play at the next level now. Bobby Brown