YouTube Series: More Surging Players You Need to Know

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is the second article in my YouTube series on surging players you need to know. You can read the first article by clicking HERE. This article will focus on players from multiple classes. Just in case you are not familiar, this article focuses on players I have seen on YouTube. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chip Johnson | Point Guard | Searcy | 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To be a freshman and not only start for the varsity team, but to have an impact is impressive. I have seen the freshman point guard play in person and the talent and potential is through the roof. Just like any freshman that is playing varsity, she has her learning curve, but Searcy will be in good hands over the next 3 years with her running the point. She has a good feel for the game, can shoot the three, gets in the lane off the dribble, can finish in traffic, has good vision out of the pick and roll, and applies good pressure when defending the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brooke Smith | Forward | Siloam Springs | 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brooke is a forward, but possesses guard skills. She does a little bit of everything for her team. She can handle the ball vs pressure, is a great passer off the bounce, rebounds, and brings energy and effort on both ends of the floor. In the half-court Brooke moves well without the ball. She understands when to cut and what's the best cut to use depending on how the defense is playing her. She also plays with a good pace and never rushes when being pressured, but she can play fast without getting out of control.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='306103' first='Brooke' last='Ross'] | Forward | Siloam Springs | 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='306103' first='Brooke' last='Ross'] is a forward, but is comfortable out on the perimeter. When playing low and posting up she does a really good job of getting position and calling for the ball. Being strong and physical often seals her defender and puts her in position for the easy bucket. This seems easy for her because she has good hands and a soft touch around the basket. Brooke also can't be left open on the perimeter. She has the shooting ability to make the catch and shoot three.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='525595' first='Marleigh' last='Sellars'] | Guard | Salem | 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marleigh is one of the best guards in the class of 2024. She plays with a great motor and just keeps going and going and going. Whether it's defense or on offense she going to give you 110%. She has a nice handle that allows her to be shifty and keep the defense off balance. Marleigh does a good job of combining change of speed with change of direction. This gives a path to the basket for the easy finish, into her mid-range pull-up, or she can create for a teammate. When she doesn't have the ball she is still dangerous. She does a great job of playing off the ball. Marleigh knows how to relocate on penetration and can then attack under control off the catch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sara McCain | Wing | Searcy | 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When it comes to shooting, Sarah is one of the most impressive shooters I have seen this season. She's deadly from the mid-range and a marksman from behind the three-point line. But she does more than just shoot the ball. She runs the floor well, finishes in transition, and can attack off the catch for straight line drives to the basket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='465533' first='Tyra' last='Taylor'] | Forward | West Memphis | 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tyra is developing into a force to be reckon with. The sophomore is quietly developing more skills and getting better. She uses her athletic ability well and can dominate the interior with her rebounding and scoring. The game I saw her play in on YouTube her opponent could stop her from scoring around the basket. You could just the impact she had on the game on both ends of the floor. As she continues to develop and get better she will be mentioned as one of the best interior players in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->