2024 Season Review-Top Sophomores

Bobby Brown

April 3, 2024 @ 07:20 AM

This is the second in a series of articles reviewing top performers of the 2023/24 season. The following players hit my Top Sophomore list for the year;   [player_tooltip player_id='876322' first='Kylah' last='Pearcy']-5'8" SG, Greenwood H.S. 2026-I first started following Kylah, pictured above, as a freshman and she has elevated her game in all aspects. Her basketball IQ was always there but now she has sharpened her skills to become one of the best players in the state, and will be for the next two years. She's adapted that culture and tradition at Greenwood, and will be instrumental in carrying it on for the Lady Bulldogs.   [player_tooltip player_id='465929' first='Cydney' last='Sanders'] 5'9" PG, Little Rock Baptist Prep H.S. 2026-Cydney has a work ethic that is second to none. As a sophomore, she's the leader for the Lady Eagles. Her touch-to-turnover ratio is excellent and she can get the ball to an open teammate, or score on her own. I've followed her progress since 2021. She's much stronger and can now dominate a game. You want the ball in her hands at crunch time! Look for Cydney to lead Baptist Prep to a deep playoff run next season.   [player_tooltip player_id='876344' first='Kendri' last='Broughton']-5'11" P, Dumas H.S. 2026-Kendri is a space-eater. She's an excellent performer in the paint. Her footwork is advanced and she can post-up anyone. She's always the strongest player on the court. Kendri blocks out well and creates multiple opportunities with her rebounding skills. She needs to work on her weak side but for all intended purposes she's unstoppable to the basket. Kendri attacks the glass as aggressive as anyone I've seen this year.   [player_tooltip player_id='876285' first='Charleen' last='Hudson']-5'6" SG, Springdale H.S. 2026-My first view of Charleen was later in the season. She was a very consistent and solid player with a low turnover rate and very balanced game. She's smart, can shoot the three ball, and has no problem taking a charge. She's not a huge impact player, but at the end of the game the numbers are there. She just gets it done. Next season she'll be one of the floor leaders for the Lady Bulldogs in the always tough 6A West Division.   KInley Smith-6'1" F, Fouke H.S. 2026-Kinley got my attention when she came off the bench for a very good Lady Panthers squad. She can play facing the basket, or post up inside for a higher percentage shot. She's got room to grow which should be scary for opposing coaches. She's adapted to the speed of the game and logged many minutes with a team that had so many good players. Look for Kinley to dominate in the paint next year.   [player_tooltip player_id='876312' first='Maddie' last='Mannion']-5'11" SG, Vilonia H.S. 2026-Maddie is a streak shooter. She's clearly a mis-match in the back court. She has great court vision and has a knack of getting open. She elevated her game in her sophomore season and look for her to improve and be a more versitale player. She'll be a big part in the Lady Eagles bid for a state championship.   [player_tooltip player_id='876275' first='Payton' last='Futch']-5'9" PG, Jessieville H.S. 2026-Seems like Payton has been around for a long time but she's only a sophomore. She's gained All-State accolades for the last two years and more will come. Payton is a scorer. She has a nose for the basket. But what she learned in her sophomore year was to trust her teammates. She now recognizes the double-team and shares the ball. She's gained maturity which clearly has made her a better player.   These athletes were the Top Sophomores that I had the pleasure to cover this past season. Next, I'll share with you my Top Juniors in 2024.

This is the second in a series of articles reviewing top performers of the 2023/24 season. The following players hit my Top Sophomore list for the year;