4A senior guards that are poised for a big season

The 4A classification in Arkansas high school sports is massive! There are 50 schools in this classification, with plenty of talent stretching to every corner of the state. However, it is very clear that the guard depth in 4A is deeper than any other conference in the state, all with varying abilities that can serve them and their team well at the next level.    I was shocked to see [player_tooltip player_id='1051648' first='Caroline' last='Dean'] listed at 5'4" on her Hudl account because she does not seem like it at all! I almost considered classifying Dean as a forward because she does not mind doing the dirty work in the painted area. Her skillset is very unique, and teams should be impressed by her do-it-all abilities.   Dean's offense is very old-fashioned for a guard. She has the ability to hit the three, and does not hesitate on her outside attempts, but the mid-range game is her forte. Dean is one of those players who can hit from literally anywhere inside the 3-point line, even if she has a foot on that line. This may drive some coaches mad, but her efficiency and comfort-level in the mid-range is enough for anyone to give her the green light. In addition to her mid-range game, Dean is solid at driving inside and hitting a runner over the defense. At her frame, Dean must do whatever it takes to get her shots over taller defenders, and she does just that. Dean is also exceptional on the fastbreak, where she has shown the ability to take it to the basket herself or dish it off to a teammate.   Dean's defense is rather disruptive. She puts herself into great positions to make plays on that side and force numerous turnovers. As mentioned before, Dean plays bigger than her height and it shows, especially when it comes to rebounding. Offensively and defensively, she is able to force her way in and grab every rebound she sees.   [player_tooltip player_id='1051648' first='Caroline' last='Dean'] has been impressive for the Lady Scrappers in her career, even being 4A tournament all-state last season. It is still a wonder how she is not on more colleges' radars, but with a strong senior season, expect that to change.     [player_tooltip player_id='338972' first='Taelor' last='Tomlinson'] is not ranked high enough on this site. Tomlinson is a deadly weapon for the Berryville offense, and she deserves more collegiate attention. She has found success with [program_tooltip program_id='715977' first='AAO' last='Flight'] during the summers, but in what will be her last season with Berryville High School, expect Tomlinson to take them to new heights.   Tomlinson is at her best when she has free range to let it fly from downtown, and she can shoot it from anywhere. Whether it is from the corner, the wing, or the top of the key, Tomlinson can make it. Not only this, but she can hit it from several steps behind the 3-point line, and with brilliant accuracy. Tomlinson can also drive and hit floaters above taller defenders with efficiency.   Tomlinson is best known for her offense, but she might be able to read minds on how she is able to anticipate where passes are going from the other team. With that skill, she is able to make cross-court steals.   [player_tooltip player_id='338972' first='Taelor' last='Tomlinson'] is a great player with a lot of skill, especially on offense. Berryville can be a great team if she can take a big step up in her game, so keep up with them in 2024/25.     It is a wonder as to why and how [player_tooltip player_id='1051954' first='Josilynne' last='Scott'] does not have more offers. Scott has already been offered by Odessa College and John A. Logan College. All do respect to those institutions, but Scott is deserving of higher level offers.   Scott is a knock-down shooter with a quick trigger. She has shown her offensive abilities for both Forrest City and the [program_tooltip program_id='712398' first='Arkansas' last='Lady Bandits']. Her shot is very smooth and defenses will be sorry if they leave her open. Scott can hit from anywhere beyond the arch and it opens up so much for the rest of her team.   Forrest City is an aggressive defensive team that loves to trap opposing guards and give their next opponent nightmares. Scott was able to benefit from that aggressive style of defense last season as she collected several steals and created new opportunities for her teammates to score.   [player_tooltip player_id='1051954' first='Josilynne' last='Scott'] is a name that is coasting under the radar for now, but do not expect that to continue as the trend in 2024/25.     Disclaimer: [player_tooltip player_id='878511' first='Kennedi' last='Scrivner'] is no longer at Jessieville High School, she is now with Nashville High School.   Scrivner now joins a Lady Scrapper team that is well-versed in success, and she makes that team even scarier in the 4A-7. Scrivner's offense is her best attribute, but there is not a particular offensive skill that defines her.   Scrivner is a fantastic 3-point shooter. Her shot is very fluid, quick, and smooth. She can hit it from anywhere on the court, and her shot can translate to the mid-range area as well. Scrivner is also great at attacking the basket with both hands. Whether she is going left or right, Scrivner is driving hard and she does not mind the physicality inside. She can also move without the ball and is especially solid at cutting to the rack.   Whether Scrivner has the ball in her hands or not, she can make great plays, but if I were her coach, the ball would be in her hands at all times. [player_tooltip player_id='878511' first='Kennedi' last='Scrivner'] is that multi-faceted scorer every team in the state needs, and Nashville is fortunate to have her. Scrivner has Division I potential, so be on the lookout for her and the Lady Scrappers in southwest Arkansas.     [player_tooltip player_id='760876' first='Maya' last='Peoples'] needs more minutes! Peoples is one of those players who has shown she can do it all on the court: score, rebound, pass, and defend, but she still needs more opportunities to show her skills.   I hope [player_tooltip player_id='760876' first='Maya' last='Peoples'] wants this title, as she might be the scrappiest player in all of 4A. She scrapes and claws for steals and she hustles so hard to come up with extra opportunities for her team. With Peoples, it truly is heart over height, and she is the game's biggest disruptor and the player that makes the largest impact for her team. Her defense is spectacular, and it overwhelms opposing ball-handlers.   On offense, Peoples needs to have the ball in her hands more. What she has shown off the ball has been effective thus far. Peoples capitalizes on fastbreaks well and can score easy buckets inside. Her shooting is her best offensive ability though, as she can shoot from anywhere beyond the arch. Her release is quick and she is not afraid to pull it when her team needs a bucket.   [player_tooltip player_id='760876' first='Maya' last='Peoples'] could very well be one of the better guards in the 4A-8, but she needs more touches. If that happens, expect a lot of heads to turn her way in 2024/25.     I always found that soccer (or futbol) players that play basketball were some of the most obnoxious and frustrating players to step foot on to a court, and I mean that as a compliment. Soccer players are known to have terrific stamina, footwork, and hustle that can translate to essentially every sport, and for basketball, it translates the best on defense. [player_tooltip player_id='1049455' first='Gabby' last='Bradshaw'] plays soccer for Shiloh Christian and she has collegiate potential in that sport, but she also has the potential to play basketball at the next level.   Again, soccer players are unbelievably frustrating to play against when they are defending you. They hound you and do not give you an inch of space. It is impossible to drive past them because they can recover and counter your moves so quickly. Bradshaw is able to do all of that on defense for the Lady Saints. 9 out of 10 times, she is taking the ball away and running down to the other end for an easy layup. She is also very tall and long for a guard, and when combined with her elite quickness, she gives the opposition fits.   [player_tooltip player_id='1049455' first='Gabby' last='Bradshaw']'s offense is not too shabby either. I mentioned how her defense can create easy fastbreak opportunities for herself and her team, but she also has a nice shot from beyond the arch. Bradshaw is very comfortable taking and making those outside shots.   [player_tooltip player_id='1049455' first='Gabby' last='Bradshaw'] is one of the best role players in all of 4A. Her main job is to create utter chaos on defense and get the other team shaking in their boots. On offense, her role is slightly diminished. She has the potential to be a major asset for the Lady Saints in her senior season.     Like [player_tooltip player_id='1049455' first='Gabby' last='Bradshaw'], Sydney Wyand is a dynamic two-way role player for Shiloh Christian who has great potential.   Wyand is at her best on the defensive end. She is able to cause a lot of turnovers and plays sound on-ball defense. Wyand is also great at stealing the ball immediately off of an inbound or off a rebound. She is then able to immediately score or draw a foul.   Now I did mention that her defense is the best part of her game, but Wyand's offense is probably closer to being equal to her defense. Wyand's best offensive ability is her 3-point shooting. She has a very high arch on her jumper and does not seem to be bothered by the opposition's closeouts. Wyand has also shown the ability to handle the ball well with both hands, and she can get through the defense well on her way to the bucket.   Sydney Wyand can be classified as either a 3&D player or a two-way player. Regardless, Wyand is a solid role player and she should help her team to new heights this upcoming season.     This list has so many great defenders, and [player_tooltip player_id='1049457' first='Marlaysha' last='Stone'] is another one of them. Stone is a dynamic two-way talent that causes so many turnovers in the passing lane for the other team. There are a lot of disruptors in the 4A-7, but many are not as disruptive as Stone is for the Lady Panthers.   Stone is a massive threat to steal the ball off a pass. DeQueen High School discovered that in a game last year when she had 3 steals off of passes in the first few minutes of their game versus Magnolia. In that span of about 4 minutes, Stone accounted for 6 of the 8 points her team scored simply off of those steals, which led to uncontested layups.   Stone also has solid offensive abilities. When her team secures a rebound, she is the first and quickest player to leak out on the fastbreak, which leads to so many easy baskets. In the half court setting, Stone is a threat to knock down catch-and-shoot 3-pointers. She has a nice arch on her shot and defenses have to close out.   [player_tooltip player_id='1049457' first='Marlaysha' last='Stone'] is a very good two-way player for Magnolia, and with a larger role in her senior season, expect Stone to garner more collegiate attention.     [player_tooltip player_id='829944' first='Evan' last='Polsgrove'] has a collegiate future in either basketball or volleyball. She is considered one of the top players in the country in volleyball, but she has already received an offer from Williams Baptist University for basketball. With Brookland's previous star Kinley Morris graduating, Polsgrove will be the number 1 option for the Lady Bearcats this upcoming season.   Polsgrove is an aggressive offensive player who is at her best taking it straight to the basket. Polsgrove is more than just a straight-line drive player as she has a great handle that gives her a lot of space to drive. She is crafty enough to get to any spot, whether she uses a spin move, an in-and-out dribble move, or a hesi. Polsgrove also understands when to not force the ball directly inside due to on-time help defense. When that happens, she can go straight up and knock down a baby hook or a one-handed shot that is difficult for the defense to contest, which is an advanced skill for a guard.   Polsgrove's jumpshot is slightly unorthodox. The launch point on her shot is at her stomach, but it does not seem to hinder the fact that she is a threat to knock down threes. The defense also does not seem to bother her on these shots. The shot may seem easy to block, but her quick release is just quick enough to get it up and over the closeouts.   [player_tooltip player_id='829944' first='Evan' last='Polsgrove'] has already racked up a plethora of accolades in her time with Brookland High School. Over the past two seasons, Polsgrove has earned all-state, all-conference, all-NEA tournament team, Jonesboro Sun-Best Under the Sun, and several other awards. She does this while also being a part of very successful Brookland teams the past two seasons. Keep an eye out for a breakout season for [player_tooltip player_id='829944' first='Evan' last='Polsgrove'] in 2024/25.     I am dumbfounded that [player_tooltip player_id='1051956' first='Madison' last='Sanders'] is not already on this site! I am also shocked that [player_tooltip player_id='1051956' first='Madison' last='Sanders'] is not on any college radars, and I cannot understand why. To me, Sanders is the best point guard in the 4A-5 North, and frankly, there is no reason why she is not the best point guard in all of 4A. Sanders makes clutch plays for her team, and if her play as a junior carries over into her final high school season, everyone will be agreeing with me on these takes.   Sanders is what every coach wants in a point guard, a playmaker, a scorer, and a defender. Sanders has good size for a guard, making her able to defend multiple positions on the floor, but she is also extremely aggressive on that side of the ball and picks up a lot of steals. She seems like she is teleporting to each point on the floor to smack the pass away. Sanders is not only aggressive, but active, energetic, and hard-working on defense. Her energy and hustle does not fade away in the fourth quarter. If anything, it ramps up. Sanders made a lot of clutch defensive plays for her team in the 4A state tournament last season while also getting 20 points or more multiple times.   Sanders' offense is another strong point in her game. The outside shooting is fantastic for Sanders, and she can hit catch-and-shoot threes or dribble pullups. Sanders is strong and athletic and gets inside to score with ease. She can also pass very well. On the fastbreak, Sanders does not force the finish. Instead, when the time is right, she will reward her teammates for running the floor by dishing them the rock for easy buckets. She can also make the extra pass in the half-court setting without hesitation.   [player_tooltip player_id='1051956' first='Madison' last='Sanders'] is an elite point guard, and Pulaski Academy is fortunate to have her at the helm. Sanders has serious D1 potential, and she deserves respect as a prospect. Expect a breakout season for [player_tooltip player_id='1051956' first='Madison' last='Sanders'] and the Lady Bruins.    Well I was not kidding when I said there was some serious depth in senior guards in the 4A classification. There were so many other great players that I left off this list, but this is just a representation of the talent this conference has to offer. Stay tuned for my next article covering 4A 2025 forwards who are expected to have big impacts in 2024/25.

The 4A classification in Arkansas high school sports is massive! There are 50 schools in this classification, with plenty of talent stretching to every corner of the state. However, it is very clear that the guard depth in 4A is deeper than any other conference in the state, all with varying abilities that can serve them and their team well at the next level.