6A 2026 Bigs who can and will dominate in 2024/25

It has been a minute but I am back with more preseason preview articles, with the emphasis still on the 2026 class. Without further ado, let us jump right into it.    Arabella Arreola can play multiple positions on the floor. She can play along the perimeter as a small forward or down low as a power forward or center. Playing in the post is where Arreola should be, but her versatility allows her to play inside and out.   Arreola is a stretch-5. She can knock down threes on the wing well, and she has a quick release. Arreola's size does allow her to have the opportunity to make space inside, but her ball-handling ability gives her a great chance to score off of drives.   On defense, Arreola makes a larger impact along the perimeter by recording a number of steals. Her height gives her the chance to block a number of shots, but Arreola adds another element to her defense with the ability to poke the ball free.   Arabella Arreola is a role player for Springdale Har-Ber, but she is set to make a large impact for her team.     [player_tooltip player_id='1060871' first='Camryn' last='Schmidt'] is a certified bucket-getter, and I cannot believe she is on Fort Smith Northside this season. She starred as a sophomore last year with Van Buren high school, and since transferring up to 6A, she has received offers from Arkansas Tech and Arkansas-Fort Smith. Schmidt is one of the best juniors in the state, and one who is highly underrated.   Schmidt can do it all on both sides of the ball. On offense, Schmidt can hurt you from inside and out. On the inside, Schmidt is a great finisher who can score with her back to the basket or off a line drive. She uses the spin move effectively, and can spin left or right. Schmidt controls her handle well, and on her drives, she can use a euro-step, a step-through move, or just take on contact and finish. She is definitely one of the craftier bigs in the state, if not the craftiest.   On the outside, Schmidt can make the defense pay from 3-point land. She is a remarkable shooter who requires a defensive closeout to stop, even though that does not work. Schmidt can hit catch-and-shoot jumpers, but if the defense closes out too hard, she will not hesitate to drive straight to the basket. I am also impressed with her ability to pass the ball. She can make cross-court passes with ease, and she has a strong basketball IQ. If a double-team comes, she knows where her open teammates are and she hits them with accurate passes.   On defense, Schmidt is a solid shot-blocker, recording a lot of blocks coming over from the help-side.   Schmidt is another cog in the machine that is Fort Smith Northside. I know I said previously that North Little Rock might win the 6A state championship, and I still believe that, but this team out west will make that a very difficult task.     [player_tooltip player_id='1060868' first='Teagan' last='Holt'] is one of the best rim protectors in the entire 6A classification! Holt is a game-changer on that end, but offense is still an unknown part of her game. If Holt's offensive game improves this season, expect everyone to be talking about [player_tooltip player_id='1060868' first='Teagan' last='Holt'].   As I just mentioned, Holt is a game-changing shot-blocker. She has impeccable timing on her blocks and it seems like she can rise up and reject any shot she wants. Holt can also poke the ball free and record a number of steals.   Holt's offense is not her game's strongpoint. She can finish easy buckets down low, but I would like to see her become an offensive-rebounding threat. She is already a solid rebounder, but I would like to see Holt record a number of putbacks for her team.   [player_tooltip player_id='1060868' first='Teagan' last='Holt'] is on of the best post defenders in 6A, and it will take a big junior season for her to blast onto the recruiting scene.     [player_tooltip player_id='1238157' first='Parker' last='Russell'] is another player who entering this season well below the radar. Russell was a good player in middle school, but she has yet to make a name for herself since being on varsity with Bentonville High School. Despite that, there is a very good chance Russell can contribute in 2024/25.   Russell makes her mark on the defensive end and on the backboard. Russell uses some solid timing and instincts to block a fair number of shots. She uses her size and solid footwork to stay in front of her defensive assignments and contest any shot they put up.   On the glass, Russell uses her frame to box out the defense and pull down any board she sees. Though her offense has yet to come along, Russell can make an instant impact for Bentonville on the glass and on defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1238157' first='Parker' last='Russell'] did not play much as a sophomore, but I expect her to receive more minutes as a junior, so keep tabs on Russell and this Bentonville team.    Quite honestly, there were not a lot of 2026 6A bigs for me to talk about. With my preseason articles, I break up each classification and each graduating class into specific position groups, and some teams do not have players in these specific groups. Regardless, these players can and will have a huge impact on their teams in 2024/25, so note their names now. Now at the plate...5A 2026 guards!

It has been a minute but I am back with more preseason preview articles, with the emphasis still on the 2026 class. Without further ado, let us jump right into it.