December Rankings: The 2028 Class' most underrated guards

The guard group outside of the top 10 of the 2028 class is solid, but still underrated. Some of these players have emerged as some of the leaders of their teams, others are still working to earn more playing time.    [player_tooltip player_id='952547' first='Kenady' last='Barrett'] will definitely be moving up in the ranking soon. She has emerged as one of Poyen's best players, and she is definitely one of the best players in the 2A classification.   Barrett has scored at least 20 points in her last two games coming into tonight's matchup against Malvern. She had 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists versus De Queen on the 16th, and then 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 steals the next night against Parkers Chapel. Barrett's scoring comes from both inside and outside. She has a nice 3-point shot and once she spots up behind the arch, she does not care about an incoming defender, she is launching the shot. She can also step in and knock down jumpers from inside the arch. A lot of Barrett's inside scoring comes from her defensive play.   That 5-steal game against Parkers Chapel was a great defensive showing for Barrett, and several of those steals resulted in transition points. She had great anticipation on the opposition's passes, taking them away and finishing at the other end. Barrett is a solid finisher, but she is also a good rebounder.   Barrett's performance against Conway Christian earlier this month was not something to ignore. The 5'11" guard pulled down 16 rebounds, put up 21 points, and recorded 3 assists, 1 steal and 5 blocks. She aggressively crashes the glass, immediately starting the fastbreak once she has control of the board.   [player_tooltip player_id='952547' first='Kenady' last='Barrett'] is one of the best small-school guards in the state, and she is incredibly underrated. Keep up with this young star during the rest of her first varsity season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1090888' first='Keila' last='Dailey'] is one of the best shooters in the 6A classification, and she is only a freshman! Dailey is one of the several freshmen that Bryant is having to call upon this season, and her great offensive play has helped them log a 9-5 record.   As soon as Dailey catches the ball, there is a good chance a shot is going up immediately, and an even better chance that the shot will rip through the net. The lefty has a very quick release and she is tough to stop when she has it going. As long as the Lady Hornets keep getting Dailey open and in-rhythm shots, she will be shooting close to 50% from beyond on the season.   Some shooters are poor defenders, but not Dailey. Dailey plays solid on-ball defense and shuffles her feet well, keeping her woman in front of her. If she gets the chance to grab a steal, she can, and she will.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090888' first='Keila' last='Dailey'] is a fantastic sharpshooter. She could hold this same #13 position simply because of her shooting, but she is valuable to this Bryant team, even this early in her high school career.     [player_tooltip player_id='874456' first='Palmer' last='Pittman'] has been able to carve out a role for Gravette, but she is seeking even more playing time. She has shown promise on both sides of the ball, and she can be a solid player in the 4A-1 for a long time.   Pittman's shooting form is definitely unorthodox, as it looks like she is putting all of her power into the shot, but it is pure once it goes through the net. She is a solid off the catch, and she has no problem hoisting a shot from well beyond the 3-point line.   Pittman has shown her ability as a two-way player in multiple games this season, especially in games where she finishes with a steal or two in the stat sheet. She pokes passes away and can convert those turnovers into points at the other end. She also dives on the floor after loose balls, earning the respect of her teammates and coaches.   [player_tooltip player_id='874456' first='Palmer' last='Pittman'] has the potential to be a very good player for Gravette. If Pittman continues to play hard on both ends of the floor, she will definitely earn more minutes.     [player_tooltip player_id='1090370' first='Riley' last='Farris'] will definitely find her way further up the 2028 ranking come the next update. She has starred for Pangburn this season, and it is clear that she is one of their go-to scorers at any stage of the game.   In Pangburn's game against Bald Knob before Christmas, Farris connected on 4 triples, with 2 of them coming from midway between the 3-point line and halfcourt. Her release is quick and she puts a lot of air under her shot, giving it fantastic arch. She also has no problem shooting and hitting contested looks.   Farris can score in the paint and play solid defense, but her shooting is just too good to stop talking about. She has had several games this season with 3 made triples and 2 games with 5. She helps Pangburn stay competitive with her phenomenal performances from outside.   [player_tooltip player_id='1090370' first='Riley' last='Farris'] is another sharpshooter from the 2028 class, and she is one of the most lethal shooters in the 3A classification. She is already one of Pangburn's best offensive players, and I imagine she stays that way for the rest of her career there.     You often do not hear much about the athletics in Cedarville, Arkansas, but with [player_tooltip player_id='1118019' first='Emily' last='McCutheon'] starring for the Lady Pirates, you will definitely hear more from this West Arkansas team.   McCutheon is a two-way star for Cedarville. On offense, she makes great plays on the outside, being a solid shooter once she gets her shot off in rhythm. She also makes great plays on the inside, scoring well in transition.   On defense, McCutheon intercepts passes and picks pockets, giving her team fastbreak offensive opportunities. If she is not stealing the ball, then she is probably sending it into the stands. She is tough to score on, and if she stays in front of her assignment for an entire play, then she will end up blocking that shot.   [player_tooltip player_id='1118019' first='Emily' last='McCutheon'] is the epidemy of underrated, as she is playing for an up-and-coming 3A-4 squad. But, from what we have seen from her in just her freshman season, she can pull away from that "underrated" tag and help the Lady Pirates excel.    These guards are definitely underrated in the class of 2028, but they all have great potential and could go on to being their school's best players, if they are not already.

The guard group outside of the top 10 of the 2028 class is solid, but still underrated. Some of these players have emerged as some of the leaders of their teams, others are still working to earn more playing time.